For college seniors entering the work force this year after graduation, there’s a lot to look forward to: high employment rate, higher salaries. The future is bright. Or is it? Others have a more pessimistic outlook. They paint a dimmer picture for this next generation: slow wage growth, and more inequality.

You might be left scratching your head with all the conflicting sources. Here’s what’s really going on: the data doesn’t lie, but it doesn’t give a full picture of what’s happening. That’s why compensation consultants are using more specific data, considering factors like industry, location, and demographic.

To read more of the positive, HERE or HERE or more of the negative HERE or HERE,  but proceed with caution.