Dive Brief:

• A study by Yello, talent acquisition software provider, showed that undergraduates expect high starting job salaries. The "2017 Yello Collegiate Study - Undergraduate Expectations" found that 60% of the respondents expect jobs to start at $60,000 annually and 10% expect starting salaries of $100,000 a year.
• The survey also discovered that, even with college loan debt, undergrads want to prepare for retirement and prefer a 401k plan to a debt-repayment strategy. Half the respondents would consider company size when accepting a job offer.
• Yello surveyed 1,700 undergraduate students to gauge their understanding, perception and opinion of the job market and their compensation expectations.

Dive Insight:

HR can factor the results of studies like Yello’s into their recruitment efforts. All undergrads might not get the starting salaries they’re expecting, since pay rates are determined by occupation, region and experience. But their expectations, like those of other millennials, matter nonetheless.

As graduation season rolls out, this and similar surveys will give recruiters the data needed to help incorporate the next generation into the workplace. Having the right benefits in place, including a robust retirement plan and flexible work time, will encourage young talent to stay on.