This sounds like a lot, right?  In terms of being realistic, it's also pretty out of the question except for grads of Ivy League or other elite universities in a few fields, mainly finance.  We're not talking an advanced degree, just a Bachelor's.

But even with that, compare it to what you started at in 1978 with BA in investment banking at the top banks.  Typical starting salary was $50K, plus bonus and commissions in some positions.

Adjusted for inflation, $50,000 in 1978 is equal to $254,110 in 2025.

Dollar Times

This is why the Middle Class is a vanishing species.  Starting salaries at even the highest levels haven't even come close to keeping up with inflation.  To Boomers though, $100K sounds like a lot of money, particularly for a recent college grad.  A reasonably successful Boomer like Kdog didn't crack 6 digits even at the end of his career in IT with a Master's.

Besides Banking and an elite degree, about the only field I think you could hope to make 6 figures starting out now would be Nursing, and only with Overtime or maybe as a traveling nurse.  Playing pro football doesn't count.

Far as the list in the article goes, who would hire a "Consultant" right out of college?  You need experience and a track record in any field to be a consultant.  Similar with "Supply Chain Manager".  You would need a few years in logistics somewhere before you got a managerial position.  The low end of those job opening examples is a little more realistic.

https://www.msn.com/en-my/money/careersandeducation/new-grads-expect-to-earn-over-100k-right-after-college-on-average-these-are-the-top-fields-to-achieve-that/ar-AA1DttzA

New grads expect to earn over $100K right after college, on average—these are the top fields to achieve that

RE