US EditionCompanies Predict 2026 Will Be the Worst College Grad Job Market in Five Years - WSJ
More than half of 183 employers rate the Class of 2026 job market poor or fair with hiring plans up just 1.6%, amid economic uncertainty and AI impacts.
- Six months out from graduation season, the National Association of Colleges and Employers survey found more than half of 183 employers rate the Class of 2026 job market as poor or fair, the most pessimistic outlook since the first year of the pandemic.
- Employers point to a cooling job market and recent large cuts, noting Amazon.com and others have trimmed jobs while companies hire more cautiously and favor experienced candidates.
- Handshake's August data show full-time job postings fell more than 16% year-over-year while applications per job rose 26%, and the unemployment rate for recent college graduates was 4.8% in June.
- Graduates in the Class of 2026 face intensified competition and pessimism, with more than 60% saying they are pessimistic while competing with junior workers recently laid off.
- With hiring plans reduced to about 1.6%, employers signal modest growth as executives warn artificial intelligence and automation could eliminate some entry-level tasks despite healthcare, education and manufacturing sectors growing.
11 Articles
11 Articles
A decline in the job outlook for the class of 2026
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — According the National Association of Colleges and Employees, the job outlook for the class of 2026 is fair, with only a 1.6% increase in hiring. NACE says the downgrade, from good to fair, is based in uncertainties about the economy. On the Old Dominion University campus, students told 10 On Your [...]
Hiring Outlook for College Graduates Worst in 5 Years, US Employers Say
The U.S. labor market may not be in great shape for college graduates when they receive their diplomas in the spring, according to a new National Association of Colleges and Employers report. Employers are bracing for 2026 to deliver the toughest job market for college graduates in five years, with more than half (51 percent) of surveyed 183 employers rating the job market as poor or fair. This represented the worst outlook for employment condit…
The Worst College Grad Job Market in Years
"Employers have a warning for the Class of 2026: Next spring’s graduate-hiring market is likely to be even worse than this year’s," the Wall Street Journal reports."Six months out from graduation season, more than half of 183 employers surveyed by the National Association of Colleges and Emp
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 71% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
