Shainah Hughes knows shell find a job and support her family when she graduates.

Job security is one of the big reasons the 29-year-old student at Western Technical College is pursuing a degree in electronics and computer engineering.

When I graduate, theres going to be a need for that, Hughes said.

Health care, accounting and technology are big draws for grads who want to live locally, but college officials agree theres no hard and fast trend.

Job security is huge for todays graduates, said Beth Dolder-Zieke, director of career services at Viterbo University.

Many started college on the eve of the recession.

They heard you go to college, you do really well, get a job, Dolder-Zieke said. And then they go to college, and for those of them who were aware of what was going on, it was very discouraging.

College grads have high expectations from their first job. Nationally, they expect a salary approaching $50,000 and want opportunities for future growth, Dolder-Zieke said.

For that, many are looking to health care.

More than 160 students graduated from Viterbos un-dergraduate nursing and nursing-completion programs last year. Western, UW-L, Winona State University and Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical in Winona all offer degrees in health care, too.

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Health care , accounting, tech are hottest fields for Coulee Region graduates