Salaries will be stagnant for most new hires, with 80 percent of employers in Michigan State’s survey saying they will not increase salaries. That survey projects an average starting salary for hires with bachelor’s degrees to be about $37,000.
Those with computer science and engineering degrees will fare better, starting off with salaries in the high 40s to mid-50s. They’re also the only ones with any chance of hearing the words “signing bonus.” Only 1 percent of employers expect to offer those, primarily to graduates with advanced degrees, the Michigan State survey reports.
