Here in the U.S., most students are pretty happy if they can just manage to line up a job after graduation. Salary expectations, if any, are modified by fear of underemployment. That’s not the case in some countries, where students graduate with plans that include high-paying jobs.
(Photo Credit: Tax Credits/Flickr)
Forbes recently ran a list of the countries with the highest post-grad salary expectations. The countries on the list tended to have a combination of low unemployment and a high cost of living.
1. Switzerland
That’s certainly the case in Switzerland, where unemployment is around 3 percent, but cost of living is sky-high. According to Forbes the average yearly salary expectation is over $84,000 a year. You get a lot for your money in Switzerland as a worker, as well: along with the rest of northern Europe, Switzerland is top-ranked for employee health and wellness.
2. Norway
Students in Norway expect over $78,000 U.S. dollars in average annual salary. Like other northern European countries, they can expect to pay higher taxes than U.S. workers, but receive better social benefits like lengthy state-mandated maternity leave.
3. Denmark
The Danish are the most indebted people in the world, but also the happiest, according to the Happiness Research Institute. Perhaps their salary expectations — over $65,000, on average, for their first year out of school — are part of the reason why.
See the other countries on the list here, or even the odds of getting a high-paying job after graduation by looking at the highest paying majors and schools in the U.S.
Tell Us What You Think
What were your salary expectations after graduation? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.
Leave a Reply