The Majority of College Students Worry About AI’s Impacts on the Workforce: Survey
Data Reporter
Higher Education Research Analyst
Data Reporter
Higher Education Research Analyst
Data Summary
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37% of students say they worry about the impacts of AI on their career path. -
36% are worried about the impacts of AI on their major. -
Nearly 3 in 5 college students (58%) say they are confident in the value of their chosen major and career path despite the potential impacts of AI. -
STEM majors are more likely than other students to express doubt about their college major due to the rise of AI in the workforce (33% vs. 25%).
As AI increasingly changes education and the workforce, students share their thoughts on how this might affect their futures.
BestColleges surveyed 1,000 current undergraduate and graduate students, and the majority (53%) say they are worried about the impacts of AI on the workforce. One in 5 students (20%) disagree, and 27% are neutral.
More than 1 in 4 students (27%) cite the rise of AI in the workforce as a reason they doubt or reconsider their major.
Students are evenly split on whether they worry about the impacts of AI on their career paths or fields of study.
Thirty-seven percent say they are worried about the impacts of AI on their career paths or intended career pathways. An equal percentage disagree (37%), and the rest are neutral (27%).
And while 36% of students say they worry about the impacts of AI on their major or intended major, another 36% disagree.
In a November 2023 BestColleges survey, students were only slightly more likely to report AI concerns compared to today: 43% said they worried about AI's impact on their careers, 40% on their majors.
More than half of Gen Z college students (55%) worry about the impacts of AI on the workforce in general, compared to just 37% of millennial students.
More men than women (39% vs. 33%) say they are worried about the impacts of AI on their major or intended major. However, men are also more likely than women to say they are confident in the value of their chosen major/career path despite the potential impacts of AI (61% vs. 55%).
Fewer students worry when it comes to the impact of AI on their own futures. Overall, nearly 3 in 5 college students (58%) say they are confident in the value of their chosen major/career path despite the potential impacts of AI. Another 13% are not confident, and 29% are neutral.
STEM Majors Most Apt to Reconsider College Plans Due to AI
STEM students are more likely than other students to say the rise of AI in the workforce causes them to doubt or reconsider their choice of college major.
One in 3 STEM majors (33%) say the rise of AI in the workforce causes them to doubt or reconsider their major compared to one-quarter of non-STEM majors (25%).
In a previous BestColleges survey, many STEM students reported having used AI in their studies. Nearly 6 in 10 (59%) said they had used AI tools to complete assignments or exams.
Today, it's possible STEM students are feeling the effects of widespread tech industry layoffs, which some reports have attributed to the rise of AI.
Students can prepare for the future of AI by learning which industries will change the most and which skills will be most in demand.
Methodology
This survey was conducted from Mar. 20-28, 2024, and was fielded by Pure Spectrum. Survey participants included 1,000 respondents nationwide who were currently enrolled in an on-campus (52%), online (16%), or hybrid (32%) undergraduate or graduate degree program. Respondents were 18-62 years of age, with the majority (77%) ages 18-24, and currently pursuing an associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, or professional degree. The respondents for the survey were screened by various quality checks, including systems like Relevant ID, and responses were manually reviewed to ensure consistency and accuracy.
In this report, STEM majors include biological and physical sciences, computer and information sciences and support services, engineering, mathematics, and statistics.
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