12,000 Jobs for Grad Students Expected in 2009

U.S. employers intend to hire 12,342 master's degree graduates in 2009. (Ha-Wee, CC3.0)

Top U.S. companies plan to hire 12,342 grad school alumni in 2009, according to the annual survey of entry-level employment by CollegeGrad.com.

While it is no groundswell of opportunity and no indication of the salaries coming with the positions, the fact that companies like Price Waterhouse Coopers, Microsoft and GE have room on their rosters for those toting newly printed  Master’s degrees, is good news for new grads. At the very leats it offers a guide of where to target your job search.

Pharmacy chain Walgreens topped the survey, telling CollegeGrad.com they intend to hire 2,500 employees with Master’s degrees this year. The public accounting firms Price Waterhouse Coopersl, KPMG and Earnst and Young rank two, three and four and said they will hire 1,464, 1,200 and 816 respectively. Microsoft rounds out the top five, claiming they intend to hire 715 grad students.

Top Industries hiring master’s degree graduates in 2009, according to Collegegrad.com Top 500 Entry-Level Employers for 2009:

1. Finance – 3,823
2. Retail – 3,000
3. Technology – 1,682
4. Aerospace and Defense – 830
5. Education 755

The same employers said the intend to hire 134,170 college graduates and 46,425 interns in 2009.

(Graduate by Ha-Wee, CC3.0)

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