Unemployment jumps 4% from 2023 for new college graduates

SEATTLE — As college graduates celebrate a major milestone, new numbers show the unemployment rate for United States grads has jumped in just the last year.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, it is now above 12% for students with bachelor's degrees, which is 4% higher than in 2023.

“In 2022, there were two jobs for every individual, and now it’s completely the inverse," said Fran Berrick, the founder and coach at Spearmint Coaching. "There are two individuals for every job.”

According to the Federal Reserve Board, 40% of young adults were underemployed in 2023, meaning they took a job that doesn’t usually require a bachelor’s degree.

FROM 2003 |Graduating soon? Here are some tips to navigate Seattle's job market

“You don’t want to be a jack of all trades," Berrick said. "You want to be a master of a specific one.”

According to LinkedIn, finding a job in a specific field can take more than a year.

Some tips include what to include on your resume if you don't have work experience: college sports, clubs, waitressing or babysitting all matter.

“That all counts, and those soft skills that you’ve learned— like responsibility, integrity, commitment — are totally transferable," Berrick said.