The reassuring story this spring is that most recent college grads are landing jobs within months of graduating. A new ResumeBuilder.com survey tells the rest of that story: a brutal search to get there, and how many already regret the degree they paid for.
In May 2026, ResumeBuilder.com surveyed 1,000 recent and rising U.S. college graduates. All earned a four-year bachelor’s degree in the past 12 months or are scheduled to graduate in 2026. The survey covered their job search and how they view their major.
Key findings:
- 68% were ghosted by an employer after job interviews
- 35% applied to jobs they knew they weren’t qualified for
- 34% of job seekers had a job offer pulled before their start date
- 65% of grads believe AI has cut the entry-level jobs in their field
- 84% of communications and marketing grads, the highest of any major
- 39% wouldn’t choose the same major again
More than two-thirds of recent college grads (68%) say an employer never got back to them after a job interview. Among all grads, 31% say it happened more than once, and 37% once or twice.
The search had already taken a toll. More than half of grads (55%) lowered their salary or career expectations. 35% applied to jobs they knew they were not qualified for, and 13% never landed a single interview.
“Ghosting by employers after an interview is unacceptable, whether the candidate is a recent college graduate or a senior executive,” says ResumeBuilder.com’s Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller. “The difference is that those just entering the workforce often lack the experience and confidence to put it in perspective. Being ghosted is rarely a reflection of a candidate’s qualifications or potential, and staying focused on long-term goals is what builds a successful career.”
More Than a Third of Grads Had a Job Offer Pulled After They’d Already Accepted It
The setbacks did not stop at silence. 34% of grads who searched say they had a job offer pulled before their start date, after they had already accepted it. It happened once to 21% and more than once to 13%. Another 1 in 10 (10%) searched but never got an offer at all.
“Having an offer withdrawn without explanation is unacceptable, and experiencing it more than once is incredibly discouraging,” says Haller. “For someone new to the workforce, that letdown can feel even more crushing than being ghosted during the interview. I always advise job seekers to keep searching until they have actually started the job and received their first paycheck. Too many stop the moment they believe an offer is coming, only to be back at square one when circumstances change.”
2 in 3 College Grads Say They’re Competing with AI for Entry-Level Jobs
Asked about the entry-level jobs in their field, many grads point to one cause. 1 in 4 (25%) say AI has sharply cut those jobs. Another 40% say it has cut them somewhat. Combined, 65% believe AI has reduced the entry-level jobs in their field. 23% say the number is about the same, 9% are not sure, and 3% say there are more jobs now.
The belief varies sharply by major. It runs highest among communications and marketing grads (84%), liberal arts grads (76%), business and finance grads (75%), and computer science grads (73%), and lowest among education grads (42%).
“Many traditional entry-level jobs are disappearing, especially routine, transactional work, but that does not mean opportunities are disappearing,” says Haller. “The job market is evolving, as it has through every major technological shift. Graduates should think long-term, learn to use AI effectively, and focus on getting in the door, even if the first role is not the dream job. A major may not lead directly to an ideal job, but it can still be the foundation for a rewarding career.”
4 in 10 Grads Already Regret the Degree They Just Earned
That doubt reaches the degree itself. Among all grads, 39% say they would not choose the same major again. 17% would pick a different major in the same field, 16% a different field, 4% would go to a trade school, and 2% would skip college altogether. All told, more than 1 in 5 (22%) would leave their field or skip the four-year path if they could start over.
Regret is highest in certain fields: math and physical sciences grads (56%), social sciences grads (51%), and liberal arts grads (47%).
Most would still make the same choice. 6 in 10 grads (61%) say they would choose the same major again. Engineering grads (30%), computer science grads (31%), and business and finance grads (33%) regret it least.
“When this many new graduates already question their major, it is worth remembering how early they are in their careers,” says Haller. “Some who do not regret their choice now may feel differently once they try to find a job that actually requires it. Employers are increasingly hiring for skills and experience over a specific degree, which makes the major a student picks matter less than it once did, and helps explain why so many are second-guessing theirs.”
This survey was commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com and conducted online via the survey platform Pollfish in May 2026. It surveyed 1,000 U.S. respondents who graduated with a four-year bachelor’s degree within the last 12 months or are scheduled to graduate in 2026. Respondents were ages 20 to 28. 986 of the 1,000 respondents passed an in-survey attention check, and results are based on self-reported responses. Multi-select responses are reported as a share of respondents. Figures on rescinded job offers reflect respondents who reported actively searching for a job. Other figures reflect all 1,000 respondents unless a specific group is named.
