College grads expect to earn $80,000 a year, but the math isn’t mathing |
Opinion
College grads expect to earn $80,000 a year, but the math isn’t mathing
Over 40% of recent graduates are underemployed while AI eliminates some entry-level jobs
By Ted Jenkin Fox News
Published June 4, 2026 5:00am EDT
Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google
close
Video
Low taxes, more jobs, cheaper homes: The formula fueling America’s fastest-growing states
Jim Tobin of the National Association of Home Builders says states across the South are driving America’s housing growth by prioritizing development, jobs and infrastructure.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
If you want to understand what's broken about higher education in America, look no further than one statistic.
According to a recent survey, the average college student expects to earn $80,000 a year shortly after graduation. The reality? The average starting salary is closer to $56,000. That's a 30% gap between expectation and reality before a graduate even receives their first paycheck.
And that's not even the worst news.
Recent college graduates are facing an unemployment rate of roughly 5.6%, significantly higher than the national average. Even more alarming, more than 40% of recent graduates are underemployed, working in jobs that don't require a college degree at all. I own five businesses, and the assumption that graduates will make $80,000 a year out of college for most students is ludicrous at best.
NEARLY 2 IN 3 AMERICANS NOW SAY COLLEGE DEGREES AREN'T WORTH THE FINANCIAL COST, SURVEY FINDS
The anti-AI career path of more blue-collar jobs may end up being wiser for young people. (Handsome Bob/Getty Images )
For decades, America sold young people a simple........