This year’s seniors are invested in their careers, and they see big possibilities for growth and success over the long term. The majority of 2025 graduates are interested in managing teams, advancing to executive roles, and starting businesses. A large majority are also interested in taking a break from paid work in the future to grow their skills or earn another degree. And although they value stability (similar to previous classes), the Class of 2025 is also open to change—more than 40% of this year’s seniors expect they’ll make at least one major career pivot before they retire.
Seniors have ambitious goals for their careers
Thinking about your future career, how interested are you in the following?
"Very" or "moderately" interested
"A little bit" interested
"Not at all" interested
“One thing I’ve thought about is being in a people management position. All my life, I’ve wanted to be kind of a lighthouse of mentorship to other people. I think being a manager is one of the best ways to do that. If I can find the right job at the right company, I can learn the hard skills while using the soft skills from my theater background to start being that lighthouse.”
Many Class of 2025 students expect a career pivot
Thinking about your future career, do you expect to...
“In a meteorology program you take a lot of math and science courses. There's a lot that you could do with this degree in terms of branching out into environmental science and other related fields. I do think it would be interesting to see other ways I can use what I’ve learned.”
Class of 2025 student, Meteorology major
Student loan debt adds another layer of financial pressure in a competitive job market. A majority of Class of 2025 students expect to graduate with student loan debt, and of those, well over half say it’s a significant source of stress for them. Women, Black students, and first-generation college students are significantly more likely to carry debt, and are also significantly more likely to say it’s a major stressor.
Not surprisingly, Class of 2025 students are heavily in favor of federal student loan forgiveness. 63% believe this should be a top priority for the federal government, and that number rises to 69% for first-generation students, 70% for women, and 81% for Black students.
Debt is a bigger concern for some student demographics
My student loan debt feels manageable
My student loan debt is a major source of stress
A closer look at student loan benefits
Almost 9% of jobs posted on Handshake in the past year have offered student loan repayment support as a benefit. However, support varies widely by industry. Roles in government, healthcare, and the non-profit sector are much more likely to offer loan repayment assistance, while other industries such as tech, professional services, and marketing lag significantly behind.
Jobs in certain industries are more likely to offer student loan support
Jobs with student loan support
Jobs without student loan support
Generative AI generates unease
Today’s college students are closely familiar with generative AI tools, and more than half report using them regularly. But as familiarity increases, students are also expressing more skepticism about the long-term impact of this technology. Less than half of this year’s seniors believe generative AI will increase worker productivity, and less than a fifth think it will create jobs or make hiring more equitable. A large majority think AI needs to be more strictly regulated. Notably, only 22% would be more likely to apply to a company that’s integrating AI tools, and 33% are actively opposed to doing so.
The Class of 2025 is skeptical of GenAI
“In a perfect world, AI would serve to take over jobs and parts of jobs that are difficult, mundane, and otherwise not fulfilling. Unfortunately, I see a trend of AI being used to "fill" creative and personally-fulfilling niches like the arts. I am also concerned that AI is only as intelligent and objective as its creators and data pools, and we have already seen AI tools regurgitate prejudice.”
“I think AI has so much potential. It's just not being used by the right people or in the right way. I think we need to pause research and development at some point, and make regulations before continuing. There should be policies to protect privacy and to make sure there’s transparency about the information being used to create AI products. But that’s not happening.”
Class of 2025 student, Computer Science major
Political and career outcomes are intertwined
This year’s seniors are acutely aware that the current political climate could have a significant impact on their job search, and almost half believe the results of the November election will influence the trajectory of their career. But this class isn’t thinking of politics as something that happens “to” them—they’re invested in shaping the political landscape. 77% say they will likely vote this fall, and 61% are open to working in government. Additionally, 32% are at least slightly interested in running for public office at some point in their career.
Almost half of this year’s seniors say the election will impact their career
"Do you believe the November election will significantly influence the trajectory of your career?"
“As someone pursuing an environmental science degree, the election results will definitely affect my career. For example, if we have someone in power who is dismissive of climate issues and global warming, it will be harder for me to get a job in that field and to focus on driving positive change.”
Class of 2025 student, Environmental Science major
Amid all the challenges they’re facing, college is a bright spot for the Class of 2025. Well over 80% of this year’s seniors say their college experience has contributed significantly to their personal growth and understanding of their career goals. A majority also say it’s improved their job prospects—both their ability to secure a well-paying job, and their chances of finding a job that’s interesting and meaningful to them. This positive outlook is similar to student sentiment in 2022, despite significant shifts in the job market and economy over the past two years.
The Class of 2025 says college has contributed significantly to their personal and professional growth
How much do you think your college experience has contributed to your...
"Not at all"
"A little bit"
"A fair amount" or "A lot"
“I would say the most helpful thing about college is how many times you can dip your foot into the pool of things to learn. I've been able to take classes on psychology, biology, things that have nothing to do with my major. Next semester I’m taking a pottery class. Who knows if I’ll use those skills again in the future, but at least I'm able to test it out and have that experience.”
Class of 2025 student, Theater major
This year’s seniors are facing plenty of uncertainty. But they haven’t let that stop them from tackling the job search head-on. They’re setting big goals for the long term, and in the short term, they’re doubling down on researching employers, applying to jobs, and honing the skills they’ll need to stand out. College has helped them build confidence and self-awareness, and they’re carrying that forward into their careers. As this class navigates the challenges ahead, employers have a unique opportunity to harness their urgency and ambition.
Methodology
Student sentiment surveys
Between June 14–July 5, 2024, Handshake randomly invited students across the platform to participate in an online survey. After cleaning, 1,925 Class of 2025 students pursuing bachelor’s degrees, from 521 institutions, completed the survey.
Survey weighting
In order to provide a more representative snapshot of student sentiment across four-year college students in the US, survey responses were weighted by gender, race and ethnicity, and selectivity using institutional enrollment numbers from federal NCES datasets.
Platform data
To assess the prevalence of student loan repayment benefits, Handshake analyzed data submitted by employers when creating full-time jobs. The proportion of jobs offering student loan repayment was calculated by dividing the number of jobs for which employers selected this benefit by the total number of jobs with at least one associated benefit.
Job availability
To track change in job availability over time, Handshake analyzed full-time jobs active on the platform indexed to February 1, 2020. Changes in national job openings are provided for comparison using the July 2024 JOLTS report published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. All data are seasonally adjusted.