“The National Association of Colleges and Employers says that average starting salaries for the Class of 2002 range from $27,000 for political science majors to $51,000 for computer programmers. Around $35,000 is the national norm.”

“After taxes, that works out to about $2,000 a month–the rent on a tiny apartment in a borderline neighborhood in New York or San Francisco. When a fifth of your paycheck goes to student loans, it’s hard to afford a car, much less purchase a first home. Economists looking for explanations for declining sales of big-ticket items might start here. “