University seems like the next logical step for many community college transfers and those looking for a better career. University offers an advanced level of education (it’s not called higher education for nothing, right?), opens more doors and leads to more successful careers. But which area of study is most likely to land you a job in that field upon graduating? Which graduates enjoy the best starting salaries? If you’re not really passionate about something, don’t know what you enjoy or just following the money then these facts might help you decide what degree to study.
Employment
Around 76% of graduates go on to find full-time work within four months of graduating. There are a number of factors that determine whether a graduate is likely to find full-time work; these include the job market, the field they studied, their resume and previous experience. However, it is possible to see which degrees have been the most beneficial for graduates from an employment perspective. Medicine graduates are least likely to be unemployed after graduating – their employment rate in full-time work is a whopping 98%. More than 97% of pharmacy and mining engineering graduates find full-time work as well as over 90% of dentistry and nursing graduates.
Starting salary
Across all graduates, the average starting salary is around $50,000 a year. While this should not be the sole factor that determines what degree you should choose (starting salaries don’t indicate potential salaries later on), it can definitely serve as a guide. Even though pharmacy graduates are very likely to find full-time work, they have to wait quite some time before seeing figures close to $50,000 – their starting salaries are around $37,000. Dentistry graduates enjoy the highest starting salary at $80,000, optometry graduates can look forward to $70,000, earth science graduates $65,000 and engineering $60,000.
Strategies to find jobs
Most graduates find jobs either scouring the internet, through family ties and connections, or through their degrees and university careers services. Another strategy is forging connections either through university or extra-curricular activities; others approached employers directly. While two thirds of graduates did one of these things to find jobs, there was no strategy that’s substantially more effective. Employability, the market and luck play significant roles in finding jobs.
There are plenty of opportunities out there. These figures are general trends rather than strict rules and there are always exceptions. It’s good to note the variations in the different fields, as well as the similarities between them. Whether you’d prefer to work with a stethoscope as a doctor, chemicals as a pharmacist, teeth as a dentist or CAD as an engineer, if you’re following the money, these might be good degrees for you.
About The Author:
Adrian Rodriguez is a university student and freelance writer who hopes his education in CAD modelling will provide him with a full-time job after graduating.
