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| 2019 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 505.50. | Percentage, selected employment characteristics, and annual salaries of bachelor's degree recipients employed full time 1 year after graduation, by field of study: 1991, 2001, and 2009 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected employment characteristic and annual salary |
All fields of study1 |
Engineering | Biological and physical sciences2 |
Mathematics and computer science2 |
Social sciences and history |
Humanities | Health professions |
Business and management |
Education3 | Psychology | Public affairs and social services |
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| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |||||||||||
| Employment characteristics | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Percent of recipients employed full time |
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| 1989-90 recipients in June 1991 | 73.8 | (0.36) | 85.2 | (0.95) | 50.6 | (1.72) | 71.2 | (1.30) | 66.2 | (0.94) | 59.2 | (1.32) | 80.9 | (1.35) | 83.2 | (0.57) | 77.0 | (0.74) | 59.8 | (1.64) | 77.0 | (2.06) |
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 2001 | 76.5 | (0.52) | 86.0 | (1.77) | 58.6 | (2.04) | 83.7 | (2.06) | 68.3 | (1.88) | 67.5 | (1.65) | 74.8 | (1.50) | 85.5 | (1.27) | 84.0 | (1.29) | 64.0 | (2.64) | 85.1 | (2.25) |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 65.0 | (0.62) | 76.1 | (2.12) | 49.0 | (2.38) | 75.1 | (2.67) | 58.0 | (1.81) | 50.4 | (1.82) | 68.5 | (1.86) | 77.2 | (1.20) | 70.6 | (1.75) | 46.6 | (2.40) | 69.8 | (3.44) |
Percent of full-time employees looking for a different job4 |
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| 1989-90 recipients in June 1991 | 21.5 | (0.35) | 12.9 | (1.05) | 21.0 | (1.95) | 16.6 | (1.08) | 24.5 | (1.20) | 25.8 | (1.44) | 9.2 | (1.10) | 20.7 | (0.78) | 25.5 | (0.92) | 21.8 | (1.57) | 26.8 | (2.36) |
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 2001 | 24.6 | (0.66) | 19.2 | (2.30) | 22.9 | (2.64) | 18.3 | (2.36) | 27.1 | (2.06) | 28.3 | (2.13) | 20.9 | (1.93) | 24.4 | (1.51) | 17.4 | (1.45) | 23.9 | (2.54) | 25.8 | (2.80) |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 31.2 | (0.74) | 20.2 | (2.53) | 28.5 | (3.47) | 27.7 | (3.37) | 35.3 | (2.47) | 39.2 | (2.56) | 21.8 | (2.40) | 32.0 | (1.61) | 23.6 | (1.78) | 37.3 | (2.99) | 30.4 | (4.86) |
Percent of full-time employees in job closely related to field of study |
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| 1989-90 recipients in June 1991 | 52.5 | (0.55) | 57.5 | (1.24) | 49.4 | (2.31) | 66.4 | (1.34) | 20.2 | (1.12) | 32.2 | (2.07) | 88.2 | (2.10) | 49.8 | (0.79) | 79.2 | (0.89) | 40.3 | (2.13) | 57.6 | (2.56) |
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 2001 | 56.1 | (0.65) | 70.0 | (3.35) | 48.6 | (3.00) | 72.7 | (2.58) | 28.7 | (2.03) | 41.5 | (2.16) | 77.5 | (2.45) | 58.7 | (1.67) | 84.3 | (1.68) | 40.1 | (3.65) | 61.2 | (3.11) |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 49.7 | (0.78) | 61.3 | (2.86) | 49.0 | (3.36) | 61.9 | (3.57) | 21.6 | (2.07) | 27.6 | (2.56) | 81.7 | (2.10) | 49.3 | (1.76) | 82.0 | (1.68) | 26.6 | (3.04) | 57.2 | (4.93) |
Annual salaries of full-time employees5 |
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Average salary, in current dollars |
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| 1989-90 recipients in June 1991 | $23,600 | (180) | $30,900 | (390) | $21,100 | (410) | $27,200 | (400) | $22,100 | (330) | $19,100 | (350) | $31,500 | (860) | $24,700 | (330) | $19,100 | (140) | $19,200 | (310) | $20,900 | (470) |
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 2001 | 35,400 | (300) | 47,900 | (840) | 31,000 | (710) | 47,400 | (1,080) | 33,000 | (700) | 30,100 | (690) | 39,400 | (1,110) | 41,000 | (860) | 27,600 | (370) | 28,800 | (990) | 30,400 | (1,030) |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 40,100 | (340) | 53,900 | (1,080) | 34,600 | (1,220) | 48,800 | (1,570) | 36,600 | (980) | 31,100 | (780) | 49,100 | (1,290) | 44,200 | (890) | 33,000 | (490) | 30,600 | (910) | 35,000 | (1,700) |
Average salary, in constant 2018 dollars |
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| 1989-90 recipients in June 1991 | $43,600 | (330) | $57,000 | (720) | $38,800 | (760) | $50,100 | (740) | $40,700 | (610) | $35,200 | (650) | $58,000 | (1,580) | $45,600 | (610) | $35,200 | (250) | $35,300 | (580) | $38,500 | (860) |
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 2001 | 50,200 | (420) | 68,000 | (1,190) | 43,900 | (1,010) | 67,200 | (1,530) | 46,700 | (1,000) | 42,700 | (990) | 55,900 | (1,570) | 58,200 | (1,220) | 39,200 | (520) | 40,900 | (1,400) | 43,100 | (1,460) |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 46,900 | (400) | 63,100 | (1,270) | 40,500 | (1,420) | 57,200 | (1,840) | 42,800 | (1,150) | 36,400 | (910) | 57,500 | (1,510) | 51,700 | (1,040) | 38,600 | (580) | 35,800 | (1,070) | 41,000 | (1,990) |
Percent change in average salary, in constant 2018 dollars |
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| 1991 to 2009 | 7.6 | (---) | 10.6 | (---) | 4.4 | (---) | 14.1 | (---) | 5.1 | (---) | 3.5 | (---) | -0.8 | (---) | 13.2 | (---) | 9.5 | (---) | 1.5 | (---) | 6.6 | (---) |
| 1991 to 2001 | 15.2 | (---) | 19.2 | (---) | 13.2 | (---) | 34.3 | (---) | 14.7 | (---) | 21.4 | (---) | -3.6 | (---) | 27.4 | (---) | 11.1 | (---) | 15.8 | (---) | 12.1 | (---) |
| 2001 to 2009 | -6.6 | (---) | -7.2 | (---) | -7.7 | (---) | -15.0 | (---) | -8.4 | (---) | -14.7 | (---) | 2.8 | (---) | -11.1 | (---) | -1.5 | (---) | -12.4 | (---) | -4.9 | (---) |
Median salary, in current dollars |
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| 1989-90 recipients in June 1991 | $21,800 | (210) | $31,900 | (470) | $20,000 | (430) | $27,000 | (510) | $20,300 | (250) | $18,500 | (360) | $30,400 | (760) | $23,000 | (300) | $19,500 | (220) | $18,100 | (320) | $18,600 | (410) |
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 2001 | 32,000 | (90) | 47,800 | (880) | 29,800 | (470) | 46,100 | (1,990) | 29,900 | (360) | 28,600 | (700) | 35,500 | (770) | 36,800 | (700) | 27,900 | (410) | 27,700 | (1,180) | 27,900 | (710) |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 36,000 | (220) | 54,000 | (900) | 32,500 | (1,570) | 45,000 | (1,830) | 34,600 | (920) | 29,000 | (1,060) | 45,900 | (920) | 40,000 | (300) | 33,800 | (570) | 29,300 | (1,040) | 32,000 | (1,430) |
Median salary, in constant 2018 dollars |
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| 1989-90 recipients in June 1991 | $40,200 | (380) | $58,800 | (870) | $36,800 | (790) | $49,700 | (950) | $37,300 | (460) | $34,100 | (660) | $56,100 | (1,400) | $42,400 | (550) | $36,000 | (400) | $33,400 | (590) | $34,300 | (760) |
| 1999-2000 recipients in July 2001 | 45,300 | (130) | 67,800 | (1,250) | 42,300 | (670) | 65,400 | (2,820) | 42,400 | (500) | 40,500 | (990) | 50,300 | (1,090) | 52,200 | (990) | 39,600 | (590) | 39,400 | (1,670) | 39,600 | (1,010) |
| 2007-08 recipients in June 2009 | 42,100 | (260) | 63,200 | (1,050) | 38,000 | (1,840) | 52,700 | (2,150) | 40,500 | (1,070) | 33,900 | (1,240) | 53,800 | (1,080) | 46,800 | (350) | 39,600 | (670) | 34,300 | (1,220) | 37,500 | (1,670) |
Percent change in median salary, in constant 2018 dollars |
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| 1991 to 2009 | 4.9 | (---) | 7.5 | (---) | 3.2 | (---) | 6.0 | (---) | 8.5 | (---) | -0.3 | (---) | -4.1 | (---) | 10.5 | (---) | 10.0 | (---) | 2.8 | (---) | 9.2 | (---) |
| 1991 to 2001 | 12.8 | (---) | 15.3 | (---) | 14.9 | (---) | 31.5 | (---) | 13.5 | (---) | 19.1 | (---) | -10.2 | (---) | 23.2 | (---) | 10.1 | (---) | 17.9 | (---) | 15.4 | (---) |
| 2001 to 2009 | -7.0 | (---) | -6.8 | (---) | -10.1 | (---) | -19.4 | (---) | -4.5 | (---) | -16.3 | (---) | 6.9 | (---) | -10.3 | (---) | -0.1 | (---) | -12.7 | (---) | -5.4 | (---) |
| ---Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Includes graduates in other fields not separately shown. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 For 1991, physical sciences are not included in column 4 with biological sciences; instead, they are included in column 5 with mathematics and computer science. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Most educators work 9- to 10-month contracts. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 In 1991, respondents were asked whether they were "looking for a different principal job." In 2001 and 2009, they were asked whether they were "looking for a different job" (instead of "a different principal job"). | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 In all years, reported salaries of full-time workers under $1,000 were excluded from the tabulations. In addition, salaries reported as above $500,000 were set to $500,000 in 2001, and salaries reported as above $250,000 were set to $250,000 in 2009. In all years, only a tiny fraction of reported full-time salaries were either below $1,000 or above $250,000. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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. Some data have been revised from previously published figures. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Recent College Graduates" survey, 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 April 2020.) |
