What LinkedIn’s 2025 Grad Report Means for Your Teen’s College Major

If your teen is starting to explore college majors, they’re doing so at one of the most uncertain—and opportunity-rich—moments in recent memory. According to LinkedIn’s Grad’s Guide 2025, the path from college to career is evolving fast. The jobs, industries, and even cities gaining momentum for new grads are not always the ones families expected.


For parents, this shift brings both a challenge and an invitation: How can we help our kids choose majors that are both meaningful and market-smart?


The answer lies in understanding what’s actually happening in today’s job market—and helping our teens plan ahead with a combination of curiosity, flexibility, and strategy.

Here’s what LinkedIn’s latest data tells us—and what it means for your high school student’s college journey.


🚨 The Class of 2025 Faces a Tougher Job Market

Hiring is down across most industries. New grads aren’t just competing with each other—they’re competing with more experienced candidates for entry-level roles. Employers are raising expectations, looking for job-ready candidates with clear skills, work experience, and an ability to hit the ground running.


According to LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence Index, Gen Z is feeling the pressure: they’re the least confident generation when it comes to getting—or keeping—a job.


The implication for families? Choosing a major isn’t just about academics anymore. It’s about building a bridge to real-world opportunities, earlier and more intentionally than ever before.


💡 The Fastest-Growing Jobs for Recent Grads

LinkedIn identified several high-growth roles for bachelor’s degree holders. At the top of the list:

  • AI Engineer
  • Datacenter Technician
  • System Engineer
  • Law Clerk


These are not just jobs in “tech companies.” They’re roles showing up across industries—from finance to construction to healthcare—because AI and automation are now everywhere.


🏗️ The Fastest-Growing Industries

You might be surprised to learn that LinkedIn’s top-growing industries for recent grads aren’t just tech or finance—they include:

  • Construction
  • Utilities
  • Oil, Gas & Mining


These sectors are expanding thanks to infrastructure investment and the adoption of AI, robotics, and smart systems. They need project managers, engineers, communicators, analysts, and emerging leaders. In other words: your teen doesn’t need to write code to be part of the future economy—but they do need to think strategically about how their interests and strengths align with where growth is happening.


👩‍🎓 What This Means for High School Students Researching Majors

1. Focus on Skills, Not Just Majors
Ask your teen what they love doing—not just what subject they like. Do they love solving problems? Working with people? Building things? An interest in psychology could lead to UX design or organizational consulting. A passion for writing could lead to content strategy or policy analysis.


2. Keep the Door Open to Emerging Fields
Many of the fastest-growing jobs didn’t even exist ten years ago. What your teen studies is important—but so is their ability to pivot. Encourage internships, summer programs, and interdisciplinary coursework that give them real-world exposure.


3. Encourage Tech Fluency—Even for Non-Tech Majors
Your teen doesn’t have to major in computer science. But they should be comfortable navigating digital tools, AI platforms, or data. These are foundational skills for almost every career now.


4. Look for Flexible, Future-Focused Colleges
Some schools are leaning into these trends—offering degrees in data science and public health, or supporting cross-major combinations like biology + ethics, or engineering + sustainability. Ask admissions reps: What kinds of internships do students complete? What industries recruit on campus? What support exists for undecided or multi-interest students?



5. Reframe “Success” as Adaptability
Success isn’t about locking into a major early. It’s about staying open, building transferable skills, and developing the confidence to evolve. The best college major is one that builds momentum—not just a credential.