Survey shows job, salary trends for 2007 JMC graduates

The 2007 annual survey of journalism and mass communication graduates, conducted by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia, shows a steady job market for JMC graduates but not much progress on starting salaries.

The national survey found that nearly all (95.7 percent) of graduates had at least one face-to-face job interview in the first six to eight months after graduation. About 63 percent of the 2007 graduates had full-time jobs six months after graduation, though the survey said not all of those jobs were in JMC-related fields. The survey pointed out that, for a variety of reasons, not all students seek employment immediately after graduation. Reasons range from extended travel opportunities to weddings.

Employment success by the 2007 graduating class changed little from the previous year's results, which the survey's executive summary interpreted as good news, given the overall job losses in the national economy and the number of major layoffs at newspapers and other media outlets. Employment rates for JMC graduates are roughly the same as for the entire population of 20 to 24 year olds, the survey said.

Average starting salaries remained the same in 2007 as the year before. As a group, JMC graduates earned $30,000 in starting salaries. Those with master's degrees earned an average of $40,000. Starting salaries vary depending on one's major with journalism and mass communication. Graduates taking jobs in advertising, public relations, consumer magazines, specialized information publishing and online publishing fared the best. Broadcast graduates earned the least. In fact, broadcast television starting salaries dropped in 2007 by $440 from their 2006 level and radio salaries dropped by $2,000.

Average starting salaries by JMC specialty for 2007 JMC graduates:

Daily newspapers: $28,000
Weekly newspapers: $26,900
Radio: $25,000
Television: $24,000
Advertising: $32,000
Public relations: $32,000
Consumer magazines: $32,000
Web-related jobs: $32,000

Continuing a long-term trend, JMC graduates earned less than many other college graduates. According to the survey, liberal arts graduates as a group earned $36,419 and business administration/management graduates earned $45,915. Computer science graduates earned $60,418.

For more information, visit www.grady.uga.edu/annualsurveys/.