Unemployment rate of young college graduates, by gender, 1989–2015*

Date All Men Women
1989-12-01 4.9% 6.0% 4.1%
1990-01-01 4.8% 5.9% 4.0%
1990-02-01 4.8% 5.8% 4.0%
1990-03-01 4.8% 5.7% 4.1%
1990-04-01 4.8% 5.5% 4.3%
1990-05-01 4.9% 5.6% 4.4%
1990-06-01 4.9% 5.5% 4.4%
1990-07-01 5.1% 5.6% 4.6%
1990-08-01 5.3% 5.8% 4.8%
1990-09-01 5.2% 5.7% 4.9%
1990-10-01 5.3% 5.8% 5.0%
1990-11-01 5.2% 5.6% 5.0%
1990-12-01 5.3% 5.5% 5.0%
1991-01-01 5.5% 5.8% 5.3%
1991-02-01 5.8% 6.1% 5.6%
1991-03-01 6.0% 6.4% 5.6%
1991-04-01 6.0% 6.6% 5.4%
1991-05-01 5.9% 6.4% 5.6%
1991-06-01 6.1% 6.7% 5.5%
1991-07-01 6.3% 6.8% 5.8%
1991-08-01 6.3% 6.9% 5.8%
1991-09-01 6.4% 7.2% 5.9%
1991-10-01 6.5% 7.2% 6.0%
1991-11-01 6.7% 7.4% 6.1%
1991-12-01 6.9% 7.9% 6.2%
1992-01-01 6.8% 7.8% 6.1%
1992-02-01 6.8% 7.9% 5.9%
1992-03-01 6.9% 8.0% 6.0%
1992-04-01 6.9% 7.9% 6.0%
1992-05-01 7.0% 8.2% 6.1%
1992-06-01 7.0% 7.9% 6.3%
1992-07-01 7.0% 8.0% 6.1%
1992-08-01 7.1% 8.1% 6.3%
1992-09-01 7.0% 8.0% 6.3%
1992-10-01 6.9% 7.8% 6.1%
1992-11-01 6.8% 7.7% 6.1%
1992-12-01 6.6% 7.4% 6.0%
1993-01-01 6.6% 7.4% 5.9%
1993-02-01 6.6% 7.4% 6.0%
1993-03-01 6.6% 7.5% 5.9%
1993-04-01 6.8% 7.6% 6.1%
1993-05-01 6.7% 7.7% 5.9%
1993-06-01 6.5% 7.6% 5.7%
1993-07-01 6.5% 7.5% 5.6%
1993-08-01 6.4% 7.5% 5.5%
1993-09-01 6.3% 7.5% 5.4%
1993-10-01 6.2% 7.3% 5.3%
1993-11-01 6.1% 7.3% 5.3%
1993-12-01 6.1% 7.5% 5.1%
1994-01-01 6.1% 7.5% 5.1%
1994-02-01 5.9% 7.2% 4.9%
1994-03-01 5.6% 6.8% 4.7%
1994-04-01 5.5% 6.6% 4.7%
1994-05-01 5.3% 6.4% 4.5%
1994-06-01 5.3% 6.7% 4.3%
1994-07-01 5.4% 6.7% 4.3%
1994-08-01 5.4% 6.5% 4.5%
1994-09-01 5.4% 6.4% 4.6%
1994-10-01 5.4% 6.3% 4.7%
1994-11-01 5.4% 6.2% 4.7%
1994-12-01 5.3% 5.9% 4.8%
1995-01-01 5.3% 5.9% 4.9%
1995-02-01 5.5% 6.2% 5.0%
1995-03-01 5.6% 6.3% 5.1%
1995-04-01 5.7% 6.7% 5.0%
1995-05-01 5.8% 6.8% 5.0%
1995-06-01 5.8% 6.6% 5.2%
1995-07-01 5.6% 6.2% 5.2%
1995-08-01 5.6% 6.3% 5.0%
1995-09-01 5.7% 6.4% 5.0%
1995-10-01 5.7% 6.5% 5.0%
1995-11-01 5.8% 6.6% 5.1%
1995-12-01 5.8% 6.8% 5.1%
1996-01-01 5.8% 6.8% 5.1%
1996-02-01 5.7% 6.6% 5.0%
1996-03-01 5.9% 6.8% 5.2%
1996-04-01 5.7% 6.4% 5.2%
1996-05-01 5.8% 6.4% 5.4%
1996-06-01 6.0% 6.6% 5.5%
1996-07-01 6.1% 6.8% 5.6%
1996-08-01 6.1% 6.9% 5.6%
1996-09-01 6.0% 6.9% 5.4%
1996-10-01 5.8% 6.7% 5.2%
1996-11-01 5.7% 6.7% 5.0%
1996-12-01 5.5% 6.5% 4.8%
1997-01-01 5.4% 6.3% 4.8%
1997-02-01 5.4% 6.3% 4.7%
1997-03-01 5.2% 5.9% 4.6%
1997-04-01 5.1% 5.9% 4.6%
1997-05-01 4.9% 5.5% 4.4%
1997-06-01 4.6% 5.3% 4.0%
1997-07-01 4.2% 5.1% 3.5%
1997-08-01 4.2% 5.1% 3.5%
1997-09-01 4.0% 4.7% 3.4%
1997-10-01 3.9% 4.5% 3.4%
1997-11-01 3.7% 4.0% 3.4%
1997-12-01 3.8% 4.2% 3.5%
1998-01-01 3.7% 4.0% 3.5%
1998-02-01 3.6% 3.7% 3.4%
1998-03-01 3.4% 3.7% 3.2%
1998-04-01 3.4% 3.7% 3.2%
1998-05-01 3.6% 4.0% 3.2%
1998-06-01 3.7% 4.2% 3.4%
1998-07-01 4.0% 4.4% 3.7%
1998-08-01 4.0% 4.3% 3.9%
1998-09-01 4.2% 4.4% 4.0%
1998-10-01 4.2% 4.6% 4.0%
1998-11-01 4.4% 4.7% 4.1%
1998-12-01 4.4% 4.6% 4.2%
1999-01-01 4.3% 4.7% 4.1%
1999-02-01 4.4% 4.9% 4.1%
1999-03-01 4.5% 5.0% 4.1%
1999-04-01 4.5% 5.2% 4.0%
1999-05-01 4.5% 5.2% 4.0%
1999-06-01 4.7% 5.5% 4.1%
1999-07-01 4.8% 5.7% 4.2%
1999-08-01 4.7% 5.5% 4.1%
1999-09-01 4.7% 5.6% 4.1%
1999-10-01 5.0% 5.9% 4.4%
1999-11-01 5.0% 6.0% 4.3%
1999-12-01 5.0% 6.2% 4.2%
2000-01-01 5.1% 6.1% 4.4%
2000-02-01 5.2% 6.1% 4.5%
2000-03-01 5.4% 6.2% 4.9%
2000-04-01 5.4% 6.0% 5.1%
2000-05-01 5.4% 5.9% 5.1%
2000-06-01 5.3% 5.4% 5.2%
2000-07-01 5.0% 4.8% 5.2%
2000-08-01 4.9% 4.7% 5.0%
2000-09-01 4.7% 4.5% 4.8%
2000-10-01 4.5% 4.3% 4.6%
2000-11-01 4.4% 4.2% 4.5%
2000-12-01 4.3% 4.1% 4.4%
2001-01-01 4.3% 4.3% 4.3%
2001-02-01 4.2% 4.3% 4.1%
2001-03-01 4.1% 4.3% 3.9%
2001-04-01 4.1% 4.3% 3.9%
2001-05-01 4.1% 4.3% 4.0%
2001-06-01 4.2% 4.5% 4.0%
2001-07-01 4.3% 5.0% 3.9%
2001-08-01 4.9% 5.5% 4.5%
2001-09-01 5.4% 6.3% 4.8%
2001-10-01 5.5% 6.5% 4.9%
2001-11-01 5.8% 6.9% 5.0%
2001-12-01 5.9% 7.1% 5.1%
2002-01-01 5.9% 7.1% 5.1%
2002-02-01 6.1% 7.4% 5.2%
2002-03-01 6.2% 7.5% 5.3%
2002-04-01 6.3% 7.5% 5.4%
2002-05-01 6.3% 7.6% 5.3%
2002-06-01 6.2% 7.6% 5.3%
2002-07-01 6.3% 7.5% 5.4%
2002-08-01 6.1% 7.5% 5.0%
2002-09-01 5.8% 7.0% 5.0%
2002-10-01 5.9% 7.0% 5.1%
2002-11-01 5.7% 6.6% 5.1%
2002-12-01 5.7% 6.7% 5.1%
2003-01-01 6.0% 6.8% 5.4%
2003-02-01 6.0% 6.7% 5.4%
2003-03-01 6.1% 7.0% 5.4%
2003-04-01 6.1% 7.3% 5.3%
2003-05-01 6.1% 7.3% 5.3%
2003-06-01 6.2% 7.3% 5.4%
2003-07-01 6.3% 7.4% 5.6%
2003-08-01 6.4% 7.2% 5.7%
2003-09-01 6.2% 7.3% 5.5%
2003-10-01 6.4% 7.4% 5.6%
2003-11-01 6.5% 7.4% 5.8%
2003-12-01 6.4% 7.3% 5.8%
2004-01-01 6.3% 7.1% 5.6%
2004-02-01 6.2% 7.2% 5.5%
2004-03-01 6.3% 7.2% 5.7%
2004-04-01 6.3% 6.9% 5.8%
2004-05-01 6.1% 6.7% 5.7%
2004-06-01 6.2% 6.8% 5.8%
2004-07-01 6.0% 6.7% 5.4%
2004-08-01 5.7% 6.5% 5.1%
2004-09-01 5.7% 6.2% 5.3%
2004-10-01 5.6% 6.0% 5.2%
2004-11-01 5.7% 6.3% 5.3%
2004-12-01 5.9% 6.5% 5.5%
2005-01-01 6.1% 6.7% 5.6%
2005-02-01 6.1% 6.6% 5.7%
2005-03-01 5.9% 6.4% 5.5%
2005-04-01 5.9% 6.5% 5.5%
2005-05-01 6.0% 6.6% 5.6%
2005-06-01 5.7% 6.3% 5.3%
2005-07-01 6.0% 6.6% 5.5%
2005-08-01 6.1% 6.8% 5.6%
2005-09-01 6.1% 7.0% 5.5%
2005-10-01 6.0% 7.0% 5.4%
2005-11-01 5.8% 6.7% 5.1%
2005-12-01 5.5% 6.4% 4.8%
2006-01-01 5.3% 6.1% 4.6%
2006-02-01 5.1% 6.0% 4.5%
2006-03-01 5.1% 5.9% 4.5%
2006-04-01 4.9% 5.7% 4.3%
2006-05-01 4.8% 5.6% 4.2%
2006-06-01 4.9% 5.7% 4.3%
2006-07-01 4.8% 5.6% 4.3%
2006-08-01 4.8% 5.6% 4.2%
2006-09-01 4.7% 5.8% 4.0%
2006-10-01 4.8% 6.0% 4.0%
2006-11-01 4.8% 5.9% 4.0%
2006-12-01 5.0% 6.0% 4.3%
2007-01-01 5.0% 6.0% 4.3%
2007-02-01 5.0% 5.9% 4.2%
2007-03-01 4.9% 5.8% 4.3%
2007-04-01 5.1% 5.8% 4.5%
2007-05-01 5.1% 6.0% 4.5%
2007-06-01 5.2% 6.3% 4.3%
2007-07-01 5.2% 6.2% 4.3%
2007-08-01 5.2% 6.4% 4.3%
2007-09-01 5.5% 6.6% 4.6%
2007-10-01 5.5% 6.6% 4.6%
2007-11-01 5.6% 6.7% 4.8%
2007-12-01 5.5% 6.6% 4.7%
2008-01-01 5.6% 6.7% 4.7%
2008-02-01 5.6% 6.6% 4.7%
2008-03-01 5.6% 6.7% 4.7%
2008-04-01 5.5% 6.6% 4.6%
2008-05-01 5.5% 6.5% 4.8%
2008-06-01 5.5% 6.4% 4.9%
2008-07-01 5.7% 6.4% 5.1%
2008-08-01 5.8% 6.5% 5.2%
2008-09-01 5.7% 6.4% 5.2%
2008-10-01 5.8% 6.5% 5.2%
2008-11-01 5.8% 6.5% 5.2%
2008-12-01 5.9% 6.8% 5.3%
2009-01-01 6.2% 7.1% 5.5%
2009-02-01 6.5% 7.5% 5.8%
2009-03-01 6.9% 8.2% 5.9%
2009-04-01 7.2% 8.6% 6.1%
2009-05-01 7.4% 8.9% 6.4%
2009-06-01 7.8% 9.3% 6.7%
2009-07-01 7.9% 9.1% 7.1%
2009-08-01 8.3% 9.2% 7.6%
2009-09-01 8.4% 9.4% 7.7%
2009-10-01 8.7% 9.9% 7.8%
2009-11-01 8.9% 10.0% 8.0%
2009-12-01 9.1% 10.3% 8.1%
2010-01-01 9.1% 10.6% 8.0%
2010-02-01 9.2% 10.7% 8.0%
2010-03-01 9.2% 10.5% 8.1%
2010-04-01 9.3% 10.6% 8.3%
2010-05-01 9.3% 10.7% 8.2%
2010-06-01 9.3% 11.0% 8.1%
2010-07-01 9.5% 11.6% 7.8%
2010-08-01 9.4% 11.8% 7.5%
2010-09-01 9.4% 11.8% 7.5%
2010-10-01 9.4% 11.5% 7.8%
2010-11-01 9.5% 11.6% 7.9%
2010-12-01 9.6% 11.6% 8.1%
2011-01-01 9.7% 11.6% 8.3%
2011-02-01 9.8% 11.7% 8.4%
2011-03-01 9.9% 11.8% 8.5%
2011-04-01 9.8% 11.7% 8.4%
2011-05-01 9.7% 11.5% 8.3%
2011-06-01 9.7% 11.3% 8.6%
2011-07-01 9.9% 11.1% 9.0%
2011-08-01 9.9% 10.8% 9.3%
2011-09-01 9.9% 10.7% 9.3%
2011-10-01 9.8% 10.6% 9.2%
2011-11-01 9.5% 10.4% 8.9%
2011-12-01 9.3% 10.1% 8.7%
2012-01-01 9.1% 9.5% 8.9%
2012-02-01 9.0% 9.4% 8.6%
2012-03-01 8.7% 8.9% 8.5%
2012-04-01 8.7% 8.8% 8.7%
2012-05-01 8.7% 8.6% 8.8%
2012-06-01 8.5% 8.7% 8.4%
2012-07-01 8.3% 8.7% 7.9%
2012-08-01 8.2% 8.9% 7.6%
2012-09-01 8.0% 8.8% 7.4%
2012-10-01 7.8% 8.7% 7.2%
2012-11-01 7.9% 8.7% 7.2%
2012-12-01 8.0% 8.7% 7.4%
2013-01-01 8.0% 9.0% 7.2%
2013-02-01 8.1% 9.2% 7.2%
2013-03-01 8.2% 9.5% 7.2%
2013-04-01 8.2% 9.5% 7.1%
2013-05-01 8.3% 9.7% 7.0%
2013-06-01 8.3% 9.6% 7.2%
2013-07-01 8.3% 9.5% 7.2%
2013-08-01 8.4% 9.5% 7.5%
2013-09-01 8.6% 9.5% 7.8%
2013-10-01 8.6% 9.5% 7.9%
2013-11-01 8.6% 9.4% 8.0%
2013-12-01 8.6% 9.4% 7.9%
2014-01-01 8.6% 9.4% 7.9%
2014-02-01 8.6% 9.2% 8.1%
2014-03-01 8.5% 9.0% 8.0%
2014-04-01 8.2% 8.8% 7.8%
2014-05-01 8.0% 8.4% 7.7%
2014-06-01 7.9% 8.1% 7.7%
2014-07-01 7.9% 8.1% 7.7%
2014-08-01 7.6% 7.8% 7.5%
2014-09-01 7.6% 7.7% 7.6%
2014-10-01 7.7% 7.7% 7.8%
2014-11-01 7.6% 7.8% 7.5%
2014-12-01 7.5% 7.8% 7.3%
2015-01-01 7.4% 7.9% 7.0%
2015-02-01 7.3% 8.0% 6.8%
2015-03-01 7.2% 7.8% 6.8%

* Data reflect 12-month moving averages; data for 2015 represent 12-month average from April 2014 to March 2015.

Note: Shaded areas denote recessions. Data are for college graduates age 21–24 who are not enrolled in further schooling.

Source: EPI analysis of basic monthly Current Population Survey microdata

View the underlying data on epi.org.