Why would college grads expect more than $100,000 to start? It’s the cost of living, experts say

• Survey finds college students overestimating starting pay by 88%.
• Wage and salary growth has remained stagnate over the last 50 years.
• College students’ lofty salary estimates is more “wishful” thinking than reality.

College students who expect to make more than $100,000 right out of school might seem out of touch with reality, but that six-figure income is now in range with what Americans need to earn in order to secure some of the basic amenities previous generations enjoyed, experts said.

A survey, conducted by Real Estate Witch, found that undergraduate college students overestimated their starting salaries by 88%, with students expecting to make about $103,880 in their first post-graduation job – nearly double the average starting salary at about $55,260.