This summer, something started happening in the job market that would’ve been unimaginable a year or two prior: New graduates in computer science, data science and other tech fields found they were having a hard time landing entry-level jobs .

For close to a decade, tech-forward degrees like programming and information science were considered a sort of “golden ticket” into a secure, six-figure job ; every company needed coders and data scientists, and the expanding “tech bubble” showed no signs of slowing down. In 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated the number of computer and information technology occupations would increase by 15% by 2031 .

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