College students wary of the job market are changing course in search of ‘AI-proof’ majors

According to an AP News article published April 28, 2026, a 2025 Harvard poll found that approximately 70% of college students perceive AI as a threat to their job prospects. In response, students are increasingly selecting college majors they believe are less susceptible to automation or AI replacement. Fields such as nursing, education, and skilled trades have seen rising enrollment.

Reports from admissions offices at several universities, including the University of Wisconsin and Purdue, show double-digit percentage increases in enrollment for health sciences and vocational programs, simultaneously with declines in computer science and design departments quotes. Doug Lederman, a Inside Higher Ed contributor, stated, 'We're seeing a realignment that mirrors the early 2010s recession-era caution, but with a tech-driven twist'.

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