Goodbye, $165,000 Tech Jobs: Student Coders Now Seeking Work at Chipotle Amid Shifts in the Tech Industry
By Natasha Singer
Published August 10, 2025; Updated August 14, 2025
The New York Times
As technology giants like Amazon and Microsoft implement widespread layoffs and increasingly rely on artificial intelligence (AI) tools to write code, the once-promising job market for computer science graduates is dimming. Aspiring software engineers face fierce competition and reduced opportunities, leaving many to seek employment outside their field—even at companies like Chipotle.
From Silicon Valley Dreams to Harsh Realities
Manasi Mishra, 21, grew up in San Ramon, California, near Silicon Valley, surrounded by the technology industry’s glow. Influential tech executives frequently encouraged students to learn coding, promising lucrative six-figure starting salaries and rewarding careers in software engineering.
"The rhetoric was, if you just learned to code, work hard and get a computer science degree, you can get six figures for your starting salary," Ms. Mishra recalled. Inspired, she built her first website in elementary school, took advanced computing classes in high school, and pursued a computer science degree at Purdue University, graduating in May 2025. Yet even after a year of relentless job and internship hunting, Ms. Mishra had not received a single tech job offer. In a widely viewed TikTok video, she explained, “I just graduated with a computer science degree, and the only company that has called me for an interview is Chipotle.” Although she did not secure the Chipotle job either, her story reflects a troubling trend for recent computer science graduates nationwide.
The Tech Boom Turns Into a Bust
Since the early 2010s, billionaires, industry leaders, and politicians promoted coding education as a gateway to secure, well-paid careers. For instance, Brad Smith, a Microsoft executive, once characterized a computer science graduate’s starting salary as typically over $100,000, plus bonuses and stock grants valued at $50,000, boosting enthusiasm for the field.
This message fueled a surge in computer science enrollment. Last year, over 170,000 U.S. undergraduates majored in computer science—more than double the number in 2014, according to the Computing Research Association. However, the rapid adoption of AI coding tools that can generate complex code and the layoffs at major companies like Amazon, Meta, Intel, and Microsoft are reshaping the employment landscape.
According to a Federal Reserve Bank of New York report, unemployment among recent computer science and computer engineering graduates aged 22 to 27 stands at 6.1 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively—more than twice the rates seen in fields like biology and art history.
Jeff Forbes, former program director for computer science education at the National Science Foundation, expressed concern: "Computer science students who graduated three or four years ago would have been fighting off offers from top firms—now that same student would be struggling to get a job from anyone."
A Challenging Job Hunt and Mental Toll
Over 150 students and recent graduates from universities such as Maryland, Texas, Washington, Cornell, and Stanford shared their experiences with The New York Times. Many reported having applied to hundreds, or even thousands, of tech jobs, often ending their efforts in rejection or a lack of response.
The application process can be grueling, involving online coding tests, live coding interviews, and technical assessments. Yet many candidates described the experience as “bleak,” “disheartening,” or “soul-crushing.” Some felt “gaslit” by the industry’s prior promises about employment.
Zach Taylor, 25, graduated from Oregon State University in 2023 and had a passion for programming video games. Since then, he has applied for 5,762 tech jobs, securing only 13 interviews and no full-time offers. His internship employer lacked the capacity to hire him full-time, and even a McDonald’s job application was rejected for “lack of experience.” He has since returned home and relies on unemployment benefits, describing the job hunt as "one of the most demoralizing experiences" he’s faced.
AI Tools Reshape Entry-Level Tech Jobs
Part of the problem lies in the growing use of AI programming assistants, which can quickly produce and debug code, reducing demand for junior engineers. Billboards for AI tools such as CodeRabbit now dominate San Francisco’s urban landscape, promising faster, more efficient code generation than humans.
Matt Martin, U.S. senior economist at Oxford Economics, noted, "The unfortunate thing right now, specifically for recent college grads, is those positions that are most likely to be automated are the entry-level positions that they would be seeking."
Tracy Camp, executive director of the Computing Research Association, pointed out that many universities have only recently begun training students in AI coding tools, leaving graduates less prepared to meet evolving industry expectations.
A Vicious Cycle of Automated Hiring
Graduates also report a paradoxical AI “doom loop.” Job seekers use AI to tailor résumés and automate applications to hundreds of roles, while employers deploy AI systems that automatically scan and often reject candidates without human review.
Audrey Roller, a 22-year-old recent data science graduate from Clark University, tries to emphasize creativity and human skills on her self-written applications but was rejected within minutes by an AI-screened employer. "It’s hard to stay motivated when you feel like an algorithm determines whether you get to pay your bills," she said.
Government Hiring and Tech Policy Jobs Also Tough
Recent graduates aiming for government tech jobs face additional hiccups due to federal hiring freezes and budget cuts. Jamie Spoeri, who completed her degree at Georgetown University this year and interned at the National Science Foundation, has applied for more than 200 jobs without success. She finds the interplay between government slowdowns and AI disruption particularly challenging but remains hopeful about emerging opportunities.
Shifting Focus to AI Education and Skills
In the face of these setbacks, major players are redirecting efforts. Former President Donald Trump, who in 2017 championed computer science funding for schools, recently launched a national AI action plan aiming to steer students toward AI careers.
Microsoft pledged $4 billion to support AI training for students and workers and is reevaluating how AI changes computer science education. Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president, highlighted the need for adaptation in this evolving landscape.
For Ms. Mishra, newfound exposure to tech marketing via her TikTok beauty influencer side hustle revealed alternative career passions beyond pure software engineering, exemplifying how some graduates are pivoting creatively amidst difficult times.
As AI reshapes the technology sector, today’s computer science graduates face a challenging transition from high-paying promises to a highly competitive market. Their futures may depend on acquiring new AI skills, adapting to shifting job demands, and finding innovative pathways within and beyond traditional coding roles.
