CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A new survey found that recent college graduates’ expectations for a starting salary far exceed the average for a first job.
The study surveyed 100 graduates or college seniors in each state and found that the national expectation was $73,400. Specifically in North Carolina, graduates expect to receive a $72,000 salary after graduating.
This estimation exceeds the actual average salary for the class of 2024. In fact, according to the surveys, graduates overestimate the starting salary for their first job out of college by 10-30%.
Some surveys from 2023 found that college graduates expected to make $85,000 on average and wouldn’t work for less than $72,000.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for a college graduate is between $50,000 and $55,000. Bankrate and the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) believe the average salary to be $68,516, still below the graduates’ expectations.
The highest expected salary among 2024 college graduates was in California at $90,000. New York, Connecticut and Washington were all tied for second at $85,000.
Courtesy of Authority, a breakdown of each state is below:
Map Credit: Authority.org
