The unemployment rate for young, recent college graduates in the United States has reached a 10-year high of 5.8%, with many struggling to find full-time jobs.
Rebecca Atkins, 25, graduated from law and justice university in Washington D.C. in 2022 but had no luck applying to over 250 job openings. She felt disheartened and wondered if she was “terrible at working.”
The labor market for new graduates has weakened since 2022, with hiring down 16% in 2025. Analysts point to cyclical post-pandemic hiring slowdowns and economic uncertainty under the Trump administration.
Senior economist Matthew Martin says the situation is an outlier, but job openings for professional services have declined by over 40% since 2021, disproportionately impacting tech sector jobs. Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon, attributes the slowdown to policy swings and caution against assuming AI has eliminated entry-level roles.
The US university education system is expensive, with an average cost of $27,673 per year. Many graduates struggle to make ends meet, feeling overwhelmed by debt and the need for constant work.
Analysts predict it will take time for the labor market to recover, with some adjusting their majors or dealing with long-term financial implications.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-07-void-young-college-employment-crisis.html