Although college has long been seen as a necessary step to navigating adult life and the working career, post-college graduation unemployment rates have been on the rise. What was once seen as a guaranteed route to personal success is now filling students with uncertainty and prompting them to question whether a four-year degree is still worth the investment.
The pathway millions of American students have been following for decades—graduate high school, go to college, get a job in your field of study and live a happy and productive life—has been on a downward spiral in recent years. With the growing use of artificial intelligence, rising living costs, and an ever-shifting job market, many qualified young adults are left underemployed, working outside of their chosen fields or simply without a job.
Across the country, especially in California, college graduates are finding it increasingly difficult to land stable and well-paying jobs, even after obtaining a degree. Since the middle of 2023, people wishing to enter the workforce, made up of largely recent college graduates, have accounted for 85% of the surge in unemployment, according to Oxford Economics.
In reference to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, California has the second-highest unemployment rate in the country. While the national average is 4.2%, California’s is 5.5%, jumping up from 5.3% just 14 months ago. For some recent graduates, this has limited their job searches, as fewer entry-level positions are available and competition has increased. Some graduates may feel discouraged in their job hunts, often facing repeated rejections and intensified pressure to accept roles outside their field of study or below their qualifications.
Natalie Quilala, a Granite Bay High School alumna who recently graduated from UCLA with a degree in Psychobiology, has seen this firsthand while working during her gap years to gain clinical experience years before applying to Physician Associate school.
“Private practice healthcare jobs tend to be a bit easier to get hired, but with the hiring freezes at many hospitals, especially those associated with a public university, it has been difficult for many of my peers to find success in the job market,” Quilala said.
A growing trend within companies is the usage of AI to perform tasks that are often assigned to new graduates, with traditional entry-level positions becoming rare opportunities. This significant decline in the hiring of post-grads is leading to a shift towards AI-driven solutions and more experienced workers, while training junior staff is becoming an idea of the past.
In industries that historically hire new graduates, often large tech companies, such as Amazon or Google and financial firms like JPMorganChase are now slowing their hiring rates or cutting jobs on a massive scale. Entry-level jobs are becoming more and more scarce, with the hiring of post-grads in the biggest tech companies falling over 50% between 2019 and 2025, as shown by the 2025 State of Tech Talent Report.
For Ashley Michelin, an Oakridge High School graduate and current student at the University of Utah, concerns about finding a job in the future are a reality. She pointed out that among her peers, the unemployment rate for college grads aged 22 to 27 has increased to nearly 6%, greatly outpacing the national average, according to Associated Press News.
Majoring in Political Science and Communication Studies does not have her worried about the rise of AI, since her job focus is on government and legislative jobs, but she acknowledges that there is always a risk and is concerned about other fields of work.
“I can definitely see how, in an accounting or finance job, AI could take over very quickly. It is definitely seen in the tech industry right now,” said Michelin. “California needs to do better and create more jobs. Just really create a better job market overall.”
A graduate of San Jose State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminology, Kai Segura took a different path after graduating high school in 2016 and went into the Marine Corps infantry before going to Foothill Community College to complete his gen-ed before transferring to SJSU. While he has not attempted to get a job related to his degree, his view on AI is more about how it can be used to aid specific jobs, rather than replace human workers altogether.
“I don’t worry about AI replacing law enforcement. Currently, AI is ‘assisting’ law enforcement in their jobs by reading license plates, building report templates, monitoring city cameras, and much more,” said Segura.
Unemployment for recent graduates, a key demographic due to representing a large and eager workforce, could result in even greater issues, other than just not having work. The overall labor market would become greatly weakened, adding to the Federal Reserve’s concerns about a slowing economy and contributing to accelerating inflation. Many companies are choosing to slow their hiring and make a shift towards AI roles in order to battle inflation and a potential recession.
In order to combat this, many graduates are choosing to accept roles for which they are overqualified just to find work and receive an income. Still, some graduates believe this does not diminish the value of a college education. A degree is valuable beyond immediate employment in one’s chosen field, as landing a job in a role one would not expect demonstrates the flexibility of skills you learn at college.
“College is still super important, even if you don’t know if you’re going to get a job in your field,” said Michelin. “You learn so many good, critical thinking skills that you can take wherever, no matter what field you go into.”
In contrast, everyone’s view of college is different, with trade schools being an option, as well as degrees for various job opportunities in the future. But with the threat of rising unemployment, it forces high school students to rethink their plans, as well as have college students prepare to enter a changing workforce.
“I think we should change the stigma around college degrees. Not every job requires a degree, and not every degree will get you a job. Not everyone has a plan, and if you have a plan, you better have a backup plan,” said Segura. “Don’t let anyone tell you what your life has to look like; you’ll find it eventually. If you do decide to go to college, then try a local community college before transferring to a big, expensive university.”
The reality for recent graduates is that the California job market is continuing to shift, and adaptability will matter as much as a degree itself. With fleeting entry-level jobs, shrinking networking opportunities and AI reshaping industries as we know them, students should be encouraged to think about their possible career paths, gain any experience they can and stay well informed about possible fields/trades. Learning and diversifying skills will only position grads to navigate the evolving economic landscape better.
“For high schoolers nervous about the future, I would suggest focusing on the aspects you can control. Every new person is a potential connection that can lead to new opportunities to learn, work and grow,” said Quilala. “Take the leap, get involved both professionally and in your community. You never know who you will meet that can change the trajectory of your life.”
