A statistical analysis of graduates' starting salary and employers' selection criteria

Abstract

In this paper the relationship between employers' selection criteria such as GPA, internship and previous working experience, student activities, graduates' areas of concentration, and gender upon the graduates' starting salary is examined. A rating system is developed by which the graduates' internship and student activities experience are evaluated and determined. A series of simple, reduced, and full regression models are developed and tested. A procedure for model building and adequacy is developed to arrive at the optimal regression model. A sequential analysis and stepwise regression are utilized to corroborate the adequacy of the proposed regression model. The optimal regression model consists of GPA, computer science concentration, and the graduate's gender. A series of validity tests is performed to support and validate the assumptions made throughout the paper. In conclusion, additional perspectives and analyses are presented.