Recently published statistics indicate a noticeable decline in the job market, which could have an impact on graduating university students headed into a stagnating workforce. 

Why it matters: The decline could be detrimental to graduating university students entering an already highly competitive job market. Not only are many stuck in debt, but finding jobs in the careers they spent so much time pursuing could become harder to obtain.

Catch up quick: The Bureau of Labor Statistics released a job opening and labor turnover summary for December 2025 on Feb. 5. Within it, the statistics showcase big changes.

• Job vacancies fell from 6.9 million in November to 6.5 million in December. This represents the fewest job openings since September 2020.
• The rate of job hiring, firing (both at 3.3 percent), layoffs (1.1 percent) and quits (2.0 percent) generally remained consistent. Though the number of layoffs in December changed a little, capping at 1.8 million.
• Businesses are cutting costs where they can, leading to lack of employment within recent graduates in the 22–27-year-old range, per Business Insider.

The state of the market is giving worry to seniors at campuses across the nation, rousing second thoughts within them as to the worth of the degrees they are spending so much for. This is having more than a financial impact on students—it is impacting them mentally and emotionally, as well. 

Martin Rojas, a senior student at SHSU, states that: 

• Worry comes across him as he will be graduating with college debt and is not finding luck in internships or fellowships. 
• He is thinking about taking a gap year to regroup his entire career trajectory. 
• His overall views of the job market are leaning towards a more pessimistic outlook. 

What the University says: We spoke to the Benji Cantu, Director of the Career Success Center at Sam Houston State University. 

• Cantu notes that, depending on the student’s major, the job market competitiveness will vary. For example, education majors may have a less competitive market due to a more general openness in that market as opposed to business majors.
• With the state of the job market, Cantu proposes that students focus on their resumes and interview skills in order to stand out more and appeal to employers.
• A major thing that Cantu recommends to students is to network and find connections to help to establish themselves in their particular market.

While the market can be scary, especially when the job market is being faced with new confounders (such as the rise of AI technology), it’s important to note that the competitiveness is not always uniform. In addition, the resources available at the Career Success Center (like resume building and mock interviews) can help allow students to be more prepared as they enter the ever-changing job market.