Computer Science Projects Top Starting Salary for Master's Degree Grads

BETHLEHEM, PA — Computer science majors have the highest average starting salary projection among master’s degree graduates from the college Class of 2015, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

NACE’s January 2015 Salary Survey found that projected starting salaries for Class of 2015 master’s degree graduates in computer science average $71,140. (See Figure 1.)

The salaries of engineering and business majors follow just behind. The average starting salary for Class of 2015 graduates earning master’s degrees in engineering is projected to be $69,698, while business majors earning master’s degrees can anticipate earning salaries that average $67,890.

Math and sciences majors are expected to earn the next highest salary — $64,465.

The remainder of the master’s degree broad categories have salary projections that exceed $50,000.

Figure 1: Projected Average Salaries by Discipline for 2015 Master's Degree Graduates

Discipline 2015 Projected Average Salary
Computer Science $71,140
Engineering $69,698
Business $67,890
Math & Sciences $64,465
Communications $59,130
Healthcare $58,500
Social Sciences $54,816
Humanities $53,692
Agriculture & Natural Resources $51,417
Source: January 2015 Salary Survey, National Association of Colleges and Employers.
All data are for master's degree graduates.

About Salary Survey
Salary Survey reports starting salaries for new college graduates. The data contained in NACE’s January 2015 Salary Survey report were provided by NACE employer members, who reported their projected salaries for their anticipated new hires from the Class of 2015. Data in the January issue include projected starting salaries for nearly 60 majors at the bachelor’s degree level, 44 majors at the master’s degree level, and 14 disciplines at the doctoral degree level. Data are reported by major, industry and region. The January 2015 Salary Survey was conducted from August 11, 2014, through November 24, 2014. A total of 316 surveys were returned for a 30.4 percent response rate. An executive summary of the January 2015 Salary Survey report — the first salary report for the Class of 2015 — is available at www.naceweb.org/salary-resources/salary-survey.aspx.

About NACE
Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. For more information, visit http://www.naceweb.org.

Featured

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.