College students wary of the job market are changing course in search of ‘AI-proof’ majors
Two years ago, Josephine Timperman came to college with a plan. He declared himself an expert in business analytics, thinking he would learn niche skills that would stand out on a resume. help find a good job after college.
But rise of artificial intelligence this confused the calculations. The basic skills he learned in subjects such as statistical analysis and coding can now be easily automated. “Everyone is afraid that entry-level jobs will be taken over by AI,” said the 20-year-old from Miami University in Ohio.
A few weeks ago, Timperman changed his major to marketing. His new strategy is to use undergraduate education to develop critical thinking and interpersonal skills; These are areas where people still have an advantage.
“You don’t want to just be able to code. You want to be able to have conversations, build relationships and think critically, because at the end of the day, that’s what AI can’t replace,” said Timperman, who is minoring in analytics and plans to dive deeper into the subject for a one-year master’s program.
Today’s college students say choosing an “AI-proof” major feels like shooting at a moving target as they prepare for a job market that could be fundamentally different when they graduate.
As a result, many people are rethinking their career paths. According to a 2025 survey, nearly 70% of college students see AI as a threat to their job prospects. Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School, recently Gallup poll findings U.S. workers are increasingly worried about being replaced by new technologies.
Students looking for courses that teach ‘people’ skills
The uncertainty is greatest among those studying technology and vocational education, where students need to develop expertise in AI but also fear being replaced by AI. A. Quinnipiac’s latest poll It found that a majority of Americans believe it is “very” or “somewhat” important for college and university students to teach them how to use artificial intelligence, as a Gallup Workforce poll found that AI is becoming increasingly common. adopted in technology-related fields at higher rates. Meanwhile, Gallup found that students studying health care and natural sciences may be less affected by AI revisions.
“We see students changing majors all the time. It’s not new or different. But it’s often for many different reasons,” said Courtney Brown, vice president of Lumina, an educational nonprofit focused on increasing the number of students seeking education beyond high school. “It’s surprising that many students say it’s because of AI.”
A. Latest Gallup survey of Generation Z Teens and adults between the ages of 14 and 29 have noticed growing doubts and concerns about artificial intelligence. Although half of Gen Z adults use AI at least “once a week” and young people report greater use, many in this generation see the technology’s downsides and worry about the impact of AI on their cognitive abilities and job prospects. Nearly half (48%) of Gen Z workers say the risks of AI in the workforce outweigh the potential benefits.
Part of the challenge college students face is that the experts they often turn to for advice, such as counselors, professors, and parents, don’t have any answers. “Students are having to do this work on their own, without GPS,” says Brown.
This uncertainty was on full display last month at Stanford University, where leaders from several leading universities gathered for a wide-ranging panel discussion on the future of higher education. Topics of concern included the transforming artificial intelligence revolution how students learn and forcing educators to do so rethinking pedagogy.
“We really need to think hard about what students need to learn to be successful in the job market 10, 20, 30 years from now,” Brown University President Christina Paxson said.
“And none of us know. We don’t know the answer to that,” Paxson said. “I think it’s communication, critical thinking. The fundamentals of a liberal education are probably more important right now than learning how to code in Java.”
Anxiety reaches computer science students too
Ben Aybar, a 22-year-old computer science major, graduated from the University of Chicago last spring and applied to nearly 50 jobs, mostly in software engineering, without receiving a single interview. He earned a master’s degree in computer science and, in the meantime, found a part-time job working as an artificial intelligence consultant for companies.
“People who know how to use artificial intelligence will be very valuable,” said Aybar, who sees the emergence of new jobs that require artificial intelligence skills, especially for people who can explain complexities in ordinary people’s terms. “I think being able to talk to people and interact with people in a very human way is more valuable than ever.”
Ava Lawless, a data science major at the University of Virginia, wonders whether her major is valuable, but can’t get concrete answers. Some consultants think data scientists will be safe because they are the ones developing AI models, but he continues to see dismal job reports that suggest otherwise.
“It makes me feel a little hopeless for the future,” Lawless said. “What if when I graduate there isn’t even a job market for it anymore?”
He is considering switching to a minor in studio art.
“I’m at a point where I think I can pursue art if I can’t find a job as a data scientist,” he said. “Because if I’m going to be unemployed, I might as well do something I love.”
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