Almost one in five recent college graduates express regret about their choice of major, with political science, international relations, and public policy majors reporting the highest dissatisfaction, a new survey by ZipRecruiter shows. The survey included 3,000 participants from the class of 2025 and those set to graduate in spring 2026.
Fields with highest regret rates
According to the report, 46.3% of graduates who studied political science, international relations, or public policy regret their major choice. Communications, media studies, and public relations follow closely, with 39.2% of graduates expressing similar regrets. Even some physical sciences majors – including those who studied physics, chemistry, or earth sciences – reported considerable second thoughts, with approximately one-third indicating dissatisfaction.
These findings suggest that many graduates from liberal arts and some scientific fields wish they had pursued more scientific or quantitative disciplines.
Employment challenges for recent graduates
Young graduates are facing a difficult job market with fewer entry-level positions available. ZipRecruiter data shows that entry-level job postings fell to 38.6% in March 2026, down from 43.4% two years earlier, coinciding with increased demand for these roles. The stress of securing employment likely contributes to the rising regret about chosen majors.
Besides difficulty in finding work, many recent grads are earning less than anticipated. Graduates in public health or health administration report salaries that are on average 43.8% lower than expected, while those in agriculture, environmental sciences, natural resources, English, literature, and journalism also face pay gaps of around 30%.
Nursing majors see better job prospects and pay
Graduates with nursing degrees fare more positively in the job market. Nearly one-third secured employment before graduating, a sign of strong demand driven by an aging U.S. population increasing the need for healthcare workers. Health care jobs accounted for 43% of total payroll gains in March 2026.
Nursing alumni earned the highest median salaries upon graduation—$70,000 annually—surpassing all other majors surveyed. This underscores nursing’s role as a more reliable pathway to employment and financial stability for new graduates.
Why it matters
Understanding which majors lead to higher rates of regret can help prospective students make informed decisions about their education and career planning amid a shifting labor market. The economic pressures and evolving job availability highlight the importance of aligning college programs with labor market demands to reduce graduate dissatisfaction and underemployment.
Background
Previous Federal Reserve research indicates that older workers generally value their college degrees more than younger Americans, suggesting that early-career challenges and market conditions heavily influence young graduates’ perceptions of their education’s worth. The ZipRecruiter survey adds current data highlighting how these challenges manifest across different academic fields.
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