Degrees of risk: These college majors are most likely to leave you jobless in America
College degrees have long been marketed as a safeguard against unemployment, a steady ladder toward success. But new data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, based on 2023 US Census data, paints a more sobering picture: some of the most respected and high-paying majors are producing some of the highest unemployment rates among recent graduates aged 22 to 27.This challenges the traditional notion that fields like engineering, science, and public policy are the most reliable paths to stable careers. In reality, a deeper look at the numbers reveals that even tech-oriented and science-heavy degrees are not immune to joblessness, despite their median earning potential.
Majors with the highest unemployment rates in the US
The following table illustrates the undergraduate majors with the highest unemployment rates, along with early-career earnings and the percentage of graduates who go on to earn advanced degrees.
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates, February 2025Note: Early-career defined as ages 22 to 27
Degrees that sound secure, but aren’t
The revelation that computer engineering and computer science both appear on this list may seem counterintuitive. Both offer top-tier early-career salaries of $80,000, but their unemployment rates—7.5% and 6.1%, respectively—outpace the national average for recent grads (3.6%). The same trend holds for physics, a traditionally prestigious and rigorous discipline, where the unemployment rate stands at 7.8%.This indicates a growing misalignment between what students are trained for and what the job market currently demands. Having a technical degree may no longer be enough. Oversaturation, evolving industry demands, and automation have begun to erode the employment certainty once associated with these majors.
The broader landscape
To understand where these high-risk majors stand within the overall picture, consider the broader dataset on unemployment rates and early-career salaries across all fields. This comprehensive snapshot offers insight into which majors are truly outperforming others in both job placement and salary terms.
Unemployment rates and earnings for college majors in the US
The unemployment rates of the major college degrees in the US have been provided here:
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, The Labor Market for Recent College Graduates, February 2025Note: Early-career defined as ages 22 to 27
Rethinking the ROI of College Majors
This data is not a condemnation of these majors, it is a recalibration. Students, families, and policymakers must consider more than the prestige or salary projections of a degree. The value of a college education increasingly lies in job market adaptability, not just intellectual rigour or theoretical appeal.While liberal arts fields like anthropology, sociology, and fine arts have long been viewed as risky, the inclusion of computer science, chemistry, and public policy suggests that no major is immune from employment volatility.In today’s economy, choosing a college major is not just about what you love or what pays well; it’s about what works.Final ThoughtThe post-college job landscape is more complex than ever. Success is no longer solely determined by what field you study, but by how well that field maps onto the real-world labour market. As the data shows, some of the most popular or academically demanding majors are producing the least stable job outcomes. In 2025, making informed choices means looking beyond the classroom, and into the economy that awaits.
