Recent graduates in certain fields are facing notably higher unemployment as they transition from campus to the labor market, with some majors seeing rates above 6%. Using 2024 Census Bureau data, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York examined unemployment among 22- to 27-year-olds with at least a bachelor’s degree, finding that several art-related majors are especially vulnerable, while anthropology stands out with an unemployment rate of almost 8%. Early childhood education also appears among the majors with elevated unemployment, although some other education-related fields rank among those with the lowest joblessness.
The data show that risk is not confined to low-paying or niche subjects, since majors such as computer engineering and computer science also appear on the list despite their reputation for high salaries. As Glassdoor chief economist Daniel Zhao notes, “you have some majors that have very restrictive job markets, like fine arts or performing arts,” alongside majors like computer engineering or computer science that can lead to high-paying roles.
Underemployment figures deepen the contrast: computer-focused degrees have underemployment rates below 20%, whereas anthropology, fine arts, and performing arts exceed 50%, meaning many graduates in those areas work in jobs that do not typically require a degree. These outcomes are unfolding in a broader environment of weakening demand for new workers. The US recently recorded its lowest year of job growth outside a recession since 2003, and the unemployment rate for recent college graduates rose from 4.8% at the start of 2025 to 5.6% by December.
A Goldman Sachs research note suggests that a “low-hire, low-fire” pattern may be pushing young workers to the sidelines and increasing the risk they are locked out of the labor market. In response, experts recommend that job seekers strengthen networking, tap university career services, connect with alumni, broaden the range of roles they consider, and explore applications of their skills in less obvious sectors, such as interdisciplinary areas for computer science graduates.
Reference
Hoff, M. (2026, February 12). The 13 college majors with the highest unemployment. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/highest-unemployment-rates-college-majors-2026-2