Career Services
Placement Statistics
The job and salary that you negotiate will reflect several things - your geographic mobility, years of previous experience, ability to market your skills, and academic preparation. As you review placement data for the School of Labor and Employment Relations, please remember that this is just a guideline for discussion, not a hurdle to be jumped or a competition to be won. In addition to the salaries reported below, most companies pay relocation expenses, some offer stock options immediately, and if you convert your internship to full-time employment, some companies will adjust your start date to reflect your intern work. We recommend Professor Greg Northcraft's book, Get Paid What You're Worth, for advice on negotiating strategies. Click here to see the entire 2008-09 LER Placement Report.
Summary Data for 2008-09
(updated after Placement Report publication)
In 2008-09, 88% of LER candidates who were eligible for and searching for full time employment in the US were placed in positions. For full-time entry-level hires, the average private-sector salary for 2008-08 is $70,325, with different regional ranges. Signing bonuses averaged $7,664 ranging between $2,000 - $15,000. The average first-year total compensation (excluding relocation allowances) is $70,640. 95% of graduates found their positions through LER Career Services.
Interns received an average salary of $4,716 per month (private sector), with a range of $unpaid - $6,258 per month. In 2008-09, 96% of LER students were placed in internships, and 51% of LER students choose a full-time position with the company at which they had interned the previous summer. 92% of students found their positions through LER Career Services.
Salary Acceptance by Region, 2008 - 09
(Full-time, Private-sector)
Regional |
Salary |
Salary |
| West | $75,399 | $65,000-$86,000 |
| South | $71,657 | $62,884-$89,000 |
| Northeast | $74,667 | $67,000-$76,000 |
| Greater Midwest | $67,281 | $41,600-$81,500 |
| Illinois | $67,678 | $46,000-$87,500 |
Top Internship Employers:
(Based on Number of Hires)
- Cummins
- Shell
- Northrop Crumman
- PepsiCo
- University of Illinois
- GE
- Rolls Royce
Top Full Time Employers:
(Based on Number of Hires)
- Coca Cola
- Northrop Crumman
- Conoco Phillips
- Cooper Insutries
- Cummins
- Lockheed Martin
- Texas Instruments
- Microsoft