Class of 2026 College Graduate Hiring Report

New ResumeTemplates.com report reveals how AI is forcing companies to restructure entry-level roles and demand more experience and skills.

SEATTLE, July 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ResumeTemplates.com, a leading platform for professional resume templates and career advice, released the findings of its Class of 2026 College Graduate Hiring Report, which examines how AI is changing entry-level work. Based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. hiring managers at companies with 101 or more employees, the report finds that 48% would rather invest in AI tools than hire and train a recent college graduate.

This is not a job market closing to new graduates. Most employers still plan to hire and hold pay steady. But they are hiring more selectively, moving work they once gave to entry-level new hires over to AI, and holding back opportunities until grads prove they can do the basics.

Key findings

• 48% of hiring managers would rather invest in AI tools than hire and train a recent college graduate.
• 55% of companies have shifted at least part of their entry-level hiring budget to AI, and 30% say AI has reduced their need for grad hires.
• 45% of companies have restructured so one senior worker plus AI does the work of multiple entry-level grads, including 20% where that covers three or more roles.
• 23% of hiring managers will hire fewer 2026 college graduates than last year or none at all.
• 3 in 4 hiring managers say recent grads need help reading routine work documents like memos, contracts, or budgets.
• Just 17% of hiring managers fully trust recent grads to represent the company in front of customers.

Companies are choosing AI over entry-level hires

AI is already part of how companies make entry-level hiring decisions, not a future plan.

• 48% of hiring managers say their company would rather invest in AI tools than hire and train a recent college graduate, while 41% still prefer a recent grad and 11% are unsure.
• 55% have shifted at least part of their entry-level hiring budget to AI, including 27% who have done so fully.
• 30% say AI has already reduced their company's need for entry-level grad hires.

Entry-level roles are being restructured around AI

Some of the work that once went to a team of entry-level hires is being consolidated into senior roles paired with AI.

• 45% of hiring managers say their company has restructured so one senior worker plus AI does the work of multiple entry-level grads.
• At 20% of companies, that arrangement covers three or more entry-level roles.
• 50% say their company has not restructured this way.

A pullback, not a shutdown

Most companies will still hire from the class of 2026, but a sizable share is stepping back.

• 23% of hiring managers will hire fewer 2026 college graduates than last year or none at all.
• Another 12% have not decided how many to hire.
• 65% will hire 2026 graduates at the same or higher volume than the class of 2025.

A higher bar for the class of 2026

The grads who get hired face steeper expectations, and the concerns center on workplace habits more than credentials.

• 69% of hiring managers name at least one character concern about recent grads, led by a lack of work ethic (33%).
• 76% say recent grads need help reading routine documents like memos, contracts, or budgets.
• 41% say grads cannot write a professional email, and 40% say grads lack the skills to analyze or interpret data.
• 61% will consider a grad with no internship only for certain roles, or not at all.

A trust ceiling on early-career work

Even among the grads who get hired, few are trusted to work on their own.

• Just 17% of hiring managers fully trust recent grads to represent the company in front of customers.
• The other 83% limit grads to routine interactions or want someone watching.
• Full trust never tops 17% across customer-facing work, independent work, or independent decisions.

"New grads need to be able to find their own answers and problem-solve. For those still job searching, consider writing practice emails and getting them reviewed by a professional in your network, even a parent or family member. All experience counts if it is framed the right way, whether that is volunteer work, student leadership, or involvement in sports. Focus on the skills you gained and the specific projects you worked on when you describe your experience," said Julia Toothacre, Chief Career Strategist at ResumeTemplates.com.

For the complete findings, visit: https://www.resumetemplates.com/career-advice/the-class-of-2026-hiring-report-how-ai-is-raising-the-bar-on-entry-level-hiring/

Methodology

ResumeTemplates.com commissioned this survey, which was conducted via Pollfish in May 2026. A total of 1,000 U.S. hiring managers responsible for entry-level hiring at companies with 101 or more employees participated. Demographic and screening criteria ensured all respondents qualified. Pollfish reaches respondents in their natural digital environments through Random Device Engagement and applies quality controls to filter out inattentive or fraudulent responses. Pollfish reports a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

About ResumeTemplates.com

ResumeTemplates.com is a leading resume and career-development platform that helps millions of job seekers build professional, ATS-friendly resumes and prepare for the modern hiring market. Through its library of resume templates, AI resume builder, resume examples, and career advice resources, ResumeTemplates.com helps job seekers create resumes optimized for applicant tracking systems (ATS) and today's hiring practices. The site also publishes original survey research on workforce trends, hiring behavior, and the changing nature of work, with findings regularly cited by national media. All career guidance is reviewed by ResumeTemplates.com's career advisory team, led by Chief Career Strategist Julia Toothacre.

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SOURCE ResumeTemplates.com