The Georgetown University Career Center released its annual survey of recent graduates this past week, revealing a decrease in employment rates and starting salaries for the Class of 2009.

Fifty-seven percent of the Class of 2009 reported being employed after graduation, a 5 percent decrease from the Class of 2008. The unstable economy is a common obstacle for new graduates seeking employment, many of whom turn to professions that require them to be creative with the skills learned from their majors to successfully secure jobs.

Of the Class of 2009, 23 percent are attending graduate school, 12 percent are seeking employment, 4 percent have joined the volunteer sector, 1 percent are in military services, 1 percent undecided and 2 percent reported other plans.

While the employment demographic remains similar to previous years, lower starting salaries reflect the struggling economy. The average starting salary reported by employed Class of 2009 graduates was $46,989, about six percent lower than the average starting salary reported by the Class of 2008.

The top five career fields for 2009 Georgetown University graduates are: banking/investment banking with 135 graduate, teaching/education with 77 graduates, consulting with 75 graduates, health care with 52 graduates and government with 28 graduates. The top-five employers in descending order were: Teach For America with 42 graduates, Barclays Capital with 21 graduates, Georgetown University with 17 graduates, Deloitte with 16 graduates and Credit Suisse with 12 graduates.”