Staff Report
Published May 7, 2012

Although there’s plenty of competition, May graduates at the University of South Carolina are entering a steadily improving job market compared with recent graduating classes.

Previous coverage: December college graduates to enter brighter job market

“The job market remains very competitive for new graduates, but it’s not as dire as previous years,” said Tom Halasz, director of the Career Center. “For those students who have work experience and who have flexibility, there will be opportunities.”

Graduates are finding jobs in technology, engineering, accounting, computer science, finance, management and health care this spring, according to the USC Career Center. There are also signs of improved hiring in human resources and marketing.

Full-time job postings at USC’s Career Center were up 67% over 2011, while internship postings increased 18% and co-op jobs rose 33%, Halasz said.

A 15% increase in the number of employers attending the spring career fairs at USC is another sign that the job market is improving, Halasz said.

Halasz said the market is strong in retail and global supply chain management. Also, he said the increase in demand for human resources jobs is a good sign, pointing to a ramping up of hiring in jobs across a wide spectrum.

“Public relations jobs go hand-in-hand with HR jobs,” Halasz said. “We’re seeing businesses have something to promote. That’s good news for marketing and PR positions.”

Meanwhile, the median starting salary for a 2012 graduate with a bachelor’s degree is up 4.5% to $42,569 compared with $40,375 for 2011 graduates, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Engineering grads commanded the highest starting pay with an average salary of $58,581, followed by computer science at $56,383, according to the study. The utilities sector was the top-paying industry, offering an average starting salary of $64,400 for 2012 graduates.