Spotlight for Recruiting Professionals

Computer science and engineering majors graduating from schools in New England received higher starting salaries than did these graduates from schools in other regions of the country, according to NACE’s Fall 2017 Salary Survey. However, it’s important to note that the data at this early juncture are preliminary and limited.

The average starting salary for Class of 2017 computer science majors earning bachelor’s degrees from schools in New England was $96,887. This was far greater than the second highest average of $82,297 earned by computer science majors at schools in the Far West/Rocky Mountain region.

At $73,249, engineering majors from New England schools also earned more than their contemporaries from schools in other regions, but the gap wasn’t as substantial. Starting salaries stood at $67,007 for engineering graduates from schools in the Southwest region and $66,674 for those from schools in the Far West/Rocky Mountain region.

Meanwhile, the average starting salary for Class of 2017 business majors was highest for graduates of schools in the Mid-Atlantic region; they earned an average of $58,764. Average starting salaries for business majors graduating from schools in the New England ($55,856) and Far West/Rocky Mountain ($53,641) regions trailed closely behind.   

Data for the Fall 2017 Salary Survey report were collected from July 12, 2017, through September 15, 2017, and were provided by 81 colleges and universities nationwide that participate in NACE’s national First-Destination Survey. The data are preliminary salaries for Class of 2017 graduates in the date range from July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017. The final salary numbers for the Class of 2017 will be released in the Spring 2018 Salary Survey report in conjunction with the Class of 2017 First-Destination Surveyresults. The Fall 2017 Salary Survey report is available to members on MyNACE. An executive summary is available at www.naceweb.org/research/reports/.