Over the past few weeks, hundreds of thousands of students have won diplomas from universities and universities across the country. But for many, the biggest challenge is still ahead. Earn jobs in their majors.
From the rise of artificial intelligence to uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, opportunities for newly created graduates could be more limited than in recent years, particularly in technology employment, according to global economic forecasting firm Oxford Economics.
That’s not to say there’s no work. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said there were 7.2 million job openings in March. It’s about where the job market stood in the months before the pandemic. On June 3rd, we’ll find out about the number of April.
Job openings from historic highs in 2022 will fall
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While unemployment has risen modestly over the past year and the economy continues to add jobs, some attention lights have begun to flash in the job market. The first unemployed, although still relatively low, was above 240,000 for the week that ended May 24th, was probably more important for new graduates: the claims of continued unemployment are at the highest level since 2021.
“Continued claims continue to rise, confirming that workers who have lost their jobs find it difficult to find new jobs,” wrote Nancy Vanden Hauteng, who led the American economist at Oxford Economics, in a May 29 memo on the release of the Labor Department.
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Over the past few weeks, economists have pointed out that fluctuating tariffs have been affected by a court ruling on Wednesday, which has created uncertainty for businesses, and encouraged many to refrain from staffing decisions.
“At a time when the future is vague and many pathways for career entry are unreliable, new graduates are entering the job market,” wrote Alison Schrivastaba, a lab economist who actually employs, in an April report on the 2025 job outlook classes. “Recruitment is increasingly focused on areas that may not fit all graduate aspirations.”
So, there are millions of job postings, but many entry-level roles were not in the industry. Graduates wanted their degrees to connect. In fact, according to actual data, one of the nation’s largest employment sites, many of the highest demand positions may not require a university degree.
Percentage of posted jobs that require less than 1 year of experience
AI adds another challenge to recent graduates
Over the past 20 years, university registrations have skyrocketed into programs that lead to entry-level roles in computer systems design and related technical fields, according to a graduate report from Oxford Economics’ New College. However, since 2022, the computer and mathematical science positions have been first affected as businesses increasingly adopt artificial intelligence systems.
Before the pandemic, the unemployment rate among recent college graduates (adults between the ages 22 and 27) was generally well below the overall rate. Since mid-2023, relationships have been reversed. Currently, the unemployment rate among graduates is high these days, boosting the overall unemployment rate.
Recent unemployment rates for university graduates are currently exceeding national rates
Similar to technology programs, the number of healthcare courses and programs has skyrocketed over the past decade. However, unlike many other areas, healthcare employment opportunities remain strong. In fact, medical careers have achieved the highest growth since 2020, dominating the latest list of actual job postings.
Demand for healthcare skills continues to be strong
Still, according to Oxford’s economics, most unemployed people continue to work in job hunting despite early setbacks. While it can stop lowering unemployment rates in age groups, graduate sustainability may provide a more accurate picture of the more challenging job market.
If full-time jobs remain elusive, Srivastava recommends exploring internship opportunities. This can help recent graduates step into the door. The role of pharmacies actually outweighs top job boards because internships are often a licensing requirement, but many of the other top lists are closely matched with broad university degrees.
Most internship-available careers
History of being on the side of people who still have bachelor’s degrees
For these new graduates, the road to first job may be rocky, but they can be comfortable with the frequently cited statistics. On average, individuals with a bachelor’s degree can earn $1 million more in their lifetime than those with only high school diplomas, and $500,000 more than those with an associate’s degree.
Oxford’s economy also notes that university-educated workers are exposed to economic downturns in stages than workers who typically have fewer education opportunities in services industries such as construction and retail.
