Accounting students at the University of Washington rated opportunities for career advancement as a higher priority than job security and salary in a December survey.

Nearly half of all students surveyed rated career opportunities as their highest priority when finding a job after college, whereas only 11 percent rated salaries and benefits highest.

“In choosing an employer, [college students] are focused on whether their future employer offers a challenging and engaging career proposition,” said Manny Fernandez, the National Managing Partner for University Relations and Recruiting at KPMG.

KPMG LLP, the U.S. branch of an audit, tax and advisory firm known as KPMG International, conducted the nationwide survey of accounting students preparing to enter the workforce. The organization received 2,026 responses from accounting students across the country, including 114 from the UW.

Despite the state of the U.S. economy, jobs that are advantageous to their careers still look more appealing to UW students, even if they have to take a larger salary cut than they would at another job.

“I would prefer a secure job to a higher salary, with options for advancement as well,” said Arielle Hourback, a pre-MBA sophomore. “Overall, I just want to have a job that is going somewhere.”

Some of the respondents seem to have even prepared themselves for the possibility of a low salary. According to the survey, 64 percent of UW accounting students have found ways to cut their day-to-day spending, either significantly or moderately.

While the KPMG survey may have focused on accounting students, the results obtained are not particular to accounting students alone. Many non-accounting students share a preference for career opportunity over or at the expense of higher pay.

“When I get out of college, I would prefer to get into a job that I can have for a long time,” said Michael Lenning, an electrical engineering student. “I don’t necessarily need a high salary to start with, but I would like a lot of room to advance.”

For others however, the desire for higher pay and job security wins out over concerns about career advancement and job opportunities.

“After college, I would look for a job with a higher salary, something that I can stay in for a long time and would support me,” said Chris Davidson, a sophomore in the Computer Science and Engineering department.

Some students strive to find a balance between good pay and career advancement, citing uncertainty about their future.

“I might do something that pays more for a while, but after that I would switch to something else and see what happens,” said Zach Stad, a freshman interested in computer engineering. “You never really know what you’re going to like or not until you’ve actually done it.”

For some of those who have not nailed down their career path quite yet, the universal desire for happiness and fulfillment trumps visions of financial success.

“After college, I really think that I want to get a job I really love, and if it doesn’t pay a lot, that’s fine,” said Anja Ollodart, a freshman undecided about her major. “I mean, I want to do something that makes me happy, because if I’m not happy, then what is the point of having a lot of money?”

Reach reporter Anthony Michael Erickson at news@dailyuw.com.