What are the most popular jobs for college graduates?
To help you identify the most popular jobs for college graduates, we asked hiring managers, recruiters, and career coaches this question for their best insights. From Customer Service Representatives to Accountants to Tech Industry Jobs, there are several jobs that are noted as being popular with college graduates these days.
Here are 17 jobs these leaders observe as the most popular for college graduates:
- Customer Service Representative
- Hospitality
- Human Resources
- Nursing
- Project Manager
- Social Media Manager
- Accountant
- Software Engineer
- User Experience Designers
- Market Research Analyst
- Marketing Manager
- Teaching
- Software Developer
- Administrative Assistant
- Travel Consultant
- Sales
- Tech Industry Jobs
Customer Service Representative
A popular job for college graduates is a customer service representative. Customer service representatives play a huge role in a company and can create a lot of positive impacts. This job requires different skills that most college graduates possess such as communication, sales, and time management. Because every industry has a large customer service aspect, customer service representatives are a popular and available job for college graduates looking to fine-tune their project management skills and find what they love about their job. It is a great entry-level position that can propel college graduates into lead roles and create growth for a company.
Gregg Dean, Layla Sleep
Hospitality
Newly graduated college students often work in the hospitality industry while they search for a job in their field of study. Roles in hospitality such as server, bartender, reservation attendant, and customer service representative, for example, are usually easy to secure and transition out of – making this an ideal scenario for someone who needs to make some money while networking and applying to roles in their desired industry.
Patricio Paucar, Navi
Human Resources
One of the most popular jobs for college graduates is working in the human resources department of a company. HR professionals are responsible for a wide range of activities, from recruiting and hiring new employees to managing employee benefits and training programs. The role of the HR department has become increasingly important in recent years as companies strive to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce. HR professionals are often responsible for creating policies and procedures that promote equity and inclusion in the workplace. In addition, HR departments play a critical role in ensuring that employees are paid fairly and have access to adequate medical and retirement benefits. As the workforce becomes increasingly globalized, the role of HR departments will continue to evolve.
Travis Lindemoen, nexus IT group
Nursing
One of the most popular jobs today is becoming a registered nurse. The nursing industry has blossomed over the past 10 years and that has attracted many college graduates. Nursing school is fairly inexpensive compared to other curriculums and there are numerous placement opportunities for graduates. Nurses make good money so graduates know they will have a secure financial future, which is one thing that draws them to the field.
Steve Mascarin, Taunton Village Dental
Project Manager
One cannot overstate the value of a great project manager. A job in project management is a crash education in risk management, stress tolerance, and diplomacy, from detecting and removing bottlenecks to guaranteeing the flow of communication in cross-functional teams. New graduates seeking the freedom of working from any location should take note of these dynamic roles, which may frequently be performed remotely. It may be necessary for you to begin as an assistant before spending a few years working on your Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. The flexibility and career potential of these in-demand positions, however, may be astounding if you get past the initial obstacles. As an added benefit, you get to interact with a wide range of individuals, increasing your visibility and creating a top-notch professional network. Starting salaries for entry-level positions are $57,500, but with time and the PMP certification under your belt, you may be able to earn $90,000+.
Raviraj Hegde, Donorbox
Social Media Manager
A lot of college graduates are opting in for the social media management niche and it is no surprise. Social media management comes easy to a lot of graduates because most of them are familiar with the internet, and a lot of businesses are going online to market their business. In addition, the learning curve for social media management is low when compared to other careers. Besides, there are a lot of detailed courses on social media management that college graduates can take to become familiar with the niche.
Simon Bacher, Simya Solutions
Accountant
Accountant. This career path is popular among college graduates from various fields of study. A degree in accounting is not a must. Still, becoming a Certified Public Accountant makes you a good candidate for the job in question. The head for numbers and being detail-oriented are also very much welcome. Accountants’ responsibilities include keeping track of a company’s records, making critical financial decisions, conducting financial audits, and more. They earn approximately $77,250 a year.
Agata Szczepanek, Resume Now
Software Engineer
Businesses in today’s high-tech environment are always on the lookout for skilled software engineers who can help them succeed in the online world. Over the next decade, the demand for software developers is predicted to increase by at least 22 percent. There is an immediate need for recent college grads to boost the region’s technology sector’s talent pool.
Steve Pogson, FirstPier
User Experience Designer
More and more people are choosing to become UX/UI designers after college. UX designers don’t require coding experience but rather focus on advocating for the user and creating the experience of interacting with a software or technology. It is a very rewarding and lucrative career with massive potential for growth now and in the future.
Michael Burghoffer, PicoSolutions
Market Research Analyst
As a STEM student looking for a money-earning career, market research is the bull’s eye. Along with the fast-growing businesses like IT, the field is a vast ground of opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds like Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, Sociology, etc. Online certification courses for market research related to your study can help to enhance your skill set. Along with that, a knowledge of business and communication skills are keys to winning a profitable job in the field. A college student can prepare for the profile by seeking companies doing similar work and understanding their workflow. To shine bright on the horizon, industry insights can be helpful. The career is a smart choice as an average annual salary can reach up to $65000 or more. Therefore refresh your speaking and computer skills to land a job in the profile.
Alexander Reid, TriviaWhizz
Marketing Manager
The most popular job for college graduates is marketing manager. This is a good career choice for someone who likes to plan, organize and implement a marketing strategy. The average salary for this position is $106,000 per year. The top industries for this profession are healthcare and pharmaceuticals, financial services and insurance providers, and manufacturing companies. Marketing managers typically have a bachelor’s degree in marketing or business administration. They also must have at least three years of work experience in marketing before they can qualify for the PMP certification through Project Management Institute (PMI). This certification is required by many employers as a way to verify that their employees have the knowledge necessary to succeed in their roles as marketers.
Amer Hasovic, Love & Lavender
Teaching
Some states enable college grads with any bachelor’s degree to teach provisionally while they get their license, making elementary and kindergarten teaching a popular choice for fresh grads. A career in education may be both a stepping stone and a rewarding destination for those who enjoy working with young people.
Billy Parker, Gift Delivery
Software Developer
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the most popular job for college graduates is a software developer. I agree with this because most of my friends are pursuing computer science degrees. There is also a lot of demand for software engineers in the job market with no sign of slowing down!
Tyler Hull, Modern Exterior
Administrative Assistant
A popular job for college graduates to get their foot in the door could be an Administrative Assistant. This allows college graduates to get some experience to list on their resumes and if they want to continue working for that same company, a great start to climing up the career ladder at that company.
Typically, Administrative Assistants are the face of the company as they are the first person that you interact with. This allows for the Administrative Assistant to make connections with other employees at the company and to decide if the company would be a good fit for them to continue their career.
Lindsey Hight, Sporting Smiles
Travel Consultant
It’s safe to say that the newer generations value work-life balance and frequent travel a lot more, which is why many of them are slowly turning their attention to the travel and tourism industry. By interning at a travel agency, college graduates can pick up all the necessary skills needed to become a freelance travel consultant and understand where their interests lie. After this, they can follow it up with a diploma in their niche of preference and work remotely or anywhere in the world.
Guy Sharp, Andorra Guides
Sales
What types of jobs are popular for college graduates depends on the field of study. However, a common job for business students is a sales position. The pay is usually pretty good, and the required experience is minimal. It’s an attractive job for recent young graduates because it has performance pay and requires motivation.
Jordan Woolf, We Buy Houses in Bama
Tech Industry Jobs
One of the most popular jobs for college graduates is in the tech industry. As technological innovation continues to grow and expand, more and more jobs are opening up without the need for experience. Skills like digital and content marketing can be taught or achieved with an online certification. This is opening up a ton of opportunities for graduates who may have a degree in another industry, but would like to apply their skills in tech.
Mehvish Patel, Zen Media