The promise that coding leads to prosperity has officially crumbled. Recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reveals that fresh computer science graduates are facing unemployment rates between 6.1% and 7.5%—more than double the rates for biology and art history majors.
The reality on the ground is harsh. A New York Times article details surreal individual struggles. Manasi Mishra, a 21-year-old Purdue graduate, was once assured six-figure starting salaries but received only one interview—at Chipotle—and didn’t get the job. Zach Taylor, an Oregon State graduate, has applied to nearly 6,000 tech jobs since 2023, securing just 13 interviews and zero offers. He was even rejected by McDonald’s for lacking experience.
The reasons behind this crisis are clear. AI programming is eliminating entry-level positions, while major tech companies like Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft continue cutting jobs. Students describe being stuck in an “AI doom loop”—using AI to mass-apply for jobs while companies use AI to auto-reject them, sometimes within minutes.
There is a glimmer of hope. Mishra eventually found work after a cold application, though not in software engineering. The landscape has shifted, and the path to success in tech is no longer as straightforward as it once seemed.