To determine which conclusion is best supported by the information in the chart, we need to compare each major category's average starting salary to the overall average starting salary of [tex]$48,707.
Here’s how we can proceed step-by-step:
1. Identify the overall average starting salary: From the chart provided, the overall average starting salary is $[/tex]48,707.
2. List the major categories and their respective average starting salaries:
- Engineering: [tex]$62,891
- Computer science: $[/tex]62,103
- Business: [tex]$57,229
- Communications: $[/tex]48,253
- Math and sciences: [tex]$44,299
- Education: $[/tex]40,267
- Humanities and social sciences: [tex]$38,049
3. Compare each major's salary to the overall average:
- Engineering: $[/tex]62,891 is greater than [tex]$48,707
- Computer science: $[/tex]62,103 is greater than [tex]$48,707
- Business: $[/tex]57,229 is greater than [tex]$48,707
- Communications: $[/tex]48,253 is less than [tex]$48,707
- Math and sciences: $[/tex]44,299 is less than [tex]$48,707
- Education: $[/tex]40,267 is less than [tex]$48,707
- Humanities and social sciences: $[/tex]38,049 is less than [tex]$48,707
4. Identify the majors with above-average starting salaries:
- Engineering: Above average ($[/tex]62,891)
- Computer science: Above average ([tex]$62,103)
- Business: Above average ($[/tex]57,229)
5. Draw a conclusion based on the comparisons:
- Majors in social sciences lead to above-average starting salaries: Not supported (Humanities and social sciences average salary is [tex]$38,049 which is below average.)
- Majors in education lead to above-average starting salaries: Not supported (Education average salary is $[/tex]40,267 which is below average.)
- Majors in humanities lead to above-average starting salaries: Not supported (Humanities and social sciences average salary is $38,049 which is below average.)
- Majors in engineering and tech lead to above-average starting salaries: Supported (Both Engineering and Computer science have starting salaries above the overall average.)
Thus, the conclusion best supported by the information in this chart is:
"Majors in engineering and tech lead to above-average starting salaries."
