Record 36% of Unemployed Americans Hold 4-Year College Degree

Headline USA - A record 36 percent of unemployed Americans aged 25 and older now hold four year college degrees, marking the highest share ever recorded, according to Bloomberg analysis. The figure comes from Bloomberg examination of Bureau of Labor Statistics data for January 2026. Specifically, 36.6 percent of unemployed Americans aged 25 and above possessed bachelor’s degrees or higher. Bloomberg columnist Justin Fox noted this partly reflects that college degree holders now comprise a larger share of the overall labor force, with 45.4 percent of employed Americans 25 and older holding bachelor’s degrees in January.