Tough Job Market Makes Internships Harder for Youth to Secure

U.S. Job growth has slowed sharply over the past year, creating a challenging environment for young Americans attempting to enter the workforce. This downturn has made it difficult for recent college graduates to secure both entry-level positions and the internships that typically serve as the foundation for early careers.

The current market is characterized by a trend described as low fire, low hire, where employers are not conducting significant layoffs but are also not adding many new positions. This stagnation limits the flow of new workers into the labor force, specifically impacting those starting their professional lives.

Barriers to Entry-Level Employment

The difficulty in securing employment is reflected in the experiences of graduate students and undergraduates. Muneeb Iqbal, a 23-year-old set to graduate with a master’s degree in integrated design, business and technology from the University of Southern California in May 2026, reported submitting 4,000 applications over the past year without securing a job or internship.

Iqbal noted that many entry-level roles listed on LinkedIn are being filled by candidates who already possess several years of experience. Since beginning his graduate studies in 2024, Iqbal has completed only one internship while accumulating $100,000 in student debt.

Similarly, Enrique Torres, an undergraduate at the University of Mount Olive in North Carolina, has submitted approximately two dozen applications for internships without success. Torres requires the completion of a 12-week internship to graduate with his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and exercise science later in 2026.

Economic Indicators and Market Trends

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has reported a steady increase in the unemployment rate for recent college graduates over the past few years. This trend coincides with a broader economic environment where young professionals face rising costs of living in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Houston, and Boston.

Nicole Bachaud, an economist at ZipRecruiter, stated that gaining work experience or completing internships is the primary predictor of whether a student will land a job after college. Internships are also used by companies to establish pipelines for future talent.

If they just keep hiring people with with a lot more experience, they’re not going to have anyone to grow into those senior roles.

Muneeb Iqbal

Wider Impact on the Labor Force

The current climate is described by experts as one of the toughest job markets for college graduates in a decade. The lack of entry-level opportunities creates a systemic risk where the pipeline for future senior leadership is restricted because young professionals cannot gain the initial experience required to advance.

For students like Ssanyu Lukoma, a junior at Howard University studying broadcast journalism, the combination of a challenging job market and rising prices creates significant anxiety. Lukoma noted that while degrees remain valuable, the inability to secure employment upon graduation is a dangerous prospect in the current economy.