The Broken Promise of Big Tech
For over a decade, students across America were sold a simple dream: Learn to code, earn a computer science degree, and land a six-figure tech job. But in 2025, that promise has turned to dust.
Recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reveals a startling reality: computer science and computer engineering majors aged 22–27 now face unemployment rates of 6.1% and 7.5% respectively—more than double that of biology grads (3%).
How Did We Get Here?
The push for coding in schools began in the early 2010s, led by tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and nonprofit code.org. Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and other billionaires starred in viral videos claiming coding was a “superpower” and a guaranteed path to success.
From Golden Ticket to Tarnished Degree
What went wrong? A perfect storm of factors:
- Over-enrollment: CS majors tripled since 2012—now exceeding 170,000 undergrads.
- Elite hiring bias: Big Tech favors candidates from top schools with side projects—disadvantaging low-income students.
- Post-pandemic layoffs: Companies like Amazon and Meta overhired during 2020–2021 and are now cutting back.
- AI disruption: Tools like GitHub Copilot and Anthropic’s Claude Code automate entry-level coding tasks.
Meet Nathan Spencer: The “Ideal” Candidate Left Behind
Nathan, a 22-year-old summa cum laude graduate from Ohio State, applied to 90 internships—and got zero offers. Despite building games like Tetris in high school and serving as a CS teaching assistant, he’s now interning at a state agency with no full-time job in sight.
“How are you going to have senior developers if you get rid of all the junior developers?” — Nathan Spencer
AI vs. Entry-Level Coders: The New Reality
| Era | 2013–2019 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Job Outlook | High demand, 6-figure offers | Glut of grads, few entry roles |
| Key Skill | Manual coding proficiency | Prompt engineering + AI code review |
| Education Focus | AP Computer Science | [INTERNAL_LINK:AI-literacy] not yet in high schools |
Is There Hope?
Experts say yes—but with caveats. Future CS grads who master AI-assisted development may regain an edge. However, as New York Times reporter Natasha Singer warns, “Tech moves faster than education. Schools are always playing catch-up.”
Meanwhile, Big Tech is already pivoting: Microsoft pledged $4 billion and Google $1 billion to push AI education—using the same “national crisis” rhetoric once used for coding.
What Should Students Do Now?
- Learn AI coding tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, Claude Code)
- Build interdisciplinary skills (design, architecture, product management)
- Consider grad school or adjacent fields like cybersecurity or data ethics
