National Association of Colleges and Employers
What is the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)?
Who can I call for information?
Can you help me find human resources/staffing or career counseling professionals to interview?
What is the average starting salary for a new college graduate?
What are the top 5 attributes employers want to see on a college graduate’s resume?
What do college students/new grads look for in a job?
What constitutes a good benefits package, according to new graduates?
Does it pay to have a college education?
What does the job market look like for the Class of 2024?
How many students will graduate this year?
Established in 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is a nonprofit association that links college career services professionals and employers of new college graduates. Its membership includes more than 3,100 colleges and universities and employer organizations nationwide.
NACE is the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates: Throughout the year, the association surveys on data relevant to the employment of new college graduates and publishes related reports, including a quarterly report on starting salary offers and periodic forecasts for the college job market.
NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at http://www.naceweb.org/press-releases.aspx.
You can call (610.868.1421, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern) or e-mail any of the following people:
Yes. We can give you the names and phone numbers of employers who recruit/hire students and new college graduates or career services professionals who work with college students.
NACE reports on average starting salary by discipline and by degree level (bachelor's, master's, and doctoral); we report projected salaries (for the current class) as well as final salaries (for the previous year’s class). You will find current information about starting salaries for new college graduates through our press releases. You can also contact Mimi Collins or Kevin Gray for the latest data.
According to NACE’s Job Outlook survey, employers look for the following on a candidate’s resume:
Job security matters most, according to seniors responding to NACE's annual student survey, but they also are looking for a job that helps them develop skills. They also prize friendly co-workers and a good benefits package.
However, when deciding between two otherwise equal job offers, they look at which provides for a high starting salary.
In NACE’s most recent student survey, graduating college seniors cited:
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says, "The more you learn, the more you earn—and the less likely you are to be unemployed." See the latest statistics here.
Nearly 83% of employers responding to NACE’s Job Outlook 2024 Spring Update survey anticipate increasing or maintaining hiring for the Class of 2024. This leaves just 17.4% of respondents planning to decrease hires, but their planned cuts mean overall hiring projections are down 5.8% from last year.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) projects 2,185,000 students at the bachelor's-degree level will graduate as the Class of 2024.
Source: Digest of Education Statistics (Table 318.10).
