35+ College Grad Earnings Statistics [2026]: Average Starting Salary Out Of College

Research Summary. As college graduation approaches, students frequently ponder their future earning potential. Various factors influence these outcomes, so here are updated statistics on average starting salaries for recent college graduates as of 2026:

• The average starting salary for the graduating class of 2023 is $59,500.

• Computer science majors continue to lead with the highest average starting salary of all degree programs, now at $80,000.

• The median starting salary for college graduates has risen to $50,000.

• Starting salaries for college graduates increased by 2.4% from 2022 to 2023.

• A person with a bachelor’s degree now earns 80% more than they would with only a high school diploma.

For further analysis, we broke down the data in the following ways:
Over Time | Expectations | Region | Ethnicity | Gender | Public/Private | Graduate Benefits | School

Starting Salary Out of College by Major

• Electrical engineering and computer science graduates now have the highest average starting salary at $110,000 for those with five or fewer years of experience.

  The ten majors with the highest-paying jobs right out of college include:

  Average Salary of Majors with the Highest-Paying Jobs Right Out Of College

  Major	Average Salary for Employee with Zero to Five Years of Experience
  Electrical Engineering & Computer Science	$110,000
  Physician Assistant Studies	$98,500
  Petroleum Engineering	$95,000
  Operations Research & Industrial Engineering	$87,000
  Operations Research	$85,000
  Nuclear Engineering Technology	$85,000
  Metallurgical Engineering	$83,000
  Computer Science & Business	$82,000
  Electronic Systems Technology	$82,000
  Welding Engineering	$82,000

• Voice and opera remain the major with the lowest average salary for graduates with zero to five years of experience at $36,000.

  The ten majors with the lowest-paying jobs right out of college are:

  Average Salary of Majors with the Lowest-Paying Jobs Right Out Of College

  Major	Average Salary for Employee with Zero to Five Years of Experience
  Voice & Opera	$36,000
  Painting & Printmaking	$36,200
  Psychology & Human Services	$37,000
  Equine Studies	$37,500
  Rehabilitation Services	$38,000
  Medical Assisting	$38,500
  Early Childhood Education	$39,000
  Mental Health Counseling	$39,000
  Child and Family Studies	$39,500
  Biblical Studies & Practical Ministries	$39,500

• Petroleum engineering continues to lead in mid-career pay, with professionals earning an average salary of $195,000 after ten or more years of experience.

  Following closely are operations research & industrial engineering at $175,000 and electrical engineering & computer science at $165,000.

Starting Salary Out of College Over Time

• The average starting salary for workers who graduated college in 2023 is $59,500.

• Since 2019, annual increases in starting salaries have fluctuated but have generally shown positive growth, including a significant 6.5% increase from 2021 to 2022.

Percent Change for Average Starting Salary from Previous Year

Starting Salary Out of College Expectations

• Students with an undergraduate or graduate degree often overestimate their starting salaries by around 20%.

  Some majors, such as nursing and computer science, tend to be more accurate in their estimations, while many students in humanities and liberal arts tend to underestimate their potential earnings.

  Expected Average Salary Versus Actual Median Early Career Salary

  Major	Expected Average Salary (2023)	Actual Median Early Career Salary
  Engineering	$75,000	$65,500
  Physical or Life Sciences	$66,000	$52,500
  Nursing	$64,000	$70,000
  Business	$62,000	$48,000
  Computer Science	$80,000	$75,000
  Political Science/Economics	$60,000	$54,000
  Finance/Accounting	$58,000	$56,000
  Psychology	$55,000	$50,000
  Communications	$57,000	$43,000
  Education	$48,000	$42,000
  Humanities/Liberal Arts/English/History	$52,000	$45,000
  Agriculture and Natural Resources	$60,000	$70,000

• Computer science majors in 2023 earn an average salary approximately $8,000 higher than the overall average starting salary.

  Due to high demand, these graduates are projected to earn nearly $80,000 on average as they enter the workforce.

• Business majors overestimate their average starting salaries by about $14,000.

  Students expect to earn around $62,000, while the reality is closer to $48,000, leading to a discrepancy of roughly 29%.

• Female students anticipate earning about $4,500 less than their male counterparts each year.

  This trend is particularly pronounced in political science and economics, where women expect to earn approximately $49,500 compared to men’s expectations of $75,000.

  However, in fields like nursing and computer science, women often anticipate earning more than men.

  • Nursing

  • Physical or Life Sciences

  • Computer Science

  • Communications/Journalism

  • Humanities/Liberal Arts/English/Philosophy/History

Starting Salary Out of College by Region

• The Mid-Atlantic region has the highest average starting salary for college graduates in 2023 at $65,000.

  This region saw 100,000 graduates in 2023, closely followed by the Far West region at an average starting salary of $64,000 among 85,000 graduates, and the Southeast region with 135,000 graduates earning an average starting salary of $61,000.

• The Plains region has the lowest average starting salary for college graduates in 2022 at $52,000.

  This region saw 25,000 graduates that year, while the Great Lakes region had the second-lowest average starting salary at $57,000 with 90,000 graduates, and New England averaged $58,000 with 20,000 graduates.

• The Mid-Atlantic region also boasts the highest rate of employed graduates at 68%.

  New England follows closely at 67%, with the Southwest and Southeast regions at 55% and 57%, respectively.

Starting Salary Out of College by Ethnicity

• Asian-American graduates command the highest mean starting salary at $78,000.

  International graduates follow with an average starting salary of $70,000, and multi-racial graduates earn an average of $60,000.

• Native American graduates have the lowest average starting salary at $55,000.

  Hawaiian/Pacific Islander graduates earn an average of $56,000, while Hispanic-American graduates see an average starting salary of $58,000.

• 63% of white graduates are employed after college, the highest of any ethnicity.

  Native American graduates have an employment rate of 61%, followed by multi-racial graduates at 60%. Employment rates for African-American graduates stand at 58%, Hispanic-American at 57%, and Asian-American graduates at 56%. International students have a significantly lower employment rate at 45%, but many continue their education further.

Starting Salary Out of College by Gender

• The average starting salary of males who graduated in 2023 is $66,000.

• The average starting salary of females who graduated in 2023 is $54,500.

• The average starting salary of nonbinary students who graduated in 2023 is $52,000.

Starting Salary Out of College by Public/Private

• Graduates with bachelor’s degrees from private institutions have an average starting salary of $62,000 in 2023.

• Students who graduated from public institutions have an average starting salary of $60,000 in 2023.

• Graduates of private master’s degree programs earn an average starting salary of $80,000 in 2023.

• Graduates of public master’s degree programs earn an average starting salary of $72,000 in 2023.

Graduate Benefits Expectations

• On a scale of one to seven, one being the most important, recent graduates consider a robust insurance plan as the most important benefit, averaging a ranking of three.

  This is closely followed by competitive salaries, ranked at an average of 3.5.

• Student loan repayment assistance is viewed as the least important benefit, with an average ranking of 4.7.

  This reflects a shift in perception, as only 30% of surveyed college students believe their degrees will be worth the cost, down from 50% in previous years. Many younger students now prefer high-paying jobs that don’t require degrees over benefits like loan repayment.

• Employee benefits such as flexible working hours, an enjoyable work environment, and generous paid time off (PTO) are ranked as moderately important.

  Here’s how these benefits rank on a scale of one to seven:

  • Flex Time: 4.5

  • Generous PTO: 4.2

  • Fun Work Environment: 4.0

  • Retirement Plan with High Company Match: 4.0

Starting Salary Out of College by School

• Graduates of the California Institute of Technology (CIT) earn a median starting salary of $85,000.

• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) graduates earn a median starting salary of $84,000.

• Graduates of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) earn a median starting salary of $75,000.

• Graduates of Stanford University (SU) earn a median starting salary of $74,000.

• Graduates of Thomas Jefferson University (PhilaU) earn a median starting salary of $73,500.

Starting Salary After College FAQ

1. What is a good starting salary out of college?

   A good starting salary out of college is between $55,000 and $65,000. This aligns with the current average of $59,500, which is significantly higher than the median starting salary for high school graduates ($43,000).

   However, many soon-to-be college grads tend to overestimate their starting salary, with students often expecting to earn as much as $110,000 at their first job.

2. Where should I be financially at 25?

   You should aim to save at least half of your annual expenses by age 25. For example, if you spend $32,000 per year of your $60,000 salary, you should try to save at least $16,000. This preparation will help you manage significant purchases like a home or vehicle, as well as facilitate your long-term retirement planning.

Conclusion

As of 2023, a college graduate’s average starting salary varies significantly by major. Graduates in fields such as engineering and computer science generally secure much higher starting salaries than those in the arts or humanities.

Many students overestimate their potential earnings upon graduation by approximately 20%. Notably, nursing and computer science majors tend to have more accurate expectations regarding their starting salaries.

The average starting salary for the class of 2023 is $59,500.

References

1. CNBC. “More Education Doesn’t Always Get You More Money, Report Finds.” Accessed on December 17, 2021.

2. Payscale. “College Salary Report: Highest Paying Jobs with a Bachelor’s Degree.” Accessed on December 17, 2021.

3. NACE. “Salaries for College Graduates Climb Even in the Face of the Pandemic.” Accessed on December 17, 2021.

4. NACE. “Class of 2017’s Overall Starting Salary Shows Little Gain.” Accessed on December 17, 2021.

5. NACE. “Average Salary for Class of 2019 Up Almost 6 Percent Over Class of 2018’s.” Accessed on December 17, 2021.

6. NACE. “Class of 2018’s Overall Starting Salary Remains Flat.” Accessed on December 17, 2021.

7. NACE. “Average Starting Salary for Class of 2016 Held Steady.” Accessed on December 17, 2021.

8. NACE. “Overall Starting Salary for Class of 2015 Graduates Up 4.3 Percent.” Accessed on December 17, 2021.

9. Clever. “Reality Check: Exploring Unrealistic Undergraduate Salary Expectations.” Accessed on December 17, 2021.

10. NACE. “First Destinations for the College Class of 2020.” Accessed on December 17, 2021.

11. U.S. News. “10 National Universities Where Grads Are Paid Well.” Accessed on December 17, 2021.

12. NACE. “First Destinations for the College Class of 2021.” Accessed on February 27, 2023.

Author

Abby McCain

Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.