CNBC: For first-time job hunters, a college degree isn’t unlocking the opportunities it once did, data shows
October 3, 2025
Recent college graduates are facing one of the toughest job markets in years, with unemployment for those ages 22–27 rising to ~5.8%, outpacing the national average. Employers are scaling back entry-level hiring, prolonging recruitment processes, and increasingly favoring candidates with experience — in part due to economic uncertainty and automation pressures. According to research from the Burning Glass Institute, structural changes (such as AI automating junior tasks and lean staffing practices) are reshaping entry-level work and worsening underemployment among new degree holders.