Grads’ Salary Reality Check: Job Market & Expectations

Regarding 42% of recent grads reported they didn’t protect the pay they wanted. Soon-to-be grads stated they anticipated to make six numbers– $101,500 on standard– the average beginning salary for current graduates was $68,400.

Pay Expectations vs. Reality

Compensation discussions might remain a difficulty in 2025, particularly as pay transparency feels contentious, according to a report from Payscale. To combat this, companies can pay attention to workers and lead with fairness with pay transparency, a Payscale exec claimed.

Those ready to finish likewise claimed they desire versatility, however recent graduates said that’s harder to achieve than they wished. About 90% of current grads claimed routine adaptability is essential to them, yet just 29% said they had versatile tasks.

Flexibility Challenges for New Grads

Cal State Los Angeles finishes rest at their commencement event on July 27, 2021, in Los Angeles, Calif. Some current graduates have actually discovered that the job search is taking much longer than they anticipated, per a ZipRecruiter report.
Mario Tama by means of Getty Images

“Browsing the change from campus to occupation can be a difficulty for new graduates, specifically offered the unforeseeable market this course is stepping into,” Ian Siegel, founder and chief executive officer of ZipRecruiter, stated in a declaration.

Job Market Uncertainty and Optimism

Amid moving job market conditions, university grads feel both certain yet careful concerning their work prospects and the economic climate, according to a Beast report. Employers that supply versatility, growth and objective chances will draw in and retain the future generation of leading ability, a CareerBuilder + Monster executive stated.

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Regardless of the difficulties, job candidates entered 2025 with optimism, according to a Certainly record. Work hunters’ rate of interest will likely remain stable yet encounter even more competition since work availability has actually remained stationary in recent months, an Indeed economist claimed.

Extended Job Searches

Some graduates have discovered that the job search is taking much longer than they anticipated. About 82% of those ready to graduate anticipate to start work within 3 months of graduation, however only 77% of recent grads accomplished that, and 5% said they’re still searching for a job.

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In a survey, extra disconnects emerged. Concerning 42% of recent graduates reported they didn’t safeguard the pay they wanted. Although future graduates claimed they anticipated to make six numbers– $101,500 usually– the typical starting income for recent grads was $68,400.

Class of 2025 grads’ expectations seem to be encountering reality throughout their task search, particularly when it pertains to pay, work choices and beliefs regarding the work market, according to an April report from ZipRecruiter.