Overall hiring for the graduating Class of 2024 is projected to decrease 1.9% but does not indicate a bad job market, according to a new survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
The findings do not necessarily mean that the job market is weak. Rather, this decrease follows the record high levels of growth that the college job market saw in 2022.
“To be sure, if the projections hold, members of the Class of 2024 are still entering a strong job market, although they may need to be flexible to attain the position they want,” said NACE President and CEO Shawn VanDerziel.
More than three-quarters of responding employers rated the job market for the Class of 2024 as good to excellent, he said. And more than 43% of employers plan to increase starting salaries to Class of 2024 bachelor’s graduates, and nearly all others plan to keep salaries at last year’s levels.
“These findings indicate that employers recognize the Class of 2024 as a strong source of talent to bring into their workforce and signal that there will be competition to hire graduates from this current class,” VanDerziel said.