College graduates across New Jersey are increasingly struggling to find jobs as inflation, economic uncertainty and artificial intelligence reshape the hiring market, forcing many young people to delay career plans or rethink their futures.
WEBDESK – NJNEWSLINE
Thousands of college graduates in New Jersey are entering one of the toughest job markets in recent years, with employers slowing hiring amid economic uncertainty and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the workforce.
As universities including Rutgers University and Montclair State University celebrate commencement ceremonies this month, many students say traditional career paths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure.
Graduates are now delaying long-term plans, taking gap years, changing career directions or relying on temporary work while searching for stable employment.
“I’m feeling a little scared,” said Rutgers graduate Larissa Szeremeta, who studied animal science and struggled for years to find internships and research opportunities in her field.
Szeremeta eventually secured a summer internship at a veterinary practice and now works at an animal hospital in Princeton while considering veterinary school.
Economic pressures, including inflation, global instability and uncertainty linked to President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and tensions involving Iran, have contributed to a cautious hiring environment, analysts say.
Research from Cengage Group found that the percentage of graduates landing jobs related to their field of study dropped sharply from 41% in 2024 to 30% in 2025.
Meanwhile, the number of unemployed graduates still searching for work increased from 20% to 33% over the same period.
Freshman Rutgers student Ansh Butani said many members of Generation Z feel uncertain about their future.
“Kids my age see that the idea of the middle class is very quickly disappearing,” he said.
New Jersey’s unemployment rate currently stands at 5.2%, significantly higher than the roughly 3% levels seen in 2022. Economists have described the current economy as a “low-hire, low-fire” environment, where companies are hesitant both to recruit aggressively and to lay off existing staff.
Experts say businesses are increasingly prioritizing experienced workers, leaving younger job seekers struggling to gain the experience necessary to compete.
Thomas Simons, chief U.S. economist at Jefferies, said companies are reluctant to “take risks on hiring young workers,” creating what he described as an “experience vacuum” in the labor market.
Artificial intelligence has also added pressure to the job search process, particularly in industries such as technology, finance and communications.
Rutgers student Andrew Zhang said concerns over AI and outsourcing pushed him to reconsider his career path. Instead of pursuing finance immediately after graduation, he is now considering joining the United States Navy to strengthen his résumé and finance future education.
Job-search platforms are also seeing significant increases in activity from recent graduates.
Indeed reported a surge in job profiles created by college graduates while junior-level job postings declined by 7% year-over-year in 2025.
Despite the challenges, some students have successfully navigated the competitive environment through intensive networking, internships and technical assessments.
Rutgers computer science graduate Siya Brahmbhatt recently secured a software engineering job after completing multiple coding evaluations and internships.
Still, many graduates say the traditional version of the American Dream feels increasingly difficult to achieve.
“Making a good living seems to be such a difficult task,” Butani said. “But even more so with AI, it’s almost humiliating.”
