BETHLEHEM, PA -- February 4, 2010 -- Starting salary offers to Class of 2010 new college graduates are down, compared to those offered a year ago, according to a new study published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
The Winter 2010 issue of NACE’s Salary Survey shows the overall average offer to a bachelor’s degree graduate is $48,351, down 2 percent from the average offer of $49,353 made to Class of 2009 bachelor’s degree graduates.
“The dip is not surprising, given the decreased demand we’re seeing for new college graduates,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.
In August, employers responding to a NACE survey reported plans to trim their college hiring, hiring 7 percent fewer Class of 2010 grads than they hired from the Class of 2009. In addition, just 29 percent of those employers said they would increase their starting salary offers for the Class of 2010.
While the overall average offer to the Class of 2010 fell, the salary direction of individual majors varied.
Among the business disciplines, for example, accounting majors and finance graduates saw their averages fall, but by less than 1 percent. The average offer to accounting majors, $47,982, represents a 0.7 percent drop, while finance majors, with an average offer of $49,607, saw a 0.4 percent decrease.
Business administration/ management graduates saw their average offer drop 1.5 percent to $45,200.
But not all majors experienced salary decreases.
In fact, as a group, graduates with computer-related degrees (computer pr
