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| 2011 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 404. | Percentage, selected employment characteristics, and annual salaries of bachelor's degree recipients employed full time 1 year after graduation, by field of study: Selected years, 1976 through 2009 |
| Selected employment characteristic and annual salary | All fields of study1 | Engineering | Biological and physical sciences2 | Mathematics and computer science2 | Social sciences | History | Humanities | Health professions | Business and management | Education3,4 | Psychology | Public affairs and social services | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |||||||||||||
| Employment characteristics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Percent of recipients employed full time | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1974-75 recipients in May 1976 | 66.8 | (—) | 79.4 | (—) | 56.5 | (—) | 50.0 | (—) | 59.1 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | 56.3 | (—) | 74.6 | (—) | 84.0 | (—) | 66.2 | (—) | 61.4 | (—) | — | (†) | |
| 1979-80 recipients in May 1981 | 71.2 | (—) | 83.8 | (—) | 45.2 | (—) | 57.7 | (—) | 61.1 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | 55.2 | (—) | 77.0 | (—) | 83.3 | (—) | 67.4 | (—) | 55.9 | (—) | 77.0 | (—) | |
| 1989-90 recipients in June 1991 | 73.5 | (—) | 84.5 | (—) | 50.3 | (—) | 72.2 | (—) | 68.5 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | 58.6 | (—) | 86.4 | (—) | 83.4 | (—) | 67.0 | (—) | 59.2 | (—) | 66.1 | (—) | |
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 2001 | 76.5 | (0.52) | 86.0 | (1.77) | 58.6 | (2.04) | 83.7 | (2.06) | 66.0 | (2.28) | 76.7 | (3.16) | 75.9 | (3.51) | 74.8 | (1.50) | 85.4 | (1.28) | 84.0 | (1.29) | 64.0 | (2.64) | 81.6 | (3.44) | |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 65.0 | (0.62) | 76.1 | (2.12) | 49.0 | (2.38) | 75.1 | (2.67) | 61.2 | (1.94) | 46.1 | (4.35) | 47.6 | (2.12) | 68.5 | (1.86) | 76.7 | (1.18) | 70.7 | (1.74) | 46.6 | (2.40) | 69.8 | (3.44) | |
| Percent of full-time employees looking for other or additional work |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 2001 | 24.6 | (0.66) | 19.2 | (2.30) | 22.9 | (2.64) | 18.3 | (2.36) | 28.4 | (2.42) | 22.8 | (3.46) | 27.7 | (4.92) | 20.9 | (1.93) | 24.5 | (1.52) | 17.4 | (1.45) | 23.9 | (2.54) | 19.6 | (3.65) | |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 29.5 | (0.74) | 19.6 | (2.66) | 28.2 | (3.72) | 26.7 | (3.40) | 35.8 | (3.02) | 28.0 | (5.91) | 38.4 | (3.03) | 20.9 | (2.49) | 30.4 | (1.67) | 19.9 | (1.89) | 34.0 | (2.98) | 27.9 | (5.11) | |
| Percent of full-time employees in job | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| closely related to field of study | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1974-75 recipients in May 1976 | 35.2 | (—) | 57.4 | (—) | 26.1 | (—) | 18.7 | (—) | 11.7 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | 11.7 | (—) | 70.8 | (—) | 48.8 | (—) | 22.4 | (—) | 22.2 | (—) | — | (†) | |
| 1979-80 recipients in May 1981 | 38.4 | (—) | 55.4 | (—) | 17.7 | (—) | 29.0 | (—) | 9.9 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | 13.8 | (—) | 66.4 | (—) | 43.6 | (—) | 29.1 | (—) | 17.2 | (—) | 45.7 | (—) | |
| 1989-90 recipients in June 1991 | 38.7 | (—) | 50.4 | (—) | 25.6 | (—) | 48.0 | (—) | 16.4 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | 10.5 | (—) | 82.9 | (—) | 41.7 | (—) | 39.5 | (—) | 22.4 | (—) | 49.0 | (—) | |
| Annual salaries of full-time employees | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average salary, in current dollars | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1974-75 recipients in February 19766 | $7,600 | (—) | $12,200 | (—) | $6,500 | (—) | $7,000 | (—) | $6,700 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | $5,800 | (—) | $8,600 | (—) | $10,200 | (—) | $6,300 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | |
| 1979-80 recipients in May 19816 | 15,200 | (—) | 22,400 | (—) | 14,500 | (—) | 16,300 | (—) | 14,000 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | 12,600 | (—) | 17,300 | (—) | 16,300 | (—) | 11,500 | (—) | $12,500 | (—) | $13,700 | (—) | |
| 1989-90 recipients in June 1991 | 23,600 | (—) | 30,900 | (—) | 21,100 | (—) | 27,200 | (—) | 22,200 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | 19,100 | (—) | 31,500 | (—) | 24,700 | (—) | 19,100 | (—) | 19,200 | (—) | 20,800 | (—) | |
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 20016 | 35,400 | (300) | 47,900 | (840) | 30,900 | (720) | 47,400 | (1,090) | 33,900 | (890) | 30,000 | (1,010) | 33,900 | (1,200) | 39,400 | (1,110) | 41,000 | (860) | 27,500 | (370) | 28,800 | (990) | 26,900 | (950) | |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 41,200 | (410) | 54,000 | (1,090) | 35,100 | (1,400) | 50,100 | (1,780) | 37,400 | (1,240) | 35,600 | (2,110) | 31,000 | (1,120) | 49,100 | (1,470) | 44,600 | (960) | 30,000 | (1,390) | 30,900 | (930) | 34,200 | (1,920) | |
| Average salary, in constant 2010 dollars | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1974-75 recipients in February 19766 | $29,100 | (—) | $46,700 | (—) | $24,900 | (—) | $26,800 | (—) | $25,700 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | $22,200 | (—) | $33,000 | (—) | — | (†) | $24,100 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | |
| 1979-80 recipients in May 19816 | 36,500 | (—) | 53,700 | (—) | 34,800 | (—) | 39,100 | (—) | 33,600 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | 30,200 | (—) | 41,500 | (—) | $39,100 | (—) | 27,600 | (—) | $30,000 | (—) | $32,900 | (—) | |
| 1989-90 recipients in June 1991 | 37,800 | (—) | 49,500 | (—) | 33,700 | (—) | 43,500 | (—) | 35,600 | (—) | [5 ] | (†) | 30,500 | (—) | 50,400 | (—) | 39,600 | (—) | 30,600 | (—) | 30,700 | (—) | 33,300 | (—) | |
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 20016 | 43,600 | (370) | 59,000 | (1,030) | 38,100 | (890) | 58,400 | (1,340) | 41,700 | (1,100) | 36,900 | (1,240) | 41,700 | (1,480) | 48,500 | (1,370) | 50,500 | (1,060) | 33,900 | (460) | 35,500 | (1,220) | 33,100 | (1,170) | |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 41,900 | (420) | 54,900 | (1,110) | 35,700 | (1,420) | 50,900 | (1,810) | 38,000 | (1,260) | 36,200 | (2,140) | 31,500 | (1,140) | 49,900 | (1,490) | 45,300 | (980) | 30,500 | (1,410) | 31,400 | (950) | 34,800 | (1,950) | |
| Percent change in average salary, in constant 2010 dollars |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1976 to 2001 | 49.7 | (—) | 26.3 | (—) | 52.0 | (—) | 96.3 | (—) | 62.6 | (—) | — | (†) | 66.8 | (—) | 47.4 | (—) | 29.2 | (—) | 41.0 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | |
| 1991 to 2001 | 15.4 | (—) | 19.3 | (—) | 12.4 | (—) | 21.1 | (—) | 17.4 | (—) | — | (†) | 21.5 | (—) | -3.6 | (—) | 27.6 | (—) | 11.2 | (—) | 15.8 | (—) | 12.4 | (—) | |
| 2001 to 2009 | -3.9 | (—) | -7.0 | (—) | -6.3 | (—) | -12.8 | (—) | -8.9 | (—) | -2.1 | (—) | -24.5 | (—) | 2.8 | (—) | -10.2 | (—) | -10.0 | (—) | -11.5 | (—) | 4.9 | (—) | |
| Median salary, in current dollars | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 20016 | $31,900 | (110) | $47,700 | (920) | $30,000 | (610) | $46,000 | (2,090) | $30,000 | (320) | $30,000 | (1,030) | $30,000 | (1,520) | $35,002 | (980) | $36,656 | (690) | $27,924 | (430) | $27,600 | (1,180) | $25,900 | (610) | |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 37,000 | (530) | 54,200 | (900) | 34,300 | (1,530) | 47,700 | (2,000) | 34,400 | (950) | 31,500 | (2,560) | 27,300 | (1,290) | 45,800 | (1,230) | 40,000 | (440) | 28,000 | (1,980) | 29,300 | (900) | 31,200 | (1,500) | |
| Median salary, in constant 2010 dollars | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 20016 | $39,300 | (135) | $58,700 | (1,130) | $36,900 | (750) | $56,700 | (2,570) | $36,900 | (390) | $36,900 | (1,270) | $36,900 | (1,870) | $43,100 | (1,210) | $45,100 | (850) | $34,400 | (530) | $34,000 | (1,450) | $31,900 | (750) | |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 37,600 | (539) | 55,100 | (910) | 34,900 | (1,560) | 48,500 | (2,030) | 35,000 | (970) | 32,000 | (2,600) | 27,700 | (1,310) | 46,600 | (1,250) | 40,700 | (450) | 28,500 | (2,010) | 29,800 | (910) | 31,700 | (1,520) | |
| Percent change in median salary, in constant 2010 dollars |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 to 2009 | -4.3 | (—) | -6.2 | (—) | -5.6 | (—) | -14.4 | (—) | -5.4 | (—) | -13.3 | (—) | -24.9 | (—) | 8.0 | (—) | -9.9 | (—) | -17.2 | (—) | -12.4 | (—) | -0.6 | (—) | |
| —Not available. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Includes graduates in other fields not separately shown. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 For years prior to 2001, physical sciences not included in column 4 with biological sciences; instead, they are included in column 5 with mathematics and computer science. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Includes graduates who have not finished all requirements for teaching certification or were previously qualified to teach. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 Most educators work 9- to 10-month contracts. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Included in social sciences. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 Reported salaries of full-time workers under $2,600 in 1976, $4,200 in 1981, and $1,000 in 2001 were excluded from the tabulations. Also, those with salaries over $500,000 in 2001 were excluded. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Data exclude bachelor's degree recipients from U.S. Service Academies, deceased graduates, and graduates living at foreign addresses at the time of the survey. Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index, prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Data for 2001 have been revised from previously published figures. Standard errors appear in parentheses. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Recent College Graduates" surveys, 1976 through 1991; and 2000/01 and 2008/09 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:2000/01 and B&B:08/09). (This table was prepared October 2011.) |
