Getting a good degree can be the difference between getting a minimum wage job at a fast food restaurant and getting a high salary entry level job in one of those glass towers downtown.
In 2017 33.4% of Americans graduated from college, comparatively only 28% of Americans had completed a bachelor’s degree in 2016 according to an article published by The Hill.
Why do these numbers matter you ask?
Because if you graduated from college in 2017 with a “career focused” degree you can likely expect to earn some of the highest entry salaries recorded since the recession. For context fox business reported that this year’s new graduates can expect an average salary of $49,785, my starting salary back in 2012 was $40,000 flat non-negotiable and I considered myself lucky. I am slightly jealous, but I am in a position where I can advise new grads of the jobs to look for.
Now let’s talk about the top 5 jobs to hunt after getting your degree. I will leave out Medical Doctors, Surgeons, Nurses and other specialty medical fields requiring post bachelor study because graduates in these fields are almost always guaranteed a good salary and a great career after school. I mean an Anesthesiologist has the earning potential of $350K with just a few years of experience.
Also, know that almost any position offering above $65K will require a few years of experience, so if you’re still in college and happen to read this article, here’s one of the best advice I can give you, apply to as many internships as you can within your concentration and get yourself a mentor. Having the experience is far more valuable than a degree to some employers.
Software Engineer – or Staff Software Engineer $100 to $155K avg.
This is one of those positions for which having the degree is just a formality, I’ve heard of companies hiring people fresh out of high school just because they are coding prodigies, do you know how to code? If so start freelancing, start advertising yourself and provide services on sites like Fiverr. if you still want the required IT degree, go get it, by the time school is done you will be in high demand.
Product Manager $80-$100K avg.
A Product Manager is one of the most understated positions out there, but is also one of the most important roles in any company that aspires to create, distribute and sale products. They will be the ones defining and communicating the why, what and when to the high level executives and the customer. In a nutshell they will be one of the reasons why a product either appeal to its targeted audience or not.
Health Information Management (HIM), RHIA (Degree) – $70K to $120K avg.
This field in medicine has become affluent in recent years, and before you scream at me because I stated that I would not include specialty medical fields, here me out. The reason why I am including HIM in the mix is because of the variety of options a college graduate has once they complete the curriculum and pass the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) certification. To give you some context, a major hospital in New York is now hiring a HIM professional as a Clinical Documentation Specialist and they are offering $150K based on only 3 years of experience. Recent grads can make very close to that and scale up.
Petroleum Engineer $93K- $150K avg.
Are you good at math? Did you go to school for engineering? yes? good news then, you can start looking for a job as an entry level petroleum engineer, the starting salary is very attractive, of course you will have to go through some training to earn your stripes but essentially you will be designing and implementing procedures to extract oil from gas deposits.
Electrical Engineer – $68K – $105K avg.
Earning an engineering degree in most niches are considered career focused degrees. Becoming an Electrical engineer requires high analytical skills, you will be responsible for manufacturing and managing electrical supplies, as well as being involved in the generation and supply of power to your community.
Monkey thoughts.jpgFinal Thoughts
Getting a degree and going through that finish line with exciting prospects is a wonderful feeling, but by no means do you absolutely have to get one to get a decent job, I personally have multiple friends with no college experience and they make way more money than a Nurse or a Physician, however if you must go to school, please go after something that is worthwhile, we live in a world where unfortunately people can get a degree in “memes”.
Alternatively, if you are not interested in college at all… Go get a skill and make some money. I will be writing about the top skills that will land you a high paying job (no college degrees required)
If you are still lost and none of the careers mentioned above sound appealing to you, there are good books on Amazon to help you.
1- The Secret to Getting a Job after College: Marketing Tactics to Turn Degrees into Dollars
This book offers Marketing Tactics to Turn Degrees into Dollars in an easy to follow guide for all majors to help you launch your career in any job market. In just four chapters, you will learn tips and tactics to attract the attention of an employer and win the competition with other candidates to get the job you want.
2- Life After College: The Modern Guide for Millennials Looking for a Job After Graduation
Which also offers job searching solutions to millennials post graduation.