JobsStat

If you’re a recent or soon-to-be college graduate, you may be wondering what industries are offering the most entry level jobs.

Despite the current economic slowdown, there are still entry level jobs to be filled in most career fields. However, some industries will be able to offer more jobs and better salaries than others, according to an article by CNN. Some of the most popular college majors are feeding those industries that need the most jobs. Following are a list of the most popular college majors.

• Biology. Biology majors are usually able to use their degrees in many disciplines, including genetics, medical research and ecology. Many biology majors also combine their degrees with other degrees, and a biology major may be a stepping stone to medical school or earning another advanced degree. To get a job in microbiology, biotechnology, healthcare or research and product development, a graduate degree is usually required. A general biologist makes $38,896 per year, while a biochemist earns $43,961 per year.
• Business administration and management. Those with a degree usually start out leading a business unit or overseeing a company’s real estate and infrastructure. Graduates in this field normally go on to obtain an MBA and eventually take on leadership roles and become managers, executives or CEOs. The average beginning salary is $57,132.
• Communications. While obtaining many of the same skills as English majors, communications majors can take jobs in public relations, reporting and advertising as well as speech writing or public speaking. The average beginning salary is $30,921.
• Computer science. These graduates learn a variety of skills from developing software and analyzing systems to working with language recognition programs and artificial intelligence. Popular jobs in this industry include network analysts, database administrators and Web developers. The average starting salary is $46,849.
• Criminal justice. Graduates often become involved in areas dealing with law, working as legal assistants or court administrators, or working for government agencies such as the FBI, CIA or Homeland Security. Some graduates become police officers with state or federal agencies, while others choose to combine their degrees with other areas of study such as psychology. The average starting salary is $38,182.
• Elementary education. While many areas throughout the country are experiencing a shortage of teachers, the education industry has been one of the few to add jobs during 2008. However, the average starting salary of $29,414 is the lowest of the 10 most popular majors.
• Marketing. The demand for marketing professionals generally varies by industry and location. Graduates can specialize in marketing research, promotions, public relations, sales and marketing strategies. Workers also can be involved in the creative side of marketing that require art or writing skills. The average beginning salary is $59,471.
• Nursing. The largest industry in healthcare, nursing has 25 million workers, and certain nurses, such as registered nurses, are always in high demand. Graduates can work in hospitals, home healthcare or as educators and patient advocates. The average starting salary is $41,173.
• Psychology. This is the second-most popular major, and graduates usually take entry level jobs as school counselors or substance abuse counselors. More advanced jobs, which require advanced or doctoral degrees, include clinical psychologists, social psychologists and developmental psychologists. More than one-third of psychologists have their own private practice or research firm. The average beginning salary is $46,153.
• Political science. Graduates in this major may work in local, state and federal elections or as analysts or administrators for political parties. Of political science workers, 41 percent are employed by government agencies. Other career paths include lobbyists, diplomats or journalists. The average starting salary is $36,368.

Other popular majors include finance, economics and engineering.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 27th, 2008 at 11:26 am and is filed under Job Search. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.