For decades, STEM degrees have been considered a reliable path to stable, well-paying careers. But recent changes in the job market are challenging that assumption for University of Maryland students.
Advancements in artificial intelligence, tech industry layoffs and federal workforce cuts have created new uncertainties for science, technology, engineering and math majors, who now face increased competition and fewer entry-level jobs than previous graduating classes.
Rishi Gullipalli, a junior computer science and immersive media design major, has noticed the shift firsthand.
“It’s definitely gotten more competitive now,” Gullipalli said.
To stand out among a sea of other applicants, he’s focused on developing what he calls an “it factor” — skills that go beyond basic programming.
“What people want now is that ‘it factor,’ right? Are you good with AI? Are you a design person?” he said. “You don’t want just computer science today, you want computer science plus something else.”
That “something else” has become viewed as essential, as AI is reshaping the very jobs many students are preparing for.
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According to a Stanford University study published in August, the increased adoption of AI has impacted the availability of entry-level jobs. Young workers aged 22-25 in AI-heavy fields, such as software development and customer service, have seen employment drop as much as 13 percent since AI went mainstream.
Aidan Melvin, who graduated from this university last spring, has seen this dynamic play out in his new role as a software engineer at Google.
“Employees using whatever internal AI tools they have, it makes each engineer a little bit more productive,” he said.
As current engineers are able to use AI to take on more work, companies can put off hiring entry-level employees, Melvin explained.
The decrease in entry-level jobs comes as enrollment in STEM fields at this university has surged. Between 2022 and 2024, the computer, mathematical and natural sciences college alone grew by more than 1,100 students, a 17.6 percent jump, while the engineering school added another 212 students, according to the institutional research, planning and assessment office.
The result, it seems, is that more graduates are competing for fewer job openings.
“I wish it was easier. I wish there were more openings. I wish there was less competition,” Jacob Zipp, a sophomore chemical engineering major, said.
Like many students at this university, Zipp attended the STEM career fair hoping to explore opportunities and network with potential employers. While not yet looking for full-time work, Zipp isn’t alone in starting the job hunt early.
“I think it really takes the first internship to just get the ball rolling,” said Camila Sanchez, a freshman aerospace engineering major who networked at the STEM career fair despite being years away from graduation.
For seniors, such as information science major Silvia Quinonez, an even tighter timeline can mean compromising on career goals to land any position.
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“I’m willing to work for anything at this point,” Quinonez said.
Rather than competing for jobs at major tech companies, many students like Quinonez are now casting wider nets by considering smaller startups and even non-tech companies that need technical expertise.
Still, for those who land their dream jobs, the threat of layoffs looms. In 2024 alone, more than 150,000 tech industry workers lost their jobs, with another 89,000 cut so far in 2025, according to layoffs tracker Layoffs.fyi.
Melvin, the software engineer at Google, said mass layoffs are contributing to an atmosphere of uncertainty within the tech industry.
“There’s definitely a worry about that,” he said. “Sometimes people just get laid off randomly, and it’s hard to predict.”
The uncertainty extends beyond private sector tech jobs too.
Maria Herd, an assistant director of communications at this university’s Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, said she has observed a domino effect caused by federal workforce cuts.
“Because of the federal cuts, now the state of Maryland is having less tax income because so many Marylanders are federal workers,” Herd said. “That means the state budget has less money, so that means we’re getting cuts.”
This domino effect has created what Herd described as a “hellscape” in the Washington, D.C. area job market, where even government positions — traditionally seen as stable career paths — have become increasingly scarce.
As of September, more than 178,000 federal workers have been fired or taken leave options, according to Layoffs.fyi.
Despite the challenges, people at this university are remaining positive about the opportunities for students.
According to Alegna Threet, a special events coordinator for this university’s computer science department, the computer science career fair last week saw nearly 2,000 students meet with 61 employers. While the fair has been smaller in recent years, she said, the turnout shows continued student interest.
“Students are very optimistic about the jobs they do see,” Threet said. “They just see less of them.”
