Jobs For New Grads

Newly-minted college graduates on the job hunt. We’ll look at who’s hiring, starting salaries, and strategies for landing that first job.

Starting salary this year for new grads headed to one of New York’s top law firms: $180,000. But for most new college grads in the class of 2016, it’s a different story. The range in pay is large.  One in five had jobs all lined up before graduation day. Many of the rest, still looking. The job market has definitely improved. Average undergraduate degree pay: $40K-plus and rising.  But half are taking jobs that don’t require a college degree. This hour On Point, where the jobs are, who’s getting them, what they pay. — Tom Ashbrook

Jeff Selingo, professor of practice at Arizona State University's Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership. Columnist at the Washington Post and author of the books, "There is Life After College" and "College (Un)Bound." (@jselingo)

Philip Gardner, director of the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University. Researches the transition from college to work and career progression.

Wenylla Reid, associate director for employer development at Rutgers University.

Economic Policy Institute: The labor market is still far from ideal for young graduates — "Young high school and college graduates were hit hard in the Great Recession. While young graduates’ economic prospects have brightened in recent years, they still face elevated unemployment rates and stagnant wages."

CNBC: College grads enjoy the best job market in years — "Here's one more reason to throw your college mortar board in the air. It's the hottest job market in years for the expected 1.9 million students who will graduate. Employers are estimated to hire about 5 percent more graduates from the class of 2016 than last year, according to a recent report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers."

Washington Post: Why are so many college students failing to gain job skills before graduation? — "Bosses, of course, have long complained that newly minted college grads are not ready for the world of work, but there is a growing body of evidence that what students learn — or more likely don’t learn — in college makes them ill-prepared for the global job market."