In just a few months, a brand new crop of college and university graduates will be entering the job market. Many will be looking for their first professional job. What will they end up doing?
Of course, careers are winding and unpredictable paths and new positions are being created as traditional roles evolve with changing technology. So, there is no telling where your first job will take you. But we can look at the data on where you’ll get your start. A recent study has found the most common jobs that post-secondary grads hold within the first few years of leaving school – based on what subjects they studied.
While that is interesting in its own right, a quick search of CareerBeacon reveals that we have openings for all of those positions available now. So, here are the most common jobs for new grads, the median Canadian salaries, and where to find them.
1. Sales Associate Median salary of $31,000 CAD Top field of study: Business, English, Political Science
2. Research Assistant Median salary $47,840 CAD Top field of study: Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
3. Teaching Assistant Median salary $47,840 CAD Top field of study: Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
4. Administrative Assistant Median salary $45,000 CAD Top field of study: Business, Psychology, Communications
5. Account Manager Median salary $64,480 CAD Top field of study: Business, Marketing, Communications
6. Social Media Manager Median salary $59,425 CAD Top field of study: Communications, English, Public Relations
7. Software Engineer Median salary $90,000 CAD Top field of study: Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Information Technology
8. Case Manager Median salary $68,640 Top field of study: Psychology, Nursing, Criminal Justice
9. Data Analyst Median salary $72,500 Top field of study: Mathematics, Information Technology, Economics
10. Engineer Median salary $81,500 CAD Top field of study: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering
11. Marketing Coordinator Median salary $59,425 CAD Top field of study: Marketing, Communications, Public Relations
12. Web Developer Median salary $57,720 Top field of study: Computer Science and Engineering, Information Technology, Philosophy
13. Financial Analyst Median salary $69,325 CAD Top field of study: Finance, Economics, Accounting
14. Operations Manager Median salary $80,000 Top field of study: Business, Sports Management, Hospitality Management
The median salaries quoted here are from Statistics Canada for all of Canada. Wages can vary widely by province and region; you can find more detailed data for your specific area on their Explore Careers page.
See the full study from the user-generated career content site, Glassdoor.