According to the latest National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) salary survey, more disciplines are reporting an increase in starting salaries than last year. In fact, "85 percent of disciplines that reported a percentage change in average starting salary posted an increase," reported Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.

The highest salaries can be found in engineering (especially chemical and electrical engineering) and other scientific fields. Other high-paying fields include accounting, economics, business administration, and nursing. For more details, see the table below.

The only graduates to experience a decrease this year, compared to last year, are those graduating with a liberal arts degree.

TABLE: DISCIPLINES AND SALARIES

1. Chemical Engineering, $53,659
2. Electrical Engineering, $51,113
3. Computer Science, $51,042
4. Information Sciences, $43,741
5. Civil Engineering, $43,159
6. Accounting, $43,050
7. Economics/Finance, $40,719
8. Business Administration, $39,357
9. Nursing, $38,788
10. Marketing, $37,519
11. Elementary Teacher, $30,364
12. Liberal Arts, $29,060

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