With graduation - and the loan collectors - a hop, skip and a jump around the corner, thousands of UB students will soon be looking for their first post-graduation paycheck, preferably with a job that's comfortably above minimum wage and doesn't take your four-year degree to ask if you'd like fries with that.
UB grads will be competing with graduates from area colleges and universities, so finding a job in the Buffalo area may prove difficult for many.
"With 17 area college campuses in the region, our universities and colleges produce more graduates than are needed in this region," said Dan Ryan, director of Career Services.
As a result, many graduates may consider relocating, away from friends and family, in search of fresh career prospects.
While leaving Western New York may appeal to some graduates, students must consider several factors -- primarily what kind of salary they can expect and the cost of living -- before making such a life-changing plunge.
Craig Smith, a senior pharmaceutical science major from Webster, NY, said he is eager to begin his future in pharmaceutical sales immediately after graduation.
"I'm going to go wherever the place with the biggest difference between the cost of living and the salary is," Smith said.
Although he doesn't have a specific location in mind, Smith -- like many graduates -- said he dreams of a place where it is sunny year round, with beaches and zero snow flurries.
But even warmer weather may not be enough of a draw for cash-hungry graduates. Although Buffalo often gets a bad rap for its fluctuating economy, the cost of living is significantly lower when compared with other cities across the country.
According to cnnmoney.com, Buffalo's median household income in 2005 was approximately $37,000. A graduate moving to San Diego, CA, would need to earn a salary of at least $66,200 -- nearly double the amount -- to maintain the same lifestyle.
In other words, a student moving to San Diego would pay 35.4 percent more for groceries, 237.4 percent more for housing, 21 percent more for transportation and 30.8 percent more for healthcare. On the plus side, however, utilities would be 19 percent lower.
The Web site also said that for a Buffalo student moving to New York City in the Manhattan district, a salary of around $78,600 would earn them the same standard of living. In layman's terms, that graduate would end up paying 31 percent more for groceries, 333 percent more for housing, 12.5 percent more for utilities, 11.6 percent more for transportation and 42.6 percent more for healthcare than someone who stays in the Buffalo area.
Ryan said students should consider these factors before making any rash decisions about relocating.
"If (students) are simply moving to experience another city, that is fine," Ryan said. "If they are moving because they heard jobs in Vegas pay more, they may end up in a job waiting tables feeling miserable."
In some instances, graduates may be better off staying in Buffalo, as some entry-level salaries are comparable to the national median.
The average entry-level marketing assistant earns a median of $37,782 per year nationally, while someone in the same position can expect an average of $36,716 per year in Buffalo.
Teaching salaries in the Buffalo area also ranked among the highest. For a beginning elementary school teacher, the national median is $46,608 annually, compared to Buffalo at $47,822 per year.
For some, however, salary and cost of living are not as important when considering the job market in WNY.
"The biggest employers in the WNY region are governmental agencies," said Ryan, adding that starting salaries vary by the nature of the work that is involved.
Despite the job competition, Emily Polino, a senior dance and communication major, said she is looking forward to remaining in WNY after completing her education and hopes past internships will give her an edge with future career opportunities.
"The people are friendly and the environment is conducive to what I'm looking for in a place to live," Polino said.
Considering all of her options, Kristine Godios, a senior history major from Hamburg, NY, said she plans to have the best of both worlds, leaving the area for graduate school but returning to work as a teacher and make a home here.
"I've been here all my life. I'd like to try something new," she said. "But I think there are a lot of jobs here if you look around."
Interested in seeing how your future career matches up? Check out careerbuilder.com and salary.nytimes.com for more information.
