Recent UH grads are in a good position to start carving out their place in the work force.
According to a report issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, the economy added 146,000 jobs in November and the unemployment rate fell 7.7 percent.
Graduating English senior Zeinab Kachmar is excited to get started in career post graduation.
“I am looking forward to the fact that I hopefully won’t have to take my work home with me,” Kachmar said.
The promise of a good career lures most students to college.
A college graduate will make nearly $1 million more than a person who only graduated high school in their lifetime, according to a report released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
On average a college graduate, will make $45,000, while a person with only a high school diploma can expect somewhere around $21,000, according to the report.
Emily Holley, a journalism major graduating in December, isn’t sold on statistics for her career.
“In a dream world, maybe (I could make $45,000). Realistically, I know to expect something from $26,000 to $30,000 when I graduate, but that will go up with time and experience,” Holley said.
The U.S. Census Bureau statistics vary by degree. A student with a degree in engineering can expect to make $80,000, while a student with a degree in English can expect $30,000.
“I feel like although (some) majors claim that they will be able to offer financial stability, there is nothing guaranteed in life, which is why you should learn about something that interests you rather than something that will make you money,” Kachmar said.
“Although I worry about what exactly I can do with my English degree, I would rather be working very hard and content than rich and miserable.”
Most graduating UH seniors are reflecting on their past while looking forward to the future.
“I went to college for myself, and no one can take that away from me,” said psychology senior Jacee Labuff. “A degree gives your potential for growth. I can make good money in the future instead of bartending like I was before.”
Being a college graduate does not only mean you will make more than a person who doesn’t have a degree, but according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the jobs will be more white collar and less manual labor intensive.
There are many other advantages of obtaining a degree that cannot be quantified.
Media production senior Sean Ploch points out a few of those advantages.
“Regardless of my salary after I graduate, this has all been worth it,” Ploch said. “It has been beneficial to learn how to interact with people. It has all been a series of baby steps closer to being in the real world.”
