Since we’re nearing the middle of May, college grads are popping up faster than dandelions. Well, almost as fast. Luckily, LinkedIn’s trove of job search data has done it again: The social media company has just come out today with a list of the top cities and top jobs for recent grads. Feast your eyes.
The List
LinkedIn analyzed thousands of member profiles for those who had graduated between 2015 and 2017, compiling their report from data they found.
While the full report covers plenty of extra information — notably the best metro areas for recent grads in the U.S. and which industries they support — this collection of the top 15 job titles is the most interesting. It contrasts each positions’ median total compensation after one year against the number of entry-level roles that are open. Here’s the list, from best to still-pretty-good:
Investment Banking Analyst: the median is $105,000, with 600+ open positions.
Data Scientist: the median is $93,500, with 2,000+ open positions.
Hardware Engineer: the median is $90,000, with 700+ open positions.
Software Engineer: the median is $ 80,000, with a whopping 33,000+ open positions.
Equity Research Analyst: the median is $79,500, and there are 30+ open positions.
Technology Analyst: the median is $76,000, 190+ open positions.
Operations Engineer: the median is $75,000 800+ open positions.
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative: the median is $75,000, 700+ open positions.
Consulting Analyst: the median is $75,000, with 4,000+ open positions.
Management Consultant: the median is $74,300, 150+ open positions.
Security Engineer: the median is $74,200, 2,000+ open positions.
Process Development Engineer: the median is $73,000, with 90+ open positions.
Investment Analyst: the median is $72,500, with 500+ open positions.
User Experience Designer: the median is $72,000, with 200+ open positions.
Pilot: the median is $70,000, 14,000+ open positions.
Physical Therapist: the median is $70,000, with 52,000+ open positions.
If you’ve got the background to throw your hat in the ring for any of these positions — and if you’d genuinely enjoy the job — you should get started working towards it today: Update your resume, sniff out a mentor, or start looking up the best ways to job search! And as always, good luck.