PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Tens of thousands of graduates will enter the job market this spring from schools across Maryland. In past years, many college graduates looked to Washington, D.C., for jobs. Now, cuts to government services and nonprofits may have them searching closer to home.
Charles, St. Mary’s and Calvert counties all boast above-average household incomes and below-average unemployment rates. The southern counties have strong job markets in specific sectors and pull talent in from all over the country to work in engineering and aviation at several research centers, and all three have hospital networks that employ people across the counties. CalvertHealth, for example, has nearly 100 job listings at the time of publication.
Maryland is also facing a statewide teacher shortage, which creates opportunities for recent graduates looking to fill one of the 2,000 teaching vacancies in the state. Conditional licensing options are available for those who didn’t major in education but want to pivot into teaching to fill these important roles.
The April 2025 Maryland Department of Labor jobs report showed 2,300 jobs added. Transportation, warehousing and utilities; construction; arts, entertainment and recreation; health care and social assistance; and accommodation and food services saw the most jobs added.
This particular group of college graduates may experience a misalignment in the jobs they expect to get and the ones that are available in Maryland. Polls show that students graduating college believe they’ll earn, on average, between $60,000 and $80,000 annually at their first jobs. One-quarter of the respondents in a different poll expect to earn $101,000 to start. The actual average starting salary for college graduates was around $68,000.
These surveys were online and didn’t meaningfully control for majors, job type or geographic location. Sectors where jobs are available, like food services, pay around $35,000 to $40,000 a year.
The new state budget bill also includes incentives for businesses to create apprenticeship programs. Interested people could work alongside professionals to get on-the-job training at a lower rate. Apprenticeships have long been part of trade careers. While they’ve expanded beyond unions, they’re still primarily focused on professions like plumbers, electricians and equipment technicians. A college degree is typically not required for these roles.
Still, the fastest-growing jobs nationwide are ones that require college degrees — or advanced degrees — particularly in health care. Nurse practitioners, physician assistants and data scientists top the list.
Job search experts recommend being flexible about your search. Many people don’t find the right fit immediately, or wind up in a field they didn’t expect. To start, any full-time work experience is beneficial in getting your foot in the door and making connections. They also suggest looking at local government positions or part-time work and utilizing local job resources to help with résumés and interview skills.
In today’s market, where up to a thousand applicants apply for a single job, finding a way to stand out is essential. You never know when a contact might come in handy.
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