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This week, Oklahoma's colleges and universities will graduate about 30-thousand students. More than half will receive Bachelor's degrees -- up four percent from last year. New college graduates are in the right place at the right time because the job market is stronger, especially here in Oklahoma.
Graduates of the Class of 2008 are entering the job market at a good time. That's because many baby-boomers are just now starting to retire and locally the job market is very, very strong.
He's the Dean of Rogers State University school of business. Doctor Bruce Garrison is the Dean of Rogers State University. He says hiring is up 16 percent, Oklahoma's unemployment rate is low, and there are lots of jobs out there.
"If you look at the Oklahoma job market, we've experienced a steady rate of growth like we've seen for several years now," Garrison says.
After just two years of college, Erin Changeux is graduating with a nursing degree and is taking a job in Northern California.
"Base pay of 87-thousand dollars a year."
"Starting bonus?"
"No bonus, no sign on bonus."
Cason Spears is also graduating this weekend with a degree in Radio and Television.
"Yeah, I graduate Saturday. I have a job now, so I'm just going to do that and keep my resume and see who bites," he says. "I'm leaning more towards sales at this point because there are a lot of sales job out there that you can get in right off the bat."
Some grads like Adrienne Hale aren't looking for jobs because they'll continue college.
"I really don't need to worry about it until I have my degree in Veterinary Medicine," Hale says. "There's really a large need for large animal veternarians."
Many Oklahoma grads says they would like to stay here. But, that may be tough for them to do because some companies are offering signing bonuses and higher wages for them to move.
There are 75-hundred graduates with two-year Associates Degrees. This year, Business, Nursing and General Studies were the most popular fields of study.
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