BREAKING: The inflation-adjusted average starting salary for college graduates is down -8% YoY, to ~$54,500, the lowest in at least 6 years.
This marks the 4th consecutive annual decline.
Salaries have plummeted -24% in real terms since the ~$71,000 peak seen in 2021.
This comes as graduates are being pushed into lower-paying roles that often have little to do with their degree.
The % of recent graduates whose first job aligns with their field of study has fallen from 26% for the 2022 cohort to 20% for the 2025 cohort.
Young Americans are unable to find jobs.