Rebecca Atkins’ struggle to secure employment after graduating in 2022 with a law and justice degree reflects a broader trend among recent U.S. college graduates. Over two years, she applied for more than 250 jobs without success, attributing the rejection to personal failure. This difficulty aligns with national data showing that unemployment for recent graduates stands at 5.8%—its highest since 2013, excluding the COVID-19 period—and significantly above the overall unemployment rate.
Post-Pandemic Slowdowns and Structural Shifts Leave New Graduates Struggling to Find Work
While the broader U.S. labor market has stabilized post-pandemic with unemployment hovering around 3.5–4%, recent graduates have not seen similar improvements. Hiring has declined year-over-year, especially in 2025, with a 16% drop in new roles, largely impacting fields like technology, finance, and business. Analysts link this to cyclical slowdowns and early instability in the Trump administration’s second term, making the transition from college to career more difficult than usual for young professionals.
Young Graduates Face Harsh Job Market as Hiring Declines and Debt Burdens Mount Post-PandemicEconomists point out that the downturn in hiring isn’t only due to cyclical changes. Structural shifts, including the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and hiring corrections after the post-pandemic surge, are contributing factors. Sectors such as tech and professional services have slashed openings by over 40% since 2021. While AI is often cited as a reason for the disappearance of entry-level jobs, experts caution that its widespread adoption is still in early stages and unlikely to be the primary culprit—at least for now.
High Tuition, Student Debt, and Underemployment Intensify Pressure on Struggling Recent College Graduates
Adding to the employment challenge is the steep cost of higher education in the U.S., where the average undergraduate degree costs over $27,000 annually. Over one-third of students take on federal loans, with average debt nearing $30,000. These financial burdens make underemployment even more difficult to manage. Graduates like Katie Bremer, who took over a year to find a job unrelated to her field, often take on side gigs just to make ends meet, intensifying the pressure.
The uncertainty facing new graduates is unlikely to disappear soon. Experts predict continued difficulty in the job market, potentially pushing students to reconsider their fields of study. Meanwhile, young adults are juggling high debt, limited income, and delayed life milestones. Bremer’s reflection on her generation’s future—how they’ll “make this work”—echoes the growing anxiety among young Americans trying to carve out stability in an increasingly volatile economy.
