Reported Income for Recent Graduates at a Decade High
According to a report published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, unemployment for recent college graduates fell to 4.9%, which is below the current national average (5%).
In addition, college graduates in the workforce received a median income of about $43,000 in 2015, which was an increase from $40,000 in 2014. This data, however, does vary by field of study. The highest paying major was chemical engineering, averaging $70,000 a year, and the lowest was religion and theology, which averaged $28,000 a year.
Nursing, agriculture, and construction majors have the lowest unemployment rates (2%) as those skill sets are in high demand. Graduates with nursing degrees averaged $48,000 a year.
Unfortunately, those in this age group who have a high school diploma have seen the average wage fall in the past few years, landing at $25,000 a year.