BETHLEHEM, PA—Starting salary projections show promise for the college Class of 2026,  according to a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). 

Results of NACE’s Winter 2026 Salary Survey found that nearly all reported categories of majors for Class of 2026 graduates earning bachelor’s degrees are showing healthy increases that range from 3.1% for engineering majors to 6.9% for computer sciences majors.  

“We’re seeing that most employers anticipate upping their salaries, which is especially good news given that hiring is expected to be flat for the Class of 2026,” says Shawn VanDerziel, NACE president and chief executive officer. 

Boosted by the largest projected increase in starting salaries, the overall average salary for computer sciences graduates stands at $81,535, making them the highest-paid category of majors. This year’s projected increase of 6.9% far exceeds last year’s anticipated increase of 2%. (See Figure 1.) 

Engineering graduates are projected to be the second highest-paid category of majors for the Class of 2026 with an overall average that is up 3.1%, from $78,731 last year to $81,198. With an average salary projection of $100,750, petroleum engineering is expected to receive the highest starting salary among individual engineering majors.  

The overall average salary projection for math and sciences graduates is expected to rise 6.4%, from $69,709 last year to $74,184. This comes in contrast to a projected decrease of nearly 2% for the Class of 2025.  

The overall average salary for Class of 2026 graduates earning business degrees shows a solid increase of 5.5%, bumping up from $65,276 to $68,873. Sales ($67,927), business administration/management ($68,831), and marketing ($66,994) show the largest individual projected increases—8.3%, 8.4%, and 8.5%, respectively.  

Business, engineering, and computer sciences disciplines dominate the list of specific bachelor’s degree majors in demand. At least 60% of responding employers have plans to hire finance, mechanical engineering, and computer science majors from the Class of 2026. (See Figure 2.) 

Computer sciences majors are also expected to be the top earners among Class of 2026 master’s degree graduates, with a projected overall average salary of $94,212. This represents an increase of 10.9% over last year’s average of $84,960. (See Figure 3.) 

Class of 2026 engineering majors who earn a master’s degree have a salary projection of $92,873, despite the fact that their average is 1.3% lower than last year’s average of $94,086. However, the good news is that last year’s average grew 12.5% compared to the average salary for these majors from the Class of 2024. 

The average salary projection for business degree graduates at the master’s level shows a double-digit increase, rising 11.5% from $77,632 last year to $86,563. This follows an average projected increase of 3.1% for last year’s Class of 2025 business graduates. 

About the Winter 2026 Salary Survey: The Winter 2026 Salary Survey report contains annual salary projections for Class of 2026 college graduates. The figures reported are for base salaries only and do not include bonuses, commissions, fringe benefits, or overtime rates. The report provides the detailed salary projections by academic major and degree level, along with breakouts by both industry and geographic region. Data contained in the report were obtained by surveying NACE employer members from October 8, 2025, through November 30, 2025. A total of 150 surveys were returned—a 20.3% response rate. The Winter 2026 Salary Survey report—including an executive summary—is available on NACEWeb. 

About the National Association of Colleges and Employers: Established in 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is the only professional association in the United States that connects more than 13,000 college career services professionals, more than 3,800 early career talent acquisition professionals, and more than 400 business solution providers that serve this community. 

 NACE is the premier source of market research on career readiness, the employment of recent college graduates, and the college-to-career transition. NACE forecasts hiring and trends in the job market; tracks salaries, recruiting and hiring practices, and student attitudes and outcomes; and identifies best practices and benchmarks. 

 NACE offers its members unparalleled research, networking and professional development opportunities, guidance on standards and ethics, and advocacy on key issues. For more information, visit www.naceweb.org. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media.