What college major has the highest unemployment rate?

Anthropology, at 7.9 percent for recent graduates in the New York Fed's latest data. Computer engineering (7.8 percent) and fine arts (7.7 percent) are right behind it.

Is computer science a bad major now?

Not bad, but crowded. Recent computer science grads had 7.0 percent unemployment, well above the 4.2 percent average, because the field got flooded with graduates just as entry-level coding jobs shrank. Its pay for those who land jobs is still among the highest of any major.

Which majors have the lowest unemployment?

Education majors, mostly. Special education sits at 0.7 percent, elementary education at 1.2 percent. Agriculture and foreign languages are also under 2 percent.

What is underemployment, and why does it matter?

It means working a job that doesn't need your degree. Over half of recent fine arts and anthropology grads are underemployed, which says more about the degree's job market than unemployment alone.

Should I switch majors if mine is on this list?

Not automatically. These are averages, and internships, skills, and specialization move your odds more than the major's name. If you do switch, do it early, before your prep classes lock you into one path.

Worst College Majors for Jobs (Real Unemployment Rates)

Some majors look safe until graduation day. The worst college majors for jobs aren't the ones people joke about. Two of the top four are computer majors. Here's the real data on recent graduates, what's behind each number, and which majors are doing fine.

Illustration of a stressed graduate at a laptop while a small AI robot walks off with a resume

The worst college majors for jobs, ranked

#	Major	Unemployment	Underemployment
1	Anthropology	7.9%	55.3%
2	Computer Engineering	7.8%	15.8%
3	Fine Arts	7.7%	58.9%
4	Computer Science	7.0%	19.1%
5	Performing Arts	7.0%	63.9%
6	Architecture	6.8%	n/a
7	Art History	6.7%	n/a
8	Physics	6.6%	29.1%
	All recent grads	4.2%	39.4%

Recent college graduates, ages 22-27. Federal Reserve Bank of New York, February 2026 release (2024 data). Underemployment = working a job that doesn't need a degree.

7.9%

unemployment for recent anthropology grads, the highest of any major, against a 4.2% average

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Anthropology

Illustration of a graduate holding a skull and a brush next to an empty wallet

The top of the list two years running. Very few jobs ask for this degree by name, and the real field jobs usually want a master's or a PhD. Over half of recent grads work jobs that don't need a degree at all.

Computer science and computer engineering

The "safe" majors aren't safe right now. Both got flooded with graduates at the same moment entry-level coding jobs dried up, and AI tools are doing a lot of the junior work those grads used to start on. The pay is still high for people who land a job, and underemployment is low. Getting that first job is the hard part. We broke down which majors AI is actually replacing and the safer specialties inside them.

Fine arts

Illustration of a confused graduate with a blank easel, paints, and a sketchbook

Unemployment isn't the scariest number here. Underemployment is. Nearly 59 percent of recent grads work jobs that don't need their degree, and most end up freelancing or working outside the field.

Physics

Physics grads are smart and employable, but few companies hire for "physics." Most jobs want the grad to add engineering, data, or a graduate degree on top, so the first job takes longer.

The majors with the lowest unemployment

At the other end: special education (0.7%), elementary education (1.2%), agriculture (1.4%), and foreign languages (1.6%). Education majors top it because schools hire them straight out of college. The trade-off is pay, which you can see next to our list of the highest paying college majors.

“A major on this list isn't a dead end. It's a sign to pair it with the skill or internship that gets you hired.”

What to do with this

Don't pick or drop a major off one table. These are averages, and the students who get hired out of the worst majors usually have internships, a specialty, or a second skill. If you're still choosing, here's how to figure out which major is right for you.

And if you're at community college and switching majors because of this, do it early. Every major wants different prep classes, and a website like Transfermatic shows you the exact classes for your new major at your target school, so a late switch doesn't cost you an extra year.

Switching majors? Get the classes for the new one.

Put in your community college and your transfer university. That's it.

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Bottom line

The worst college majors for jobs right now are anthropology, computer engineering, fine arts, and computer science, with performing arts close behind. The first job is harder in these fields, not impossible. Pick the major you can stay with, then stack the internship or skill that makes you the obvious hire.