Most College Grads Don't Think Degree Will Help Them Land a Job This Year
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A new survey has shown a majority of college graduates do not have any confidence that their college degree will help them land their next job.
In a TopResume survey of 1,000 college students graduating this year, 52 percent said they don't think their degree will help land them a job in the next 12 months.
Why It Matters
Roughly 2 million college students graduated this year but the larger job market and economy has shown signs of cooling.
The unemployment rate for new graduates is estimated at 6.6 percent in 2025, according to TopResume.
Harvard graduate students applaud during the 374th Harvard Commencement in Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 29, 2025.
Harvard graduate students applaud during the 374th Harvard Commencement in Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 29, 2025.
RICK FRIEDMAN/AFP via Getty Images
What To Know
While 52 percent of new graduates don't think their degree will land them a job in the next 12 months, an even higher percentage, 56 percent, said they don't feel equipped to navigate the current job market.
The responses from employers after submitting a job application may play a role in this sentiment, as roughly one in three of these grads said they receive fewer than two responses when they apply to more than 20 roles.
"Entry-level jobs are getting automated, and the bar to get hired is rising. People are going to need either real-world experience or more specialized education—grad school, certifications, or training in in-demand fields like defense, manufacturing, automation, or finance," Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek.
"You have to follow where the economy is headed. The job market rewards people who get hands-on experience early, whether through internships, apprenticeships, or industry-specific programs."
Part of the issue could also be in when graduates are applying for jobs, as 24 percent said they wait until after graduation to begin their job search, potentially lowering their job prospects.
There was some variation in how graduates said they felt depending on what sort of degree they were graduating with. Master's degree holders said they had the skills and confidence needed to enter the workforce roughly 65 percent of the time, while Bachelor's degree graduates only said this around 44 percent of the time.
Roughly 59 percent of doctoral degree holders said the same.
The concerns graduates have about their college degree not actually helping them access the job of their dreams are not unfounded, as a report from Burning Glass Institute last year discovered 52 percent of college graduates work in jobs that don't require a degree at all, like retail, food service or administrative support.
What People Are Saying
Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "The job market is shifting fast, and a lot of graduates are nervous about what AI will mean for their future. The truth is that many people end up working in fields that aren't directly tied to their major. A degree can still open doors as it shows employers you can finish something, that you're trainable, but it doesn't always guarantee you'll land a job in your specific area of study. This is the disconnect that many are now reacting to."
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "With many employers facing an uncertain financial outlook in the year ahead, jobs, especially those that are usually targeted by recent college graduates, have become more scarce, and those applying are feeling the pressure."
"There are always mixed emotions about a graduate's degree choice when they enter the job market and can't immediately find placement, but it's important to note the financial environment now is vastly different than it has been in past years. It's not the time for regret for recent graduates, but rather to pivot some of their skill set to accommodate easier-to-fill openings."
What Happens Next
Data suggests recent college graduates could regularly wait several months to find a job post-graduation, especially if they are looking for specific roles in their field.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found it takes job seekers an average of 20.6 weeks to find a job. Due to these trends, Thompson said colleges could face enrollment issues.
"We'll likely see lower enrollment as more students opt for on-the-job training or take offers from companies willing to help pay off loans," Thompson said. "That's the new trade-off—four years in school versus hitting the ground running with less debt."
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