Top 10 Jobs for the Class of 2008

Once summer is in sight, students everywhere spend less time outlining their research papers and more time planning their summer vacations. The annual exception is, of course, the class of graduating seniors, whose commencement pushes them into the mythic "real world." They spend the last few weeks of the semester ensuring they can walk across the stage and deciding what they will do that next day.

The realization that this semester's final exams are their last and summer breaks are things of the past is both exciting and nerve-racking. After all, once they start job hunting, they find out how valuable their degrees – which took a lot of money and the last four years of their lives – are to employers. This summer is a major milestone in their lives.

Luckily, employers are ready to hire and looking to woo them with signing bonuses and higher starting salaries than in years past, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employees. Among the most sought-after graduates are those who majored in business, finance and information technology.

We analyzed this information and data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on the industries doing the most hiring and expecting the most job growth. Here are 10 of the best jobs for the graduating class of 2008:

1. Financial analystMajor: Business administration

Median annual salary: $66,590*

Projected job growth: 34 percent

Jobs created: 75,000

2. Computer systems analystsMajor: Information sciences and systems

Median annual salary: $69,760

Projected job growth: 29 percent

Jobs created: 146,000

3. Computer systems software engineers

Major: Computer science

Median annual salary: $85,370

Projected job growth: 28 percent

Jobs created: 99,000

4. Accountants

Major: Accounting

Median annual salary: $54,630

Projected job growth: 18 percent

Jobs created: 226,000

5. Civil EngineersMajor: Engineering

Median annual salary: $68,600

Projected job growth: 18 percent

Jobs created: 46,000

6. Marketing managers

Major: Advertising or journalism

Median annual salary: $98,720

Projected job growth: 14 percent

Jobs created: 24,000

7. Financial managers

Major: Finance

Median annual salary: $90,970

Projected job growth: 13 percent

Jobs created: 64,000

8. Chemical engineers

Major: Engineering

Median annual salary: $78,860

Projected job growth: 8 percent

Jobs created: 2,400

9. Electrical engineers

Major: Engineering

Median annual salary: $75,930

Projected job growth: 6 percent

Jobs created: 9,600

10. Mechanical engineers

Major: Engineering

Median annual salary: $69,850

Projected job growth: 4 percent

Jobs created: 9,400

*Salary, job growth and job creation information is based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.