Nine out of 10 employers see higher competition for qualified graduates, according to a new survey. Why it pays to be a nerd.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The salaries of new college graduates jumped across the board this year as demand increased, according to a new survey.

Nearly nine out of 10 employers reported that they're seeing more competition for new college graduates than in past years, according to a study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

"This continues the positive trend reported in the Winter and Spring issues of Salary Survey," Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director, said in a statement, referring to the association's quarterly report.

The results suggest that the increased hiring is translating directly into higher average starting salary offers.

The students who made out the best were chemical engineering majors. They earned an average 5.4 percent more than last year, bringing their average to $59,361, according to the survey.

Computer engineering majors were offered $56,201, up 4.8 percent.

Mechanical engineering grads offers' rose 4.6 percent to $54,128. Electrical engineering grads' offers increased by 3.2 percent to $55,292. Civil engineers earned $48,509, up 5.4 percent.

Computer science majors saw salaries rise 4.1 percent to $53,396, while information sciences grads received a 4.6 percent increase to $50,852. (Most expensive colleges.)

The average offer for economics graduates (business/managerial) was $48,483, while finance grads received a mean of $47,239. There is no prior data for these majors because they were grouped together in earlier studies.

Management of information systems majors posted a 4.2 percent increase to $47,648. Marketing graduates averaged $40,161, up 6.1 percent.

Accounting grads' average rose 2.3 percent to $46,718, while business administration and management graduates saw their average rise 3.9 percent to $43,701.

Liberal arts graduates also saw broad increases. Political science majors' offers averaged 5.9 percent more at $34,590. English majors' averages rose 5.3 percent to $32,553.

Psychology majors averaged $31,631, up 4.7 percent, while sociology majors earned 3.5 percent more at $32,033.

History majors were offered an average of $33,768, up 3.3 percent.

What does your major pay?

Summer 2007 Survey

Major Offer Change Chemical Engineering $59,361 +5.4% Computer Engineering $56,201 +4.8% Electrical Engineering $55,292 +3.2% Mechanical Engineering $54,128 +4.6% Computer Science $53,396 +4.1% Civil Engineering $48,509 +5.4% Economics $48,483 n/a Management of Information Systems $47,648 +4.2% Finance $47,239 n/a Accounting $46,718 +2.3% Business Admin/Mgmt $43,701 +3.9% Marketing $40,161 +6.1% Political Science/Government $34,590 +5.9% History $33,768 +3.3% English $32,553 +5.3% Sociology $32,033 +3.5% Psychology $31,631 +4.7%

 

Nerds rule the world.  Do the research.  

 

                                                                                                            (it's my only hope)

*smiles wide*

Yup. 

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Victoria is the Web Producer at eLearners.com. She earned a traditional Bachelor's degree in History from Smith College in 2005. She is currently an online course in English grammar.

So what do nuclear physicists make??

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Capt. Kangaroo
- fifty years, no promotions. *sigh*

hey CaptainKangaroo!

Well, here's the best that I could have found for you, for the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos052.htm

 
It's not as big as I thought:

"Median annual earnings of physicists were $87,450 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $66,590 and $109,420. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $49,450, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $132,780.

"Median annual earnings of astronomers were $97,320 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $66,190 and $120,350, the lowest 10 percent less than $43,410, and the highest 10 percent more than $137,860.

"According to a 2005 National Association of Colleges and Employers survey, the average annual starting salary offer to physics doctoral degree candidates was $56,070."
 

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Victoria is the Web Producer at eLearners.com. She earned a traditional Bachelor's degree in History from Smith College in 2005. She is currently an online course in English grammar.

I'm assuming those are for undergrad degrees right?  I can't believe computer science has made such a strong comeback since the late 1990's.  Maybe I shouldn't have left the field?  Nah, of course I should've.