Some Good News (Finally) for College Graduates

Good news for recent or soon-to-be college graduates: the job market might actually be looking up for you, an economist said after reviewing the results of a new survey.

After years of college grads having a hard time finding steady employment after commencement, Michigan State University economist Phil Gardner said those with new degrees within this 2014-15 school year can expect to enjoy an average 16 percent boost in companies wanting to hire them compared to prior graduating classes.

“Employers are recruiting new college graduates at levels not seen since the dot-com frenzy of 1999-2000,” Gardner, director of MSU’s Collegiate Employment Research Institute, said in a statement. “Competition for qualified candidates is escalating to a degree rarely seen in the past 10 years."

The nearly 5,700 employers surveyed by the university said they expected to hire 120,000 new graduates this year. All but two of the job sectors saw hiring growth percentages reach into the double digits.

Image source: Recruiting Trends report/Michigan State University

The survey found that those graduating with a bachelor's degree should see a 16 percent spike in hiring, while MBA's will see the highest percentage — 38 percent. Doctorate hiring is up 20 percent while those with associate degrees are being hired up to 19 percent more than previous years. Those with new master's degrees, however, will likely have the same post-school hiring percentage, according to the university's news release.

While the sudden surge is welcome, Garner said he is unsure if it will hold in the years following at this point.

(H/T: Science Daily)

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