Graduation 2019 Images and the Labor Market for New Graduates
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the unemployment rate for bachelor's degree holders aged 20 to 29 was 2.2% in 2019, a low point before the pandemic. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York tracks student loan debt and labor outcomes, showing that about 62% of 2019 graduates were employed in jobs requiring a college degree by October 2019. The National Center for Education Statistics reported that the U.S. conferred approximately 1.9 million bachelor's degrees in the 2018-2019 academic year, a record at the time. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York provides detailed tables on graduate employment and underemployment trends.
For fields with strong demand, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reported that the Class of 2019 average starting salary was $55,260, up 2.5% from the prior year. Engineering graduates led with a median starting salary of $69,188, while computer science majors averaged $67,539. The Economic Policy Institute notes that wage growth for young college graduates remained sluggish in 2019, with inflation-adjusted wages rising only modestly. The Class of 2019 also saw record levels of student loan debt, with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reporting outstanding federal and private student loans exceeding $1.5 trillion by the end of 2019.
Top Industries and Employers Hiring 2019 Graduates
Technology and financial services remained the top hiring sectors for 2019 graduates. LinkedIn's 2019 workforce report showed that Amazon, Microsoft, and Deloitte were among the leading employers of new graduates in the United States. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's EDGAR filings show that major tech companies increased entry-level hiring in 2019, with Amazon announcing plans to hire over 100,000 new employees in its U.S. operations that year. The Wall Street Journal reported that consulting firms such as McKinsey, Bain, and Boston Consulting Group maintained strong on-campus recruiting pipelines for the Class of 2019.
For graduates entering finance, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association reported that the securities industry employed approximately 1.3 million people in the U.S. in 2019, with entry-level analyst roles concentrated in investment banking and asset management. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) data shows that the average signing bonus for 2019 graduates in finance was $5,000, while tech roles averaged $4,500. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook provides projections for business and financial occupations, noting that management analyst roles were expected to grow 14% from 2019 to 2029.
Visual Trends in Graduation 2019 Images and Social Media
Pinterest and Instagram reported spikes in searches for "graduation 2019 caps and gowns," "commencement flowers," and "graduation party decor" during May and June 2019. Google Trends data shows that queries for "graduation 2019 images" peaked in the week of May 19, 2019, aligning with the bulk of U.S. college commencements. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported that fall 2019 enrollment at degree-granting institutions was approximately 19.6 million students, up 2% from the prior year.
Professional photography platforms noted an increase in demand for senior and graduation portrait sessions in 2019, with Shutterstock and Getty
