Engineering and STEM majors do not have the highest unemployment rates—humanities and social science graduates do
The unemployment rate for recent college graduates varies sharply by field of study. Graduates with degrees in fine arts, philosophy, history, and general social sciences consistently report unemployment rates between 8 and 12 percent, roughly double the rate for engineering or computer science majors. This pattern has held across the past decade, even as overall unemployment has fallen.
The gap exists because of labor market structure, not because one field teaches better skills. Engineering and computer science degrees lead directly to specific job titles that employers actively recruit for. Humanities degrees prepare graduates for a wider range of roles, but employers do not always recognize the connection between the degree and the job. A philosophy major can work in policy, law, business, or nonprofit management—but the job posting may not say "philosophy majors welcome," and the graduate may not know how to translate their training into a job search.
Unemployment rates also depend on when you measure. Recent graduates (within two years of finishing) have higher unemployment than those five or ten years out, because it takes time to find the first job and move into stable work. The data below reflects recent graduates unless otherwise noted.
Key Takeaways
- Fine arts, philosophy, history, and general social sciences majors report unemployment rates between 8 and 12 percent, the highest among college graduates.
- Engineering, computer science, and nursing majors report unemployment rates below 4 percent, reflecting direct labor market demand for those credentials.
- Unemployment rates for the same major can vary by region and by year, depending on local job markets and national economic conditions.
- A high unemployment rate for a major does not mean the degree is worthless—it often reflects a mismatch between how graduates describe their skills and how employers search for candidates.
Majors with the highest unemployment rates among recent graduates
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks unemployment by field of study for people ages 22 to 26 who hold a bachelor's degree. The most recent data shows these fields with the highest rates:
| Field of Study | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| Fine Arts | 8–12% |
| Philosophy and Religious Studies | 8–11% |
| History | 7–10% |
| General Social Sciences | 7–9% |
| Psychology | 6–8% |
| Anthropology and Archaeology | 6–8% |
These ranges reflect variation across years and regions. Fine arts majors, for example, may face higher unemployment in areas with smaller creative industries, and lower unemployment in cities with strong design, media, or entertainment sectors. The same is true for history majors in regions with tourism, museums, or government employment.
These figures measure unemployment among people who are actively looking for work. They do not include graduates who have left the labor force entirely—for example, someone who returned to school or stopped job searching. The actual share of graduates without work may be higher.
Why some majors have lower unemployment rates
Engineering, computer science, nursing, and health professions majors report unemployment rates below 4 percent. The difference is not that these graduates are smarter or work harder. The difference is that employers have specific, named job openings for these credentials.
When a company needs a software engineer, they post a job for a software engineer. When a hospital needs a nurse, they post a job for a nurse. The connection between the degree and the job title is direct and obvious. A recent graduate can search for "software engineer jobs" and find thousands of postings that explicitly ask for a computer science degree.
A philosophy major, by contrast, might be well-suited for roles in policy analysis, law, business strategy, or nonprofit management—but the job posting says "policy analyst" or "business analyst," not "philosophy major wanted." The graduate has to figure out that their training is relevant, and the employer has to be convinced that it is. That extra step creates friction in the hiring process and shows up as higher unemployment.
How location and industry affect unemployment by major
A history major in Washington, D.C., where federal agencies, think tanks, and museums employ many people with that background, faces a different job market than a history major in a rural area with no such institutions. Similarly, a fine arts graduate in New York or Los Angeles, where design, film, and media industries are concentrated, has more direct job opportunities than one in a region without those industries.
This is why national unemployment rates by major are useful for understanding broad patterns but not for predicting an individual's job prospects. Your actual chances depend on where you are, what specific skills you developed within your major, and how well you can connect those skills to employers' needs in your region.
Some majors also have seasonal or cyclical unemployment. Fine arts graduates may find work more easily during economic expansions when companies invest in design and marketing, and face higher unemployment during recessions. Engineering graduates, by contrast, tend to have more stable employment because infrastructure, manufacturing, and technology companies hire steadily regardless of economic conditions.
The difference between unemployment rate and underemployment
Unemployment measures people without a job who are actively looking. Underemployment measures people who are working but in jobs that do not require their degree or do not pay as much as jobs typically available to someone with that credential.
A philosophy major working as a barista while looking for a policy job counts as employed, not unemployed. But that person is underemployed—they have a job, but not the job their degree prepared them for. Underemployment rates for humanities majors are often higher than unemployment rates, meaning many graduates do find work but not in fields directly related to their degree.
This distinction matters because it changes how you interpret the data. A 10 percent unemployment rate for fine arts majors sounds alarming, but it means 90 percent have jobs. Some of those 90 percent are working as artists or in creative fields. Others are working in unrelated fields while pursuing art on the side. Both are employed; only the first is in a job that directly uses their degree.
How unemployment rates change over time and with the economy
Unemployment rates for all majors rise during recessions and fall during expansions. During the 2008 financial crisis, unemployment for recent college graduates across all fields increased sharply. During the pandemic recession in 2020, unemployment spiked again, though it fell quickly as the economy reopened.
The gap between high-unemployment and low-unemployment majors tends to widen during recessions. When employers are hiring cautiously, they prioritize candidates with direct, obvious qualifications. A company that might hire a philosophy major for a business role during good times may instead hire an MBA during a downturn. This means humanities graduates are more vulnerable to economic cycles than engineering graduates.
Over the past decade, unemployment rates for most majors have trended downward as the economy recovered from the 2008 crisis and remained relatively strong until 2020. However, the ranking of majors by unemployment rate has remained fairly stable—fine arts and philosophy majors consistently rank near the top, while engineering and computer science rank near the bottom.
What high unemployment for a major actually tells you
A high unemployment rate for a major is not a signal that the degree is worthless or that you should not pursue it. It is a signal that the job search will require more work on your part. You will need to translate your skills into language employers use, build a network in your field, and possibly take on internships or entry-level work to establish yourself.
Many people with high-unemployment majors do find good work—they just take longer to do it, or they have to be more strategic about how they present themselves. A history major might frame their research and writing skills as relevant to marketing, communications, or policy work. A fine arts major might build a portfolio and network in design or media. The degree opens doors, but you have to know which doors and how to knock.
Conversely, a low unemployment rate for a major does not may provide you a job. It means the labor market is favorable for that credential, but individual outcomes depend on your specific skills, your network, where you are looking, and how you present yourself to employers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a high unemployment rate for my major mean I should not study it?
Not necessarily. If you are passionate about the field and willing to be strategic about your job search, a high unemployment rate is a challenge, not a barrier. Many people with humanities degrees find meaningful work. The higher unemployment rate means you will need to invest more time in networking, building a portfolio, and learning how to translate your skills into employer language.
Why do engineering majors have such low unemployment?
Engineering degrees lead to specific job titles that employers actively recruit for. When a company needs an engineer, they post a job for an engineer. The connection between the degree and the job is direct and obvious, which makes the hiring process faster and easier than for majors where the connection is less clear.
Can unemployment rates for a major change over time?
Yes. Unemployment rates for all majors rise during recessions and fall during expansions. The gap between high-unemployment and low-unemployment majors also widens during downturns, because employers become more cautious about hiring for roles that do not require a specific credential. Over decades, the ranking of majors by unemployment has remained fairly stable, but year-to-year variation is normal.
What is the difference between unemployment and underemployment for college graduates?
Unemployment measures people without a job who are actively looking. Underemployment measures people working in jobs that do not require their degree or do not pay as much as jobs typically available to that credential. Underemployment rates for humanities majors are often higher than unemployment rates, meaning many graduates do find work but not in fields directly related to their degree.
Does where I live affect my chances of finding work in my major?
Yes. A history major in Washington, D.C., where federal agencies and think tanks are concentrated, faces a different job market than one in a rural area. The same is true for fine arts majors in cities with strong design and media industries versus regions without them. Your actual job prospects depend partly on national trends and partly on local labor market conditions.