College was once a one-way ticket to a secure, full-time job with health care and a 401(k). But in the AI age, it’s becoming less of a reality and more of a faraway dream.
According to the study—a survey of 1,500 class of 2025 graduates and 1,500 soon-to-be class of 2026 graduates—nearly 38% are considering starting their own business, 32.5% are looking at gig work, 28% are exploring freelance work, and 11% are pursuing the skilled trades.
“Grads are piecing together experience through internships, side work, stepping-stone roles, and even starting their own ventures,” Nicole Bachaud, labor economist at ZipRecruiter, said in a statement. “With fewer entry-level roles available, their path looks different, but many are finding their way.”
But layoffs are only half the story. The ZipRecruiter report found that entry-level job openings are drying up, making it harder for recent graduates to start the climb up the corporate ladder. Entry-level job postings made up just 38.6% of all postings in March, down from 44% in 2023. That’s meant more applications per open role. The number of clicks per job opening increased by nearly 22% year over year, suggesting tougher odds for job seekers.
To be sure, Gen Z is still finding work, especially as they opt for roles outside of their desired field. Just one in four graduates is on their dream career path, according to the ZipRecruiter.
In fact, 77% of the class of 2025 found a role within three months of graduation, up from 63.3% a year ago.
Researchers also attribute the increase in speedy employment in part to determination rather than an easing of labor market conditions, as students today fire out more applications before landing an offer.
A burgeoning job application market has emerged to meet the moment, with services now handling the tedious work of writing cover letters and résumés as job seekers apply to more roles than ever.
Whatever the first job out of college—barista, coder, or something in between—the path has changed. And it’s unclear if the traditional way up the corporate ladder will ever return.
“The old model was: graduate, find an entry-level job, climb from there,” ZipRecruiter’s Bachaud said. “What we’re seeing now is something less linear, yet their outcomes are actually improving.”
