National Survey Expects Job Decline for College Graduates

A survey of 630 business firms released yesterday indicates a decline in the number of jobs available for college graduates in 1976.

The survey, conducted by the College Placement Council, shows that this year the firms expect to hire 19 per cent fewer graduates in mathematics and sciences and 12 per cent fewer graduates in the humanities and social sciences than they hired last year.

Robert J. Ginn, associate director of Harvard's Office of Graduate and Career Plans, said yesterday, "I'm surprised at the survey. We have not felt any decrease in hiring. The number of firms coming to interview students is holding steady."

George C. Homans, chairman of the Sociology department, said yesterday, "I don't expect any change in graduate student employment in sociology."

In engineering the survey expects hiring to go up two per cent for graduates with bachelor's degrees, down two per cent for graduates with master's degrees, and up six per cent for graduates with doctor's degrees.

George F. Carrier, acting dean of Harvard's Division of Engineering and Applied Physics, said yesterday, "I don't expect many of our engineering or science students to be unemployed."

"The schools that attract the best students are the ones that fare best. I would expect Harvard students to benefit from this," Carrier said.

Harvey C. Mansfield, chairman of the Government department, and Lawrence L. Bogorad, chairman of the Biology department, both said yesterday that unemployment would have little effect on their departments' graduates since most of them go for more schooling.

The survey predicts a five per cent rise in the number of business school graduates hired and a one per cent rise in the hiring of those who hold bachelor's degrees in business administration.

The survey, which is conducted every year in December, predicts hiring of all individuals, including non-college graduates, to drop five per cent next year. In December 1974, it predicted a four per cent drop for this year.