College graduate unemployment hits 5.7 percent amid weakest job market in years
Unemployment among college graduates aged 22 to 27 reached 5.7 percent by the end of 2025, above the national rate of 4.2 percent. Underemployment climbed to 42.5 percent, the highest since 2020. The tech sector cut 245,000 jobs in 2025 and 59,000 more in the first quarter of 2026. Entry-level hiring for the class of 2026 will grow by just 1.6 percent. Employers now describe the market as only fair, with interview rates below 2 percent even after dozens of applications. Recruiters have raised in-person interviews to 38 percent from 24 percent in 2022 to detect AI use.
Graduates previously landed interviews by volume, firing off applications past automated filters into a market with steady if modest hiring. AI tools helped craft standout submissions that bypassed applicant tracking systems. Now with 5.7 percent unemployment and sub-2 percent interview odds, recruiters have added live stages to expose rehearsed AI answers. Prompt-built portfolios still clear the application hurdle but face new pressure to show unassisted reasoning in person.
Analysis
Pick one project from your portfolio and practice pitching it aloud without notes or AI, timing yourself to two minutes. Record and review for natural flow.
Citation
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