While the economy is still in a slump, the job market seems to be improving from last year, according to a study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Last week, NACE released its quarterly data for the Winter 2004 Salary Survey.

The survey highlights 70 college majors and ranks them based on the average starting salary for a college graduate in that field.

It also lists information for the number of graduates hired out of college with a bachelor's degree in a specific major.

According to NACE, employers expect a 12.7 percent increase in the number of college hires in 2004, from last year. This is the first increase in two years.

Topping the list for the most lucrative degrees is computer engineering, with an average starting salary of $53,117.

Rounding out the top five degrees ranked in the survey for average starting salaries were: chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering, and computer science.

Omar Calzada (senior-electrical engineering) said salary was a factor in his choice of major.

"It's convenient to know that my five years here are going to pay off, hopefully," Calzada said.

While engineering majors are on top of the list for the highest-paid degrees, offers to graduates in technical fields posted the highest jumps from last year's data.

The average starting salary for a computer science major, for example, rose by 8.9 percent to $48,656.

Jack Rayman, director of MBNA Career Services, said the career services office receives information from employers about graduates they hire and salary information, which is then passed on to NACE, since Penn State is a member.

But Rayman said that NACE only has the information about employment that is reported to them by its members, so the statistics are not all-inclusive.

Rayman said data for engineering and business majors may be skewed because these fields recruit more heavily on college campuses.

Employers then relay hiring and salary information to the university's career services office.

"We're dependent on how conscientious employers are of recording hiring and salary data," Rayman said.

Rayman acknowledged the flaws of the survey and interpreting its information.

"One of the good things, however, about the survey is they have the same methodology every year, so it's useful to look at the longitudinal trends. As long as they use the same methods as last year, if the data indicates increased salaries, then they are probably up," Rayman said.

Raj Acharya, professor and department head of computer science, said that the Penn State College of Engineering is very reputable, and employers have a lot of interest in hiring its students.

"I think the economy is rebounding, and the technology market is slowly coming up," Acharya said.

"[Employers] are hiring in computer engineering because I think what's happening is they are the backbone of a lot of technologies."

Even though the average starting salary for liberal arts majors is at the bottom of the spectrum at $31,426, it has increased by 6.2 percent since last year.

Psychology majors also ranked toward the bottom of the list in the survey, with offers averaging $25,032, but this figure is an 8 percent decrease from last year.

"The starting salaries in the field of psychology are very different, because mostly those positions employ people with a minimum of a master's degree," said David V. Day, professor and director in the department of psychology.

"Students are likely to be in all kinds of different positions when they graduate, and it may not be a position that's tagged with a psychology label."

Susie Fuller (senior-psychology) said she isn't worried about graduating with a psychology degree.

"Psychology is a good major because there are a lot of avenues to take," Fuller said.

"I knew when I was going into psychology that I can't make a lot of money with it, but eventually, if I get my [doctoral degree], then it can be really lucrative."