Highest-paying jobs for recent college grads

Globe staff photo / Joe Giblin
4. Engineer
Average first-year salary: $72,000
Preferred background: Bachelor of Science in engineering, passing two state licensure exams
BLS projected outlook, 2008-2018: 11 percent growth
Here's one for the problem solvers: Those who pass rigorous engineering school curriculums are handsomely compensated during the first years of their careers. Engineers fix issues that arise in fields from bridge-building to agriculture.
In this photo, software engineers work on the mission control simulator at the Raytheon facility in Portsmouth, R.I.