<p>You should note that the government didn’t collect the statistics for starting salaries. It was done by the National Association of Colleges and Employers and it was done via a survey.</p>
<p>I’m also amazed that a few thousand dollars means so much to you (that’s what separates the bottom of the list from the middle) that it’s worth taking into consideration when choosing a career. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not that much. You can make the difference up with a good signing bonus.</p>
<p>Salary was also not my top factor when I was in college. Location and flexibility are important to me; I didn’t want to take a career that tied me to a certain part of the country. There are civil engineering / construction management positions in every corner and crevice of the world. The second factor for me was job satisfaction; I wanted to do something that I would like… something that I would enjoy doing even for minimal pay if I was rich (don’t tell my company that though! 
). Third on the list was salary. If one of the options was to take a truly low paying position (I don’t consider 50k to be that at all, especially for a starting salary), then it would factor into my decision more. However, to me, the difference was insignificant. </p>
<p>Workload is a deciding factor for many as well. One of my college roommates (also engineering major) got a position as an analyst for an investment bank. He did get paid more but worked ridiculous hours. That’s something to take into consideration if the job is just a job and nothing else for you.</p>
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Is your user name is a reference to Michael Scofield of Prison Break? civil engineering connection?</p>