By Rebecca Wyatt, OU Web Writer

A graduate employment survey conducted by Career Services found the overall employment rate for 2003-04 OU graduates was at 92 percent for a second year in a row. The employment rate for undergraduates was 90 percent and for graduates it was 96 percent.

About 26 percent of the August and December 2003 and April and June 2004 graduates responded to the survey, a 5 percent decrease from the previous year. The survey included both part-time and full-time positions, but did not include those who were not seeking employment. The full-time employment rate rose 3 percet to 82 percent.

“I expect this graduating class’ (2004-05) numbers will go up a little bit,” Thomas said. “We’re seeing more jobs coming in as far as our job postings.”

While many of the majors led to employment, nursing, business administration and reading and language arts education majors, which were more than 20 per major, all had an employment rate of 100 percent. And the employment rates for marketing, engineering and management information systems majors are beginning to show improvement over previous years, said OU Career Services Director Robert Thomas.

The average annual salary for undergraduates dropped 1 percent from the previous year to $35,296, while the graduate student average salary increased 8 percent to $56,781. School of Engineering and Computer Science bachelor’s graduates had the higher average annual salary with $65,983, while the nursing graduate students topped the list with an average salary of $113,750.

Career Services sends out the employment survey to all recent OU graduates 3-6 months after graduation and then keeps reminding students to turn it in because the data is important to the university.

Career Services is sponsoring the ninth annual Educators Recruiting Day on Tuesday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Oakland Center Banquet Rooms. Representatives from about 30 schools and school districts from throughout the Detroit metropolitan area will interview OU education seniors and alumni for teaching and counseling positions. Though the deadline for scheduling appointments has passed, students and alumni may still participate by signing up for interviews at the event on a first-come, first-served basis. A complete list of participating schools and school districts can be found on the Career Services Web site under the Educators Recruiting Day Participating Schools link.

OU graduates and alumni are encouraged to use the resources available in the Career Services Office, where employers continue to post full- and part-time jobs, internships and co-ops. The professional advisers in Career Services also assist with career and employment needs. For more information, visit the Career Services Web site or contact their office at (248) 370-3250 or careers@oakland.edu.