The outlook for the college graduating class of 2026 has dimmed sharply as data shows employer hiring plans have stalled, job market ratings have slipped, and workforce competition has intensified due to automation and visa-based labor programs.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal , based on data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers project the job market for 2026 graduates will be the weakest in half a decade.

A survey conducted among 183 companies between August 7 and September 22 found that 51 percent of respondents rated the job market for new graduates as “poor” or “fair,” a sentiment not seen at this level since the COVID-19-era downturn in 2020-21. Only two percent of employers rated the market as “excellent.”

The hiring s

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