Hiring Expected to Climb 7.3% for the College Class of 2025

BETHLEHEM, PA—Employers anticipate hiring 7.3% more graduates from the college Class of 2025 than they did from the Class of 2024, according to a new survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

The positive news yielded by NACE’s Job Outlook 2025 survey follows a full year of decreases in the hiring of new college graduates. (See Figure 1.)

Among employers responding to the Job Outlook 2025 survey, 27% are planning to increase their hiring this year, while 57.1% expect to maintain their hiring.

“Those increasing their hiring cite their commitment to succession planning, the need to maintain a full talent pipeline, and company growth as the primary drivers,” says Shawn VanDerziel, NACE’s president and chief executive officer.

In addition to the bump in hiring, more than 40% of employers report that they plan to increase the salaries for bachelor’s degree graduates.

“More than half of employers also reported that they expect to offer signing bonuses. The bonus is a way to sweeten the pot and give the employer an edge with candidates who are in high demand,” notes VanDerziel.

About the Job Outlook 2025 Survey: The Job Outlook survey is a forecast of hiring intentions of employers as they relate to new college graduates. Data for the Job Outlook 2025 survey were collected from August 5, 2024, through September 16, 2024. Of the 237 total respondents, 162 were NACE employer members, representing 19.2% of eligible member respondents. The Job Outlook 2025 survey was also distributed to nonmember companies, from which an additional 75 responses were received. Results of the Job Outlook 2025 survey, including downloadable slides, are available on NACEWeb.

About the National Association of Colleges and Employers: Established in 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is the only professional association in the United States that connects more than 13,000 college career services professionals, more than 3,800 early career talent acquisition professionals, and more than 400 business solution providers that serve this community.

NACE is the premier source of market research on career readiness, the employment of recent college graduates, and the college-to-career transition. NACE forecasts hiring and trends in the job market; tracks salaries, recruiting and hiring practices, and student attitudes and outcomes; and identifies best practices and benchmarks.

NACE offers its members unparalleled research, networking and professional development opportunities, guidance on standards and ethics, and advocacy on key issues. For more information, visit www.naceweb.org. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media.