Most College Graduates With A Bachelors Degree Have A Job Says BLS

According to a BLS jobs report in August, only 5% of college graduates holding a bachelor's degree is unemployed. Those with some college experience or with an associate's degree has an unemployed rate of 8%. The unemployment rate climbs with less education -- those without a high school diploma has an unemployment rate of over 14%. 


As someone who is apart of the 5%, I find this a bit false. I've seen people who have gotten jobs who don't have a college degree. As a matter of fact, I know someone who was recently hired at two jobs that doesn't have a high school diploma. I can't get a job at Wal-Mart, but a high school drop out currently has two jobs. It doesn't make sense. Most people I do know have a job -- whether they have a college degree or not. Of all my friends, I'm the only one who is out of college with a bachelor's degree and is unemployed. 


In about 6 weeks, it will be time to start paying back my student loans and I have no income. Hopefully I will be approved for a deferment or I'm screwed. 

Should An Unemployed College Grad Go For A Masters Degree?

Due to some family problems that ended with me staying a hotel for one night, I was able to have a talk with my pastor. We discussed the economy and how my being unemployed is causing problems with my mom and step-dad, even though they know I'm looking. He told me that I should go to grad school. Well, being unemployed, it should be the wise thing to do, correct? Well...


Right now I owe so much money in student loans. I know by the time I graduate from grad school, I will probably owe over 80k in student loans. What's worse is that money options for grad students are more limited than undergraduates. Being unemployed college grad with no experience, it would be hard to pay to further my education. 


Right now, I feel as if the pressure is on to complete the GRE or the GMAT to get into a graduate school. I would like to go into a different field than English -- perhaps getting my MBA, MPP, or MPA. If I do make the decision to go to grad school, it will probably be January 2013. 


Another thing my pastor told me is that he would think it would be best if I go to grad school in a different state. Honestly, I think that is a good idea. I live in Mississippi -- a place where it's more of an attraction for those who want to retire rather than going to college and settling down. 


Until January 2013, I will not stop trying to find a job. And I hope within a year that I would have educated future/current undergraduates on picking the right major, because let me say that being a unemployed college graduate is not fun. 

Suze Orman: Think You're Not Going To Get A Job For At Least Two Years

Late last night, I watched Suze Orman was on The Joy Behar Show (Amazing show! So sad it's ending.) and discussed the housing crisis as well as unemployment. When asked about what is the first thing a person should do once they lose their job, she says: 

It's to think that you're not going to get another job for at least two years. 

Yikes! Two years?! 

She goes on to say when one loses a job, they continue to spend money as if they still have a job. And thus going through their savings within six to eight months. They think they will find a job right away. 

Talk about a wake-up call.

That's one thing I love about Suze Orman. She tells it like it is. She doesn't sugar-coat the truth. I wish I would have listened to her before I went off to college and racked up over 41K (oh didn't I mention I actually owe 38K + interest instead of 25?) of student loans. I believe my life would have been much different. One thing it would be is less stressful. I believe I would not have been unemployed. 

But now I'm wide awake and I'm listening. It's better late then never. 

The Top 10 Best Paying Undergraduate College Majors of 2011-2012

From Huffington Post

You've worked hard in your major, now how will your major pay you back? According to salary data site PayScale, engineers of many different stripes are poised to earn the most money over the course of their careers. At mid-career, the average petroleum engineer earns a whopping $155,000 per year (perhaps more if he or she went to Princeton). Below, check out which other majors pay off over time.


1. Petroleum Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $97,900
Mid-Career Median Pay: $155,000


2. Chemical Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $64,500
Mid-Career Median Pay: $109,000


3. Electrical Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $61,300
Mid-Career Median Pay: $103,000


4. Materials Science & Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $60,400
Mid-Career Median Pay: $103,000


5. Aerospace Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $60,700
Mid-Career Median Pay: $102,000


6. Computer Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $61,800
Mid-Career Median Pay: $101,000


7: Physics 
Starting Median Pay: $49,800
Mid-Career Median Pay: $101,000


8. Applied Mathematics
Starting Median Pay: $52,600
Mid-Career Median Pay: $98,600


9. Computer Science
Starting Median Pay: $56,000
Mid-Career Median Pay: $97,900


10. Nuclear Engineering
Starting Median Pay: $65,100
Mid-Career Median Pay: $97,800




MY OPINION: If you noticed, most of these jobs are either in science, math or tech, or as they say STEM. Unfortunately, I have a problem with this list. It doesn't say how in demand they are. Unbeknownst to some, there are people with these majors that are unemployed. As a matter of fact, the FAA is about to shutdown 4k jobs and threaten 90k jobs because the republicans in Congress blocked its funding. Those jobs include community planners, administrative assistants, engineers, scientists, research analysts, computer specialists, program managers, and environmental protection specialist.  


The jobs above may be high paying, but are they in demand? That's one thing a  future college student has to look in to before jumping into a major for the money.  


Here is PayScale's full list.