Dude has it right that in IT the BIG money is in consulting. Hourly rates are sky high for specialized consultants. My DH has a fulltime for which he is highly compensated with a nice benefits package yet his bill rate for independent work is often 5x what his salary rate calcs to. He has been able to more than double his salary with a few hours of independent contracts on the side and still keep all the perks of the fulltime job.

He started working independently while still in college with consulting work he sourced and telecommuted to. And his payrate at that time (with no degree or formal training) was only $20/hr less than his fulltime now.

Maybe these grads do actually plan lucrative careers as "consultants" based on their education. I mean if my DH could do it while still IN college with a double-major, surely they might have similar aspirations.