Overall, starting salary projections for the Class of 2025 are something of a mixed bag compared to last year when all groups of majors saw projected increases. This year, projected movement in salaries ranges from a gain of 2.8% for agriculture and natural resources to a decrease of 3.6% for the social sciences, according to results of NACE’s Winter 2025 Salary Survey. 

Engineering graduates are projected to be the top paid, as their overall average is up 2.6% from $76,736 last year to $78,731 this year. (See Figure 1.) This increase comes on the heels of a 3.1% increase last year. The highest-paid individual engineering majors—computer engineering ($82,565) and software engineering ($82,536)—also have the highest projected increases of the group at 6.5% and 5.8%, respectively.  

Computer sciences majors also show stability in their average salary projections year over year. The overall projection for the Class of 2025 is $76,251, up 2% from $74,778 for the Class of 2024. The individual reported majors are all projected to receive higher salaries, with increases of 1.7% for computer science majors, 1.8% for information sciences and systems majors, and 2.5% for software applications majors.

Despite a decrease of almost 2% in the salary projection for math and sciences graduates, they remain third highest-paid majors at $69,709. 

Class of 2025 business graduates have an average salary projection that is 2.1% higher than last year, raising it to $65,276. With the exception of management information systems majors, all reported individual business majors have larger average salary projections. Management information systems majors did, however, have the largest growth last year, when their average salary projection was up 7.5% to $73,695. It now falls at $71,556 making it one of the highest paid majors in the business category.

The rise in salary projections for Class of 2025 business graduates may be reflective of their high demand. Half of the top 10 bachelor’s degrees in demand fall in the business fields, with finance majors taking the top spot. Computer science also shares the top spot, with 67.1% of total respondents reporting plans to hire both majors. (See Figure 2.)

The Winter 2025 Salary Survey report contains annual salary projections for Class of 2025 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 7, 2024, through November 30, 2024. A total of 158 surveys were returned—a 19% response rate. NACE members can access the full report in MyNACE.