Starting Salaries Up 1.2% for Class of 2014 Grads

Biggest jump seen in health sciences

The average starting salary for new college graduates earning bachelor’s degrees has increased 1.2% percent over last year, according to a new report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

NACE’s April 2014 Salary Survey: the first look at starting salaries for the Class of 2014: found that the average starting salary for these college graduates stands at $45,473, up from the 2013 average salary of $44,928.

With a jump of 3.7%, health sciences garnered the highest average starting salary increase among the disciplines for the Class of 2014, while humanities and social sciences and computer science trailed closely with gains of 3.5% and 2.9%, respectively.

2014 Average Salaries by Discipline

Business: $53,901 (2013: $54,234; change: -0.6%)

Communications: $43,924 ($43,145; +1.8%

Computer Science: $61,741 ($59,977; +2.9%)

Education: $40,863 ($40,480; +0.9%)

Engineering: $62,719 ($62,535; +0.3%)

Health Sciences: $51,541 ($49,713; +3.7%)

Humanities & Social Sciences: $38,365 ($37,058; +3.5%)

Math & Sciences: $43,414 ($42,724; +1.6%)

Overall $45,473: ($44,928; +1.2%)

Source: April 2014 Salary Survey, National Association of Colleges and Employers

About Salary Survey: Salary Survey reports starting salaries for new college graduates in more than 90 disciplines at the bachelor’s-degree level. Data contained in the report are reported by employers, represent accepted starting salaries (not salary offers), and are produced through a compilation of data derived from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, and a master set of data developed by Job Search Intelligence. Data for the April 2014 Salary Survey report were retrieved in February 2014. Salary Survey is published in January, April, and September.

Read the executive summary of the April 2014 Salary Survey report.