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The near-flat projection marks a significant shift from recent years and signals continued challenges for upcoming graduates entering a tight labor market, according to NACE's Job Outlook 2026 survey.
"Our findings are consistent with what we are seeing with general employment indicators at large," said Shawn VanDerziel, NACE president and chief executive officer. "We found that employers are less positive about the overall job market for upcoming graduates this year than they have been in the last several years."
Employers now characterize the job market for new graduates as "fair" rather than "good," the first time they've given that rating since projections for the Class of 2021, when hiring was also essentially flat, according to the report.
The survey found 60% of employers plan to maintain current hiring levels, while 25% expect to increase hiring and 15% anticipate decreases.
Despite the tepid outlook, employers cited long-term workforce planning as their primary motivation for continued entry-level hiring. Among companies increasing hires, 72.7% pointed to succession planning and talent pipeline development, while 68.2% cited company growth. Another 31.8% cited anticipated retirements as a factor, while 29.5% pointed to increased demand for products and services.
"This is a strong indication they are not giving up on professional entry-level hiring or recent college graduates, and they are focused on the future of their organizations," VanDerziel said.
