American industry will hire at least as many college educated men in 1955 as in 1954, Louis L. Newby, Director of the Office of Student Placement, said last night.

Newby spoke in reference to a speech by Frank S. Endicott, director of placement at Northwestern University. Endicott said that employers will nine 19 percent more engineers and two percent more non-technical graduates this year than last year.

Endicott said in addition that the average starting salary in all fields, including sales and general business training, will be $341 a month, $6 higher than last year. Because of the great need for men with technical training, engineers will get offers of an average of $361 a month.

From his informal contacts with company representatives, Newby said that he agreed with Endicott's views. "There is indication everywhere that we are entering a period of healthy economic activity. Stock market trends have encouraged backs and finance houses to look for men with liberal arts backgrounds to be top executives in ten or 15 years. A somewhat greater number of companies have come to my office looking for liberal arts graduates," he added.

"The demand for technically trained people is enormous. Certainly the opportunities are equally as good as last year, and judging from the increased number of organizations filing applications with the Student Employment Office, the opportunities are better. Salaries will probably be up some," Newby said.

The need for technically trained men is a national problem. No major company has yet been able to fill its needs for men in the applied sciences, Newby said. Especially in expansion industries like chemicals, plastics, and electronics there is intense competition for capable men.

"American industry badly needs men with a high executive potential, men with a broad general education which will enable them to make mature judgments," he said.