Published: April 28, 1998

It’s a good time to be graduating with a degree in business – especially in Colorado.

"As the job market goes, this is as good as it gets," said Ann Stringfellow, director of career development and employer relations at the College of Business and Administration at CU-Boulder.

Stringfellow says local and national job prospects are plentiful for both graduate and undergraduate business students.

During the fall semester, 134 companies sent recruiters to the college – nearly double the 71 who came in fall of 1996. In addition, fax machines have been humming with employers posting jobs and requesting student resumes.

"Locally we’re seeing job growth in telecommunication and high-tech companies," said Stringfellow. "We’re earning the Telecom Valley nickname."

Stringfellow estimates that between 40 and 50 percent of the college’s MBA students already have jobs lined up after graduation. "There is just a flurry of activity out there and a lot of students are in negotiations now. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re at 75 percent employment by the time school is out," she said.

The average salary for a 1997 MBA graduate was $49,756.

The Career Development and Placement office has developed a Web-based placement site where employers can post jobs and get basic information about CU-Boulder graduate students. A new feature will be rolled out next month where students can post their resumes and employers will be able to browse them on-line, using a keyword search for specific skills and work experience. See www-bus.colorado.edu/Career/Mba/Mba.html.