Employment outlook rosy for '07 college graduates

More of this year's college graduates can expect to get jobs, according to a recent poll of the nation's colleges and universities — and most of them can expect higher pay than their predecessors.

In its spring 2007 issue, the National Association of Colleges and Employers says employers plan to hire 20 percent more new college graduates from this year's class than they did in 2006.

Business growth and expansion, as well as an increased emphasis on college hiring, all contribute to the rosy job outlook.

"Education and a college degree is still the best investment you can make," said Stan Inman, director of Career Services at the University of Utah. "For each year of post-high school education, students can expect a 15 to 20 percent increase in compensation, which, calculated over a lifetime, is extremely significant. In fact, the 10 highest paying occupations in Utah all require a degree."

Of this year's U. grads, Inman said 51 percent of those surveyed report they already have accepted jobs or will carry on with their current employment, and 17 percent will continue their education.

"One interesting figure is that of those reporting employment, 85 percent are in-state," he said.

The Department of Workforce Services has reported that Utah's economy has been growing at about three times the national average. The state's unemployment rate is 2 percentage points lower than the national average. With such conditions, Inman said, graduates are experiencing what the DWS calls a "seller's market."

"We have experienced four consecutive years of increased demand for college graduates," said Sam Morrison, employer outreach coordinator for the university's Career Services Department. He said occupations including nursing, engineering and construction management are in high demand and low supply.

The NACE survey found that hiring projections aren't the only things increasing.

NACE's salary survey reveals the top-paying jobs across the country include all types of engineering, computer sciences, information systems and accounting. However, the survey also shows that offers to new graduates continue to rise in nearly every field, with the highest percent increase in marketing, which rose 10.3 percent to more than $41,000 as the national average.

The smallest increase went to liberal arts graduates, whose average offer as a group rose 1.2 percent to $31,333.