Computer majors having a rough time finding jobs after graduation?

Several Forces Converging (Claude AI)

1. Post-pandemic hiring correction. During 2021–22, cheap money and hypergrowth led companies to overhire aggressively. When that era ended, companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft shifted to mass layoffs rather than new hiring, eliminating positions and leaving no room for new grads. FinalRoundAI

2. AI is reshaping junior roles. AI programming tools are eliminating many junior developer positions — the exact entry-level roles new grads depend on. Yahoo Finance Companies are finding that senior engineers augmented by AI tools can handle work that previously required hiring junior staff.

3. Massive oversupply of graduates. The number of CS graduates has been climbing every year, hitting record highs, because universities kept expanding CS programs during the boom years. FinalRoundAI The supply-demand gap has widened dramatically — more graduates, fewer entry-level openings.

4. H-1B visa competition. Companies like Microsoft applied for thousands of H-1B visa slots while simultaneously conducting domestic layoffs FinalRoundAI, intensifying competition for available positions.

5. Skills mismatch. Only 13% of graduates are considered ready to start jobs immediately upon graduation. CengageGroup Many CS programs may not be adequately preparing students without the addition of real-world experience — internships and practical projects have become essential differentiators. Minding The Campus

Important Context

The widely cited figures (6.1% for CS, 7.5% for computer engineering) come from the NY Fed using 2023 American Community Survey data, and the sub-samples are quite small, meaning the confidence intervals are huge — the true rate for computer engineering grads could be anywhere from 4% to 11%.