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Key Takeaways
- If your college major has a high unemployment rate, it may be more difficult to land a full-time job in your field after graduation.
- Be flexible, stay open to all job opportunities, and don’t get tied to a ‘dream job’.
- If you don’t have any full-time experience to promote on your resume, highlight your volunteer work, internships, and part-time employment.
When it comes to success in the job market, your college major can have a big impact, determining how much you’re paid and your likelihood of getting a job.
For recent college students, the current job market may be especially challenging, as new grads face a higher unemployment rate compared to all workers.
Additionally, some majors, like computer science, which have historically led to high-paying careers, have had some of the highest unemployment rates.
According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, these were the majors with the highest unemployment rates:
- Anthropology: 9.4%
- Physics: 7.8%
- Computer engineering: 7.5%
- Commercial art and graphic design: 7.2%
- Fine arts: 7%
On the flip side, the college majors with lowest unemployment rates were nutrition science majors (0.4%) followed by construction services majors (0.7%). Special education, civil engineering, and animal and plant sciences majors all have unemployment rates of just 1%.
Why Are Some Majors Floundering While Others Are Thriving?
According to experts, computer engineering majors may face relatively high unemployment rates as the sector scaled back on spending starting in 2022.
For liberal arts majors, higher unemployment rates could result from a lack of specialized skills and limited demand in the labor market. Majors with more defined skill sets may fare better, as their skills could align more directly with employer needs.
Industries like healthcare and engineering—on the other hand—have experienced strong and stable growth as well as rising employment for several years.
How College Grads Can Land Jobs After Graduation
If your college major has a high unemployment rate, you may need to be more flexible with your job search.
“For grads with majors tied to higher unemployment rates like anthropology, fine arts, or graphic design, the key is to stay flexible and focus on building transferable skills,” said Priya Rathod, workplace trends editor at Indeed. “Think communication, problem solving, project management, or customer service. These soft skills are often the secret sauce that helps new grads stand out and stay marketable across industries.”
Don’t have any full-time experience in your field? That’s OK. Bulk up your resume with a range of part-time and other experiences that you have.
“Internships, part-time jobs, freelance work, and volunteer experiences are all valuable ways to grow your resume and expand your network—especially in fields where entry-level roles are more limited or hiring cycles move more slowly,” Rathod said.
Ultimately, view the first job after college as a way forward—even if it doesn’t match all of your expectations.
“For all college grads, the first job out of school isn’t always the ‘dream job’—and that’s OK. Remember: Your major is a starting point, not a limitation,” Rathod said. “A strategic, flexible approach can unlock opportunities across industries.”
The Bottom Line
Depending on your college major, you may face a difficult or welcoming job market. If you have a college major with a high unemployment rate, you may need to be more flexible with your job pursuits—just make sure to highlight your past experience and don’t hung up on finding the perfect job.
