New college graduates earn average starting salaries of $49,307, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

The numbers vary widely, however, depending on your occupation and your college major.

Many of the highest starting salaries go to college graduates in engineering and computer science-related fields, the NACE Summer 2009 report states. For example, chemical engineering graduates saw their average salary offer increase to $64,902, and computer science graduates received an average salary offer of $61,407.

Those numbers might be enough to make the English and psychology majors among us weep. The average salaries of liberal arts graduates are thousands of dollars less, at $36,175.

One other interesting note from NACE: Many 2009 college graduates continue to look for jobs, but the starting salaries for those who have been offered one are similar to those from last year. So remain optimistic, recent college graduates! Maybe there really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Average Starting Salaries for New College Graduates

Discipline or Major	Average Starting Salary
All New College Graduates	$49,307
Computer Science Field	$59,418
Engineering Fields	$59,254
Business Fields	$47,239
Liberal Arts Fields	$36,175
Chemical Engineering	$64,902
Computer Engineering	$61,738
Computer Science	$61,407
Electrical Engineering	$60,125
Information Sciences & Systems	$52,089
Civil Engineering	$52,048
Finance	$49,940
Economics	$49,829
Accounting	$48,993
Business Administration	$44,944
Marketing	$43,325
History	$37,861
English	$34,704
Psychology	$34,284
Sociology	$33,280

Obviously, salary alone should never be the sole determining factor on what career you choose or what job you take after graduation. Your happiness matters much more — as anyone who has taken a high-paying-but-unfulfilling job can attest to.

But knowing the average college graduate salaries for entry-level jobs in your field can tell you what to expect during your job hunt– and when to start negotiating with your new employer.

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