College graduates faced generally lower starting salaries as they turned their tassels and prepared to enter the workforce last year, according to a report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Many disciplines, especially technical fields and information sciences, saw lower starting salaries than in 2002, according to NACE’s Fall 2003 Salary Survey. The few that showed increases were generally modest.

Some of those with increased starting salaries included accounting majors with a 2.9 percent increase, marketing with a 1 percent increase, and civil engineering with a 1.2 percent gain, according to the study.

Although liberal arts grads saw mixed results, political science graduates’ salaries increased 9.2 percent and English majors saw a 1.2 percent increase.

The survey, which was nationwide, did not show conclusive regional trends in decreased salary offers, according to NACE Research Director Camille Luckenbaugh.

The survey, which has been conducted since the early 1960s, is based on May graduates’ job offer information. The information is gathered from about 180 colleges and universities across the country, Luckenbaugh said.

Marquette’s Career Services has found that 2004 graduates have something to look forward to.

“The economy is looking up,” said Laura Kestner, assistant director of Career Services. Although she also reported salary offers to be slightly down, Kestner predicts that this May and the next will prove to be better for Marquette graduates.

“It is good news, but students should remain cautious,” Luckenbaugh said. “Competition for jobs will remain high.”

Although the economy may be out of their control, there are steps students can take to better their chances of finding employment and starting at a higher salary.

“The best advice is to register with career services,” Luckenbaugh said.

At Career Services, Kestner emphasizes the importance of internships and gaining hands-on experience.

“It makes students more marketable,” she said.

In addition, students should pay attention to current job market trends.

“If they want to find a job, they need to know what is going on in the job market,” Kestner said.

Those seeking employment in the Milwaukee area are likely to see higher wages than anywhere else in Wisconsin, according to State Labor Market Economist Eric Grosso of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

“Milwaukee usually fares better than any other of the metropolitan areas in the state,” Grosso said. The trend of higher median salary ranges holds true for most urban areas.

Although graduates face increased competition in the job market, they also enjoy many opportunities.

“I don’t see demand for college graduates diminishing,” Grosso said. “You have some leverage in your education.”

But simply having a degree does not guarantee employment. Graduates must maintain their education by continually learning new skills and demonstrating to employers their capacity to learn, Grosso said.

NACE plans to release new reports on what employers look for in job candidates and their preferred recruitment methods based on 2003-’04 surveys sometime later in the month.