Latest news with #newGraduates
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Think You'll Make $100K Right Out Of College? In These 10 Fields, You Might Be Right
New graduates expect to have a starting, pre-tax income of $101,500, according to a report from ZipRecruiter. Meanwhile, the average starting, pre-tax salary for first-year workers is $68,400. However, that six-figure starting salary isn't totally out of the question, especially for those who majored in high-demand fields. ZipRecruiter identified 10 fields where it's possible for a new hire to earn big straight out of the gate. Don't Miss: GoSun's breakthrough rooftop EV charger already has 2,000+ units reserved — become an investor in this $41.3M clean energy brand today. Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Back a bold new approach to cancer treatment with high-growth potential. According to data from ZipRecruiter's website, these fields include: Consulting: $21,000 to $247,000 Program Management: $38,500 to $157,000 Nursing: $15,500 to $150,000 Industrial Maintenance: $38,500 to $134,500 Telecommunications: $36,500 to $115,500 Business Development: $36,500 to $149,000 Data Specialist: $28,500 to $132,000 Home Health Care: $31,500 to $155,500 Real Estate: $28,500 to $149,500 Procurement: $32,500 to $111,500 ZipRecruiter Career Expert Sam DeMase told CNBC some of these fields one would expect to find on the list, while others are more surprising. "Program management is a very overlooked six-figure entry-level field," DeMase said. "I think that recent and rising grads should be looking at program management. If you're someone who is organized, has leadership potential, can multitask really well, can communicate exceptionally well — those skill sets are really valued in program management." Trending: This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to become a landlord in just 10 minutes, with minimum investments as low as $100. Meanwhile, he called nursing a "classic in-demand and high-paying" field and noted that consulting salaries, even for entry-level employees, are known to be comparatively high. However, DeMase he told CNBC that starting salaries can range quite dramatically depending on location. Bigger cities like New York City and Los Angeles are likely to pay better, while those starting out in smaller locales like Kansas City, Missouri may find themselves on the lower-end of the pay scale. As for the overall pay expectations of 2025 grads, DeMase said that the disconnect between salary expectations and reality may be attributed to a number of factors. "Social media definitely alters the perception of reality for a lot of these rising and recent grads," he said. "It puts a lot of wealth on display and can skew that perception by showcasing the exceptions and not the rules." Additionally, high costs of living and general inexperience with the job market are likely leading to higher expectations. Recents grads are thinking "if my cost of living is going up, my salary should be going up, too," DeMase says. Meanwhile, studies show that wages have stagnated, and have been outpaced by inflation since at least 2019. See Next: $100k in assets? Maximize your retirement and cut down on taxes: Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey – no cost, no obligation. Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." Here's how you can earn passive income with just $100. UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Think You'll Make $100K Right Out Of College? In These 10 Fields, You Might Be Right originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How To Craft A Self-Directed Early Career That Actually Works
Hand drawing businesswoman walking up stairs on subtle background. Leadership and success concept In medicine, no one expects a newly minted doctor to perform solo surgeries on day one. In academia, Ph.D.s spend years of post-doctoral fellowship under the guidance of advisors before leading their labs. In the vocational trades, apprenticeships and sometimes fulfilling many on-the-field hours are non-negotiable. These fields understand that mastery takes time, support, and structure. Yet, in the corporate world, we often flip the script. A new hire out of college gets a laptop, a login, and maybe a brief onboarding session that covers company history and benefits—and then the new employees are off to their jobs. A lucky few land at a major professional services firm like the Big 4 or MBBs of the world and get placed in rotational or dedicated apprenticeship programs with structured experiential learning. But for most jobs out of college? You're expected to figure out your growth on your own despite studies showing that companies with high-quality leadership programs that extend below senior levels are 4.2 times more likely to outperform those that don't financially. This model leaves the discovery of one's strengths and learning of great habits to chance that the new graduate will be fortunate enough to meet a great manager or adequately self-direct their growth. To build durable, agile, high-performing teams, we must borrow from advanced-degree professions or specialized trades and reframe how we think about the early career journey. If you're a recent graduate entering the workforce, here are ways to create a professional and personalized curriculum of learning and exploration that can significantly influence your career growth, even if your new workplace does not offer one. Too often, new professionals feel pressured to perform rather than explore. But the first 1–3 years of your career shouldn't be about titles or immediate mastery—they should be about discovery. Think of this time as your "paid residency" without a tuition bill or a final exam. Just space to ask critical questions: Consider this: a recent LinkedIn study found that 60% of professionals under 30 don't stay in their first job for over two years. That's not a failure of the professionals; it's a signal of natural learning progression. These early roles should serve as learning labs that encourage exploration now to prevent misalignment later. We don't ask medical students to pick a specialty before they ever try scrubbing into an operating room or shadowing an emergency room physician. Why should we expect someone in their first month of marketing to know it's their forever path? Most companies don't have formal guidance tracks or development ladders. But that doesn't mean you can't create your own learning ecosystem. Start by identifying a diverse group of mentors. Great mentors aren't assigned but found and can change over time as your career changes. Learnings don't just have to come from mentors or managers. Invite a peer to debrief on how you could have done better after a big project. Ask if you can sit in on meetings outside your department. Schedule 15-minute virtual coffees with colleagues in other functions and ask what their day-to-day is like and what they enjoy or dislike about their jobs. In our remote-hybrid world, intentionality is even more critical, so invite perspectives, advice, and feedback from your peers and managers, In fact, according to a Gartner study, employees with strong mentors are five times more likely to be promoted. Informal mentorship can be as powerful as formal programs and expand your definition of mentors. Be a student of your workplace, not just an employee. Just as medical residents may switch specialties and researchers shift their thesis focus, you, too, should be open to redirection. Early roles are data points that can help shape the direction of your career paths, including aspects you want to avoid in the future. Many young professionals hesitate to change their career paths out of fear that doing so signifies failure. However, similar to how it's acceptable to switch college majors, as you discover more about what drives your success, you should allow yourself the grace and permission to alter your career trajectory, particularly early in your journey. A job change allows you to move away from misaligned roles and toward positions that better suit your skills, interests, and work styles. Employees who use their strengths at work are six times more likely to be engaged and three times more likely to report excellent quality of life. The goal isn't to ascend the ladder fastest but to ensure it is the one you want to climb. That only becomes clear through intentional reflection and adaptive action. Business meeting, portrait and woman writing with team for planning, strategy and marketing idea in ... More office. Design, collaboration and face of designer with notes for group project, vision and mission Corporate leaders need to understand that talent development is an active process. It is important to create systems and a culture that encourage discovery, adaptability, and long-term excellence. This ultimately benefits the company by fostering better alignment and a more fulfilled workforce. Additionally, early-career professionals should recognize that they are in a self-directed apprenticeship and should not expect to have everything figured out from the start. You don't need a formal rotation to gain different experiences or a residency program to adopt a resident's mindset. All you need is curiosity, courage, and a commitment to learning.
