Customer service representatives and truck drivers are the most common occupations for young women and men without a four-year degree, respectively. According to a Pew Research Center analysis published in July, individuals aged 25 to 34 without college degrees also work as construction laborers, health aides, cashiers, and chefs. This analysis highlights a significant disparity in the types of jobs held by young men and women without a college education, with only two roles—first-line supervisors of sales workers and retail salespersons—shared between the two groups.
The trend shows that men are increasingly falling behind women in college enrollment rates. As of November, 47% of U.S. women aged 25 to 34 hold a bachelor's degree compared to 37% of men. However, overall college enrollment has declined; the percentage of male high school graduates aged 16 to 24 enrolling in college dropped from 67% in 2018 to 58% in 2023. Similarly, young women's enrollment rates decreased from 71% to 65% during this period.
Many young people are now pursuing jobs that do not necessitate a college degree, aided by a trend where companies are relaxing degree requirements. The proportion of job postings requiring at least a college degree has decreased from 20.4% in 2019 to 17.8% recently. Despite this shift, many employers still prioritize candidates with degrees.
The Pew report also identified the most common job categories for individuals with four-year degrees. Among these, four occupations—software developers, managers, accountants and auditors, and elementary and middle school teachers—ranked among the top ten for both genders.