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College Job Placement Hits 58.3%, Reversing Three-Year Slide
The placement rate for 2025 graduates rose to 58.3%, the highest since 2019, driven by engineering and computer science. Universities are shifting resources toward job-aligned programs.
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More college graduates landed jobs in their field this year than at any point since 2019, according to data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers. The placement rate hit 58.3% for the class of 2025, up from 54.2% last year and reversing a three-year decline.
Engineering and computer science majors drove the rebound, with placement rates above 72%. Liberal arts graduates saw a smaller improvement, to 41%, the best outcome since before the pandemic.
The shift reflects a broader change in how universities allocate resources, said Michael Bettersworth, vice chancellor at Texas State Technical College. “Programs that don't lead to jobs don't get funded anymore,” he told the Chronicle of Higher Education. “That sounds harsh, the data backs it up.”