Are College Graduates Finding Good Jobs?

Asked by: Ms. Clara Fischer Ph.D. | Last update: March 16, 2020
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A recent survey of 1,000 recent and impending U.S. college graduates by employment site Monster shows about 45% of 2020 grads are still looking for a job. An analysis of federal labor data from the fall by the Pew Research Center also found about 31% of grads were still unemployed.

What percent of college graduates get good jobs?

In comparison, 55.3% of the class of 2019 graduates were employed within the same time frame. Students who attended colleges with fewer than 2,000 students tended to do better after graduation. Closer to 62% of these students had full-time positions after six months.

Is it easier to find a job after college?

In October 2020, 67.3% of college graduates were employed after they graduated. It takes an average of three to six months for college graduates to find a job after college. In March 2021, the unemployment rate for bachelor's degree holders was 3.7% compared to 6.7% for those only holding a high school diploma.

What percentage of college students don't get a job after they graduate?

The fact is that approximately 53% of college graduates are unemployed or working in a job that doesn't require a bachelor's degree. It takes the average college graduate three to six months to secure employment after graduation.

Why are so many college graduates unemployed?

The college graduates unemployment rate has increased in some professions due to a loss of interest in others. Even though they pay better, jobs related to business and finance are not making any top lists these days. What's more, the interest in jobs that come with a high risk of injury is also dropping.

Deitz: Are Recent College Graduates Finding Good Jobs? (June

16 related questions found

Why can't I find a job with a bachelor's degree?

A degree can't guarantee you a job because it can't guarantee that you actually have basic human wisdom about how to operate in a workplace. You have to figure out how to demonstrate that yourself in a job market full of highly-educated people who were skipped over by the common sense gene (if you know what I mean).

Is it normal to be unemployed a year after college?

A recent Pew Research Center analysis of federal labor data also found that about 31% of 2020 graduates were unemployed last fall, well above the 22% for 2019 graduates. Recent college grads often have higher unemployment rates than more seasoned workers.

Why is it hard to get a job as a fresh graduate?

According to employers and industry players, the majority of Malaysian fresh graduates lack the technical, problem solving and soft skills that employers require to compete for jobs in Malaysia. As a result, the job market is highly competitive as only a handful of talents possess the right skill sets to get hired.

Is college worth going?

Despite the rising cost of post-secondary education, a college degree still pays off for the majority of graduates. On average, those with a bachelor's degree earn significantly more than their peers with only a high school diploma.

How long do graduates stay in their first job?

The Most Common Advice is to Stay Put for at Least a Year Most experts seem to agree that it generally takes at least one year to make yourself marketable to managers the next rung up on the career ladder.

How can I increase my chances of getting a job after college?

Pick Your Major (and College) Strategically. It used to be okay to head to college now and figure out your degree path later. Don't Follow Your Passion. Still having trouble figuring out what you want to do with your life? Pick a Career That Requires Specialized Skills. Network Early and Often. Take an Internship. .

Does college guarantee a job?

A college education doesn't guarantee a better job, but it can result in higher wages over the length of your career and is a prerequisite for some professions.

How many college graduates actually use their degree?

As of October 2020, 67.1% of females and 67.6% of male recent college graduates with bachelor's degrees were employed. The unemployment rate for male recent college graduates with bachelor's degrees was 16.1% and 10.2% for females.

What degree has the highest unemployment rate?

Majors with the highest unemployment rates Mass Media. Unemployment: 7.8% Underemployment: 55.2% Liberal Arts. Unemployment: 6.7% Underemployment: 58.4% Anthropology. Unemployment: 6.6% Underemployment: 59.1% Philosophy. Unemployment: 6.2% Underemployment: 50.9% Construction Services. Unemployment: 6.1%..

How many college graduates are successful?

Bachelor's degree seekers graduate at a rate of 60%; among all college students, the national graduation rate is 46%; . 41% of bachelor's degree earners graduate within 4 years. 4 million or 18% of all college students graduate each year.

Why is it so hard to get a job right now?

Expert Tip. Finding a job has gotten even harder since the USA was hit was the COVID-19 pandemic. Read our experts' advice on the US job market and COVID-19, including the industries still hiring and the jobs hit the hardest.

What percent of college grads have a job related to their major 2021?

Only 27 percent of college grads have a job related to their major.

What are college graduates looking for in a job?

They want to know up front how much they'll be paid for a job before they apply. More than half of grads said they need to see salary ranges in a job ad to entice them to apply, followed by career advancement opportunities (37 percent) and evidence of work-life balance (36 percent).

Is a Bachelor's degree useless?

Today, almost 60% of all jobs in the US require a higher education. Your new bachelor's degree is becoming increasingly worthless as more and more people graduate from college, as jobs that used to need only a bachelor's degree now prefer master's degrees.

What degree will guarantee a job?

Accounting or Finance. A career in accounting or finance will always be a safe bet. In fact, the National Association of Colleges and Employers, or NACE, named these two fields the top two in-demand degrees for 2018.

Do bachelor degrees mean anything anymore?

While a college degree still holds value among employers, many jobs that used to require a bachelor's degree now require a master's. In today's economy, this means most college students must spend more time preparing for their dream jobs. It also means generating as many marketable skills as possible along the way.