More than 22 million Americans filed for unemployment in just one month due to the coronavirus outbreak shuttering many businesses. The possibility of a slow economic recovery has college students expecting few job prospects after graduation.
A new survey of 1,500 undergraduates finds that students across lines of gender, year, and political leaning worry about the high unemployment rate. An overwhelming majority (92%) say they are concerned about coronavirus’ impact on the American job market.
“I already lost the two jobs I had, and my internship is in hot water,” an Eastern Michigan University student says. Students who lose jobs during the pandemic will not only miss out on wages, but also valuable job experience. “Considering that me and many of my peers lost our internships [or] summer plans, I’m very concerned that we’ll graduate with no experience in our fields,” a Notre Dame student says.
Seniors and Freshmen Alike Worry about the Job Market
How concerned are you about coronavirus’ impact on the American job market?
Seniors in particular will feel the impacts of the economic slowdown when they start the job hunt, as the economy may not fully reopen before they graduate. While roughly 9 in 10 seniors (94%) and freshmen (86%) are concerned about the job market, seniors rate their concerns as more extreme. Almost 6 in 10 (59%) seniors say they are very concerned, compared to about 4 in 10 (41%) freshmen.
“My biggest concern,” a Rowan University student says, “is there being no job when things open up again.”
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Methodology: This survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse. Interviews were conducted among a sample of 1,500 full-time and part-time students attending four-year colleges or universities in the U.S. who are part of College Pulse’s American College Student Panel.
