US's computer science grads face 5th-highest unemployment rate

The study, titled The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates, found unemployment among recent U.S. college graduates stood at 5.6%, higher than the overall adult unemployment rate of 4.2%.

Anthropology majors recorded the highest unemployment rate at 7.9%, followed by computer engineering graduates at 7.8%.

The New York Fed analyzed 73 college majors, including miscellaneous groupings, using 2024 U.S. Census Bureau data to examine employment outcomes for recent graduates aged 22 to 27 with at least a bachelor’s degree.

Stanford University in the U.S. Photo courtesy of the university

Despite relatively high unemployment, computer science and computer engineering graduates recorded underemployment rates below 20%, well below the overall average of 42% among recent graduates.

Underemployment refers to graduates working in jobs that typically do not require a college degree.

Daniel Zhao, chief economist at Glassdoor, told Business Insider that the figures suggest computer science graduates are facing a slower hiring market in the technology sector.

However, he said many remain willing to wait for suitable roles because technology jobs offer higher pay than most other industries. "So they're willing to sit it out and wait until a good role comes along," Zhao said.

Separate data indicates that computer science remains one of the most lucrative academic fields.

Computer science graduates are projected to earn the highest starting salaries among bachelor’s degree holders, averaging about $81,535 for the class of 2026, according to the 2026 Winter Salary Survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

The field is also expected to offer the highest pay for advanced degrees, with projected average salaries of $94,212 for master’s graduates and $121,667 for doctoral graduates.