Job Market Split: Gen Z Men Face Rising Joblessness, Women Gain Ground in Healthcare

Gen Z men in the United States are experiencing mounting unemployment, as their female counterparts increasingly succeed in sectors such as healthcare that are less affected by automation and AI. Data reveal growing disparities in employment outcomes and question the enduring value of college degrees for young men.

Widening Employment Gap

• Gen Z men’s unemployment climbs: In 2025, approximately 9.1% of Gen Z men aged 20–24 are jobless, nearly two percentage points higher than their female peers according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. ^[4]

• NEET rates rise: Millions of Gen Z young men fall into the NEET category right now, i.e. Not in Education, Employment, or Training, illustrating a growing issue. ^[3]

• Employment gap widens: Young male college graduates now experience unemployment rates comparable to non-graduates, erasing traditional degree-driven advantages and diminishing the educational advantage.

• Female graduates are gaining more ground: Reports show that in the past year, nearly 50,000 of the 135,000 new jobs secured by recent female graduates were in healthcare. This figure is more than double the number of new jobs obtained by male graduates across all fields.

AI Reshaping the Labor Market

Surveys reflect a wider concern among Gen-Z workers that AI could erode entry-level corporate job opportunities.

• Male-dominated fields are shrinking: Automation and AI increasingly eliminate jobs in sectors traditionally staffed by men, such as tech, finance, and law especially at entry-level jobs.

• Gen Z women flourish in healthcare: In contrast, women thrive in healthcare roles, which remain more stable and demanding. Nearly 90% of roles such as nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and LPNs are occupied by women and the demand has only grown post-pandemic and in regard to aging U.S. population. ^[1]

• Educational attainment plays a role: Data show that 47% of women aged 25–34 hold at least a bachelor’s degree, compared with 37% of men in the same age group. This higher educational attainment helps women access stable careers in healthcare, education, and hospitality—fields that continue to expand despite automation pressures. ^[2]

• AI’s uneven impact: While some reports suggest that entry-level hiring in technology has started to rebound, the recovery has not matched the demand seen in healthcare, leaving male-dominated fields vulnerable to long-term disruption.

Structural Shifts and Wider Implications

• Redefining workforce trends: The labor market now rewards roles in human-centric industries like healthcare, where women are disproportionately represented. Other opportunities where hands -on-skills are required like construction, maintenance jobs (plumbing, electrical) remain a strong job field.

• Growing NEET crisis: The rise in disconnected youth raises concerns about long-term economic and social stability and concerns future stability

• Questioning the future of work and education: These trends signal the need for policymakers, students, and educators to recalibrate strategies toward automation-resistant careers and give skilled trades a more pressing importance

Experts caution that relying only on AI-related skills will not ensure employability. Bill Gates recently warned that many entry-level roles will disappear due to AI, urging young workers to diversify their skills beyond technology and adapt to sectors less vulnerable to automation.

References:

1. Zipdo, “Nurse Practitioner Statistics,” Zipdo, accessed August 27, 2025. https://zipdo.co/nurse-practitioner-statistics.

2. Pew Research Center, “U.S. Women Are Outpacing Men in College Completion, Including in Every Major Racial and Ethnic Group,” Pew Research Center, November 18, 2024. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/11/18/us-women-are-outpacing-men-in-college-completion-including-in-every-major-racial-and-ethnic-group/.

3. Ravan Hawrami and Richard Reeves, “A Generation of Lost Men? The Reality of NEET Data,” AIBM, May 21, 2025. https://aibm.org/research/a-generation-of-lost-men-the-reality-of-neet-data/.

4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Unemployment Rate – 20–24 Yrs. [LNS14000036], FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, updated August 1, 2025. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LNS14000036.

(Rh/Eth/TL/MSM)