Are you planning on graduating from college within the next couple of years? Do you want to maximize your opportunity for employment following graduation? If so, then you will want to pay special attention to this news.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers recently published their annual report on the employment outlook for college graduates of 2007. Released annually, this report provides a forecasted projection of what the job market looks like for new college grads based on survey results of employers nationwide.

The annual report, titled Job Outlook 2007, shows job projections based on different sectors of the economy and different geographic regions of the country. It also includes a look at the top degrees that employers say they will be looking for while recruiting this year. Listed below is a look at these top degrees for 2007.

1. Associate Degrees

According to Job Outlook 2007, the NACE's annual report on the job market outlook for college grads, roughly 40% of employers surveyed are planning to hire graduates with an associate degree. Although all fields and areas of study will be looked at, there are 4 major areas of focus for students with associate degrees:

• Engineering

• Technology

• Business

• Computer Science

2. Bachelors Degree

As with associate degree graduates, the three sectors of the economy expected to hire the most college grads include government/non-profit, service industry and manufacturing. The top bachelor degrees will be:

• Accounting

• Business Administration/Management

• Computer Science

• Electrical Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering

• Information Systems

• Marketing & Marketing Management

• Computer Engineering

• Civil Engineering

• Economics & Finance

3. Graduate Degrees

According to the annual job outlook report published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, engineering takes 4 of the 5 top spots in terms of doctorate degrees being looked at for employment.

In addition to MBA's being in demand, the following five doctorate degrees will be heavily sought after:

• Electrical Engineering

• Computer Science

• Computer Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering

• Chemical Engineering

As with most levels of college degrees, the expected rate of hiring across the board is projected to be higher in 2007 compared to 2006. Although part of this is due to the stronger economy, many experts believe that the aging baby-boomer population is leading to this demand. As the more tenured employees look to retire, a younger generation is needed to fill their shoes.

The bottom line is this...overall, the job market for new college graduates in 2007 looks very good. As in the past, certain sectors of the economy will hire in larger numbers than others. Other sectors will have more geographic and salary differences. Ultimately, the long-term success of any new graduate depends on the individual student and their desire to succeed.