American colleges and universities continue to turn out graduates, and in ever increasing numbers, but the growth in college graduation in the United States began after World War II and the GI Bill of Rights. In 1900 the decennial census counted that year's college graduates; 27,410 received Baccalaureate Degrees from degree granting colleges. After reaching 186,500 in 1940, BA degrees climbed to 432,048 in 1950. Earned degrees declined some later in the 1950's; but surpassed all earlier numbers by 1964. Earned baccalaureate degrees jumped to 792,316 in June of 1970; 900 thousand in 1973; 1 million in 1989. In the year ending June 2006, BA degree graduates 1.485 million. The highest total reported.

With so many skilled citizens it is useful to ask what jobs they are doing with their many skills? The Bureau of Labor Statistics helps out with this question by collecting and maintaining employment data by occupation. The data are classified under a recently updated system called the Standard Occupational Classifications or SOC for short. 

Since data in the Standard Occupational Classifications is produced through establishments that have discretion in hiring and deciding the skills they want for their employees, BLS has developed a skills taxonomy with education and training categories that reflects the qualifications and experience needed for jobs reported within their Standard Occupational Classification.

To publish the skills taxonomy the Bureau of Labor Statistics assigns many people to study the more than 700 United States occupations. They interview employers and employees to find out what someone has to know and be able to do to qualify for employment in each occupation. They study state regulations to know licensing or certification requirements that will make someone eligible for entry into an occupation. From their study they compiled the BLS skills taxonomy to reflect the training and qualifications associated with data reported within its occupational categories. The skills taxonomy has 11 categories and two have BA degree skills as job entry requirements.

For the year ending December 2007, there are 114 occupations classified in the BA degree skills category. Employment in these occupations is more than 18 million jobs. For college seniors finishing a degree in civil engineering, it should be good to learn jobs as civil engineers are up. Job growth in an occupation is one way to weigh job prospects for upcoming graduates. It is not the only way because the Bureau of Labor Statistics defines and reports on many characteristics about jobs and occupations. In later posts we will learn about some these occupations and their job prospects.

- Fred Siegmund is a regional market forecaster who has served as an independent contractor for the Department of Labor and has been writing for the Washington DC metropolitan area in the Department of Employment Services