Average Starting Salary for College Graduates in 2026: By Major, Region, and Industry

The headline number you will see quoted everywhere: the average starting salary for U.S. bachelor’s degree graduates in 2026 is approximately $68,000–$70,000 (NACE Salary Survey projections, updated through early 2026). But that number is almost useless on its own.

Computer Science majors start around $89,000. Education majors start around $44,000. Pretending the average tells you anything about your individual major’s ROI hides the most important information. This guide breaks down what the class of 2026 is actually earning by major, by region, and by industry — with sources, so you can see where each number comes from.

1. The 2026 starting salary headline numbers

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Salary Survey, projected averages for 2026 bachelor’s graduates:

• Overall average starting salary: ~$68,500
• Median starting salary: ~$60,000
• Year-over-year change: +2.1% vs. class of 2025

The mean is pulled up by computer science, engineering, and finance graduates. The median better represents the typical graduate. Use the median as your baseline, not the mean.

2. Average starting salary by major (2026)

Approximate 2026 starting salaries by undergraduate major (NACE + BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, blended):

• Computer Science: $86,000–$92,000
• Computer Engineering: $83,000–$90,000
• Chemical Engineering: $82,000–$88,000
• Electrical Engineering: $80,000–$86,000
• Mechanical Engineering: $74,000–$80,000
• Industrial Engineering: $73,000–$78,000
• Civil Engineering: $66,000–$72,000
• Finance: $70,000–$76,000 (significantly higher in IB/PE recruiting tracks)
• Accounting: $61,000–$67,000
• Economics: $66,000–$74,000
• Business / Management: $58,000–$65,000
• Marketing: $55,000–$62,000
• Nursing (BSN): $76,000–$84,000
• Mathematics & Statistics: $68,000–$76,000
• Physics: $66,000–$74,000
• Biology: $48,000–$54,000 (much higher with med school admission)
• Chemistry: $50,000–$57,000
• Communications: $48,000–$55,000
• Psychology: $44,000–$50,000 (much higher with graduate degree)
• English: $46,000–$52,000
• History: $46,000–$52,000
• Sociology: $44,000–$50,000
• Education: $42,000–$48,000
• Fine Arts / Visual Arts: $42,000–$50,000
• Criminal Justice: $44,000–$52,000

The spread between the highest-paid majors (Computer Science) and lowest-paid majors (Education, Fine Arts) is now about $44,000 in year one — almost the entire starting salary of a teacher.

3. The 5 biggest 2026 starting-salary jumps

Compared to 2024 averages, these majors saw the largest pay increases for 2026 graduates:

1. Nursing (BSN): +5.4% — Continued post-pandemic shortage. Hospital systems are using sign-on bonuses ($10,000–$25,000) on top of base salary.
2. Industrial Engineering: +4.8% — Reshoring and supply chain rebuilds (especially semiconductors, EVs, batteries) have created sustained demand.
3. Computer Science: +3.2% (after a flat 2024 in tech) — AI infrastructure hiring rebounded by mid-2025 even as front-end web hiring stayed soft.
4. Civil Engineering: +4.1% — Federal infrastructure spending (IIJA) pushed civil starting pay above its decade norm.
5. Accounting: +3.5% — CPA pipeline shortage; firms are paying more to attract entry-level talent.

4. The 4 majors that LOST ground in 2026

Pay went down (in real terms, after inflation) for these majors in 2026:

1. Marketing (general): Slight nominal increase but down ~2% real. AI tools have absorbed a lot of entry-level marketing tasks. Marketing analytics is the exception.
2. Communications / PR: Same trend as marketing. Generalist communications roles are being compressed; specialized roles (crisis comms, IR, B2B comms) still pay well.
3. Education: Salaries are nominally up about $1,500 but inflation has eaten the gain.
4. Graphic Design / Illustration: Generative AI has compressed pay in this field. UX design has held up better.

5. Starting salary by U.S. region (2026)

Region matters almost as much as major. NACE 2026 data by region (all-major average):

• San Francisco Bay Area: $89,000
• Seattle: $82,000
• New York metro: $80,000
• Boston: $77,000
• Washington D.C. metro: $75,000
• Chicago: $69,000
• Austin / Dallas-Fort Worth: $67,000
• Atlanta: $64,000
• Denver: $66,000
• Phoenix: $62,000
• Midwest (non-Chicago): $58,000
• Rural South / Appalachia: $51,000

The Bay Area number is misleading without cost-of-living adjustment. After taxes and housing, $89,000 in San Francisco buys roughly the same lifestyle as $58,000 in Nashville. Some of the best post-tax outcomes for new graduates are in mid-tier cities (Austin, Raleigh, Denver, Charlotte) where pay is solid and cost of living is moderate.

6. Starting salary by industry (2026)

Approximate 2026 starting salaries for bachelor’s degree graduates by industry, all majors blended:

• Software / Tech: $84,000
• Investment Banking / Capital Markets: $110,000+ (with bonus)
• Management Consulting (top firms): $100,000+ (with bonus)
• Oil & Gas / Energy: $76,000
• Aerospace / Defense: $72,000
• Healthcare (clinical): $74,000 (BSN-driven)
• Manufacturing: $66,000
• Financial Services (non-IB): $64,000
• CPG / Retail: $58,000
• Government / Public Sector: $54,000
• Nonprofit: $48,000
• Media / Publishing: $46,000
• Education (K-12): $44,000

7. What this means for choosing your major

Three honest takeaways from the 2026 data:

One. Major matters more than school. A Computer Science graduate from a state flagship out-earns most English majors from Ivy League schools in year one and the gap usually persists.

Two. Region multiplies your major. A nursing degree in San Francisco starts above $110,000. The same degree in rural Mississippi starts around $58,000. Both are valid choices, but pretending the major is the only variable is wrong.

Three. The skilled trades are competitive with most non-STEM bachelor’s degrees on starting pay and crush them on debt. A 2026 graduate of a 2-year electrician program starts around $50,000–$60,000 with no debt. A 2026 Communications major averages $51,000 with $30,000+ in debt. Both reach a similar five-year position with vastly different costs to get there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average starting salary for college graduates in 2026?

The average starting salary for U.S. bachelor’s degree graduates in 2026 is approximately $68,500, with a median around $60,000, according to projections from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) salary survey.

Which major has the highest starting salary in 2026?

Computer Science (approximately $86,000–$92,000) and Computer Engineering (approximately $83,000–$90,000) lead all undergraduate majors. Chemical and Electrical Engineering follow closely at $80,000–$88,000.

Which major has the lowest starting salary in 2026?

Education ($42,000–$48,000), Fine Arts ($42,000–$50,000), and Sociology ($44,000–$50,000) are typically the lowest-paid undergraduate majors at the entry level.

How much more do STEM majors earn vs. non-STEM majors?

STEM bachelor’s graduates earn approximately $20,000–$35,000 more in their first year than non-STEM graduates, on average. The gap is largest in computer science and engineering and narrows over the course of a career.

Do graduates from top schools earn more?

Yes, but the gap is smaller than people think for most majors. The largest premium for elite-school graduates is in finance, consulting, and tech — where firms recruit heavily from a small list of "target" schools. For most majors, the difference between a state flagship and an Ivy is $5,000–$10,000 in year one.

Does region matter more than major for starting salary?

Almost equally. A Computer Science major in the Bay Area starts around $115,000. The same major in rural Indiana starts around $72,000. After cost of living, the Indiana graduate often comes out ahead in disposable income.

Related Reading

• Is College Worth It in 2026? ROI Statistics and Real Data
• Skilled Trades vs. White-Collar Careers in 2026: BLS Salary Comparison
• Highest-Paying Careers Without a College Degree (2026)
• AI-Proof College Majors for 2026
• How to Choose Your College Major: A Step-by-Step Guide