While the University of Michigan offers over 280 degree programs, the Computer Science and Engineering program is one of the largest academic communities on campus, consisting of 3,229 undergraduate and 651 graduate students as of the fall 2024 semester. For years, computer science has been viewed as a safe, high-paying path with strong job security. However, in today’s highly competitive technology industry, that perception is quickly changing.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Charlene Yee, LSA rising junior and CS student, said it takes great effort to secure an interview for a CS internship, which is widely regarded as an essential step in advancing one’s career.
“I think it’s really hard these days to get an internship in computer science, especially if you want to do software engineering,” Yee said. “I mainly started applying for internships during winter break for this summer. Based on my experience, there are a lot of different job openings on LinkedIn, Handshake and other platforms, and I think that was pretty useful. It kind of felt like a constant process of just applying, waiting and never hearing back.”
Yee’s experience mirrors that of many other students amid the competitive job market in recent years. According to data from the University’s Engineering Career Resource Center, job placement for bachelor’s degree-level CS graduates has declined slightly over the past three years. In 2022, 64.79% of bachelor’s students were employed after graduation, but by 2024, that rate had fallen to 53.99%. The number of students still seeking employment rose from 3.75% in 2022 to 8.08% in 2024. The share of graduates who chose to continue their education also increased from 29.35% in 2022 to 35.01% in 2024, suggesting more students may be pursuing graduate degrees in response to a tighter job market.
U-M alum Brenden Saur, who graduated in 2025 with a CS major, is one of many still searching for a full-time position. In an email to The Daily, Saur wrote that, despite having several job interviews, none have led to offers.
“I am still actively searching for a software engineering position,” Saur wrote. “The process for me has been grueling; I have probably sent out close to 100 applications at this point. … After my second interview, I didn’t hear back for more than two weeks. I reached out but didn’t get a response until the third email. Come to find out, they had done a lot of layoffs, including my connection there.”
Saur wrote he found his activities outside of coursework to be more relevant for the job application process.
“The one thing I would say is that I don’t think the classes I took necessarily taught me skills to find a job,” Saur wrote. “I most often talk about my internship or side projects with companies, not my courses.”
The rise of artificial intelligence has also raised concerns that companies may no longer need to hire junior developers, or entry-level programmers. Despite this, Saur wrote AI has not impacted how he approaches his job search.
“Companies are looking for less junior devs because they think AI can do what a junior can do,” Saur wrote. “There are a lot of listings of AI companies looking for jobs. I do consider these but I wouldn’t say AI is affecting my choices in my job search.”
President Donald Trump’s administration has also implemented funding and hiring changes. In an interview with The Daily, Rackham student Anindya Das Antar, who is studying CSE, said he had hoped to pursue a postdoctoral position before experiencing uncertainty with funding from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation in the final year of his doctorate program.
“A couple of professors wanted to hire me as a postdoc in January before the (2024 presidential) election,” Das Antar said. “But after the election, things changed. There were funding cuts and uncertainty with NIH and NSF funding. I got an email back from them that this year they are not able to hire a postdoc, even if they wanted to.”
Das Antar said an increase in applicants who hold advanced degrees has shifted the hiring dynamic.
“Once upon a time, it was a situation in computer science that even if you don’t have a degree or just have an undergrad degree or high school degree, but you are really good at programming and do well in the job interview, you may get a high-salary position,” Das Antar said. “Now, you may get rejected in the screening round when most people who are applying have a higher degree. So that’s why there are some people who are, even after getting a job, trying to get a degree, if that job funds their master’s.”
Despite student concerns, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that employment for computer scientists will grow 26% from 2023 to 2033, which is well above the average for all fields of 4%. CSE professor Atul Prakash told The Daily that while the job market is facing a decline, long-term prospects remain strong for students who remain engaged in the field and take advanced courses.
“Even as an undergrad, while you’re taking your courses, getting a broad exposure to the field is important, as well as trying to get involved in some research so that you get used to following the latest happenings,” Prakash said. “Our courses are very up-to-date in computer science at the University of Michigan … Students should be taking advantage of these cutting-edge courses that the department offers that may not be the rage right now, but may become the rage in four or five years.”
Saur wrote students should take advantage of University resources and connect with others to increase their job prospects.
“Realistically, finding a job is about who you know,” Saur wrote. “Make connections, join clubs. Do what you can to be involved in the space and meet people who have similar interests. I would tell a junior that their concerns are very valid, but if they truly love CS and computers like I do, just be in it to learn and grow. A job will work out eventually if you put in the effort.”
Daily Staff Reporter Ava Pustulka can be reached at apustulk@umich.edu.
