Marketplace Morning Report A tricky time to be a recent college grad
Nov 26, 2025
Carla Javier, a Marketplace reporter focused on labor and education, reveals that recent college graduates are facing tougher job markets and a narrowing unemployment gap with high school diploma holders. Susan Schmidt, a senior portfolio manager, discusses the dominance of a few AI stocks in driving market growth, raising concerns about volatility. Henry Epp highlights ongoing talks for a U.S.-Taiwan semiconductor trade deal, which could strategically boost American manufacturing. Together, they unravel the complexities of today’s job market and economic landscape.
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College Degree Advantage Is Shrinking
- Recent college grads are losing some hiring and wage advantages compared with high school grads.
- The unemployment gap has narrowed and both groups now take about four and a half months to find a first job.
Market Cycles And Oversupply Hurt Grads
- The erosion reflects pandemic hiring shifts and an oversupply of degree holders in some fields.
- Firms often freeze hiring for new grads before cutting existing staff, deepening the effect.
Industry Shifts Reduce Degree Payoff
- More people hold degrees and industries that once absorbed them are hiring less.
- Graduates sometimes pursue more education hoping for a better future market, but that’s uncertain.