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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Graduate students pursuing careers as mental health counselors or lawyers are expected to have the highest number of job openings in the next nine years, compared to other fields that require a master’s degree.
- These master’s degrees may be a good option for the increasing number of recent bachelor’s degree graduates who are struggling to find work in the slowing labor market.
Recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree, but having a hard time finding a job? Going to graduate school in these fields may lead you to some better prospects.
This year, the labor market has been slow to add workers, with tariffs stifling many companies’ abilities to hire. Additionally, a significant factor contributing to the slowing labor market, particularly for recent college graduates, is the growing presence of AI in the workforce. Those factors have pushed many students to turn to graduate school instead of immediately entering the labor market.
However, some graduate degree programs may offer students better job prospects than others.
Of those with a graduate degree, substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors are expected to be in high demand over the next nine years, according to a recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Lawyers, as well as education and career counselors, are also projected to have plentiful job openings.
Why This Matters
As more undergraduate students complete their education and enter a stagnant job market, graduate school is becoming a more attractive option for many. Knowing the graduate degrees that are more likely to lead to a job can set students up for success.
Grad School Is Becoming a Better Option for Many Recent Bachelor Graduates
Recent college graduates typically have lower unemployment levels than the average of all workers. As of June 2025, 4.8% of recent college graduates were unemployed, compared to 4% of all workers, according to the most recent data available from the Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Additionally, entry-level positions are being disproportionately replaced by AI, and many young workers feel unprepared to enter a workforce that is increasingly advancing with the technology.
More recent bachelor’s degree graduates are seeking alternative paths rather than trying to navigate the weakening labor market. In particular, law school admissions during the 2024-2025 admissions cycle were at the highest level in over a decade.
Attending graduate school can delay repayment on student loans and typically leads to higher-paying jobs than those held by workers with just a bachelor’s degree.
