In-Demand Bachelor’s Degrees in Today’s Job Market: Here’s What Employers Want

Elizabeth GuevaraMon, October 19, 2026 at 11:05 AM UTC

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Postings for mechanical engineering are growing faster than those for any other degree field, according to Indeed.Credit: Wera Rodsawang / Getty ImagesOne major has seen high demand recently in the labor market because of their ability to work on AI data centers.KEY TAKEAWAYS -

Mechanical engineering majors are in high demand, with job postings up 43% from a year earlier.

The growth of AI data centers and federal incentives for chip manufacturing are driving demand for engineers.

Recent graduates face challenges in a slowing labor market, but AI skills can improve job prospects.

Do you have the education to work in a data center? Employers are hunting for graduates who can help build the physical infrastructure behind the AI boom.

Job postings for mechanical engineering roles were up 43% from a year earlier as of Oct. 9, according to data from Indeed. Since Feb. 1, 2020, job openings for these graduates have grown by 68%—meaning much of the six-year gain has accelerated in the last 12 months.

Why This Matters

Prospective and current students can use this data to see which degrees employers are hiring for now.

The three degree fields with the fastest-growing postings are all in engineering: mechanical, industrial, and electrical. The greater demand for most engineering majors has been spurred by the growth of AI data centers and the CHIPS and Science Act, a 2022 law that directed $53 billion toward semiconductor manufacturing, research and workforce development, said Laura Ullrich, director of economic research for North America at Indeed’s Hiring Lab, the company’s research arm.

“Engineers in general have more in-person work,” Ullrich said. “[They are] critical to building, and there’s a lot of building going on both in the advanced manufacturing space and in the data center space.”

Total U.S. job postings have fallen about 14% since January 2024, while postings for data center roles have grown substantially over the last few years, according to Indeed.

Not an Engineer? AI Skills May Help

While many engineering majors are benefiting from the growth of AI data centers, not all engineers have benefited. Computer engineers had the second-highest unemployment rate in 2024, 7.8%, among academic majors tracked by the New York Federal Reserve—right between anthropology (7.9%) and fine arts (7.7%).

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Workers in a range of tech fields have struggled too, as companies have leaned on AI for tasks younger employees once handled. Recent college graduates have been hit hard by the low-hire, low-fire labor market.

Those looking for work can improve their odds by learning to use AI tools. Forty-five percent of companies are recruiting what Indeed calls “AI natives”—workers who use AI in everything they do—while only about 14% of workers describe themselves that way, according to the company’s data.

Those skills are learnable on your own, Ullrich said. “That is something you can actually teach yourself pretty easily,” she said. “AI can teach you how to use it.”

While the labor market is sluggish, especially for recent grads, college graduates still earn more and are employed at higher rates than workers without a degree, per the New York Federal Reserve.

But Ullrich didn’t soft-pedal what many are facing when looking for work.

“It is a tough time to be a young adult trying to land that first job,” she said.

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Source: “AOL Money”