New Report: Increasing Student Access to Labor Market Information: Insights from Qualitative Research

Posted by Strada on October 13, 2026

Which jobs are in demand in my region? How much can I earn if I pursue a particular field of study? What is the career trajectory of other graduates of my program?

Labor market information can be critical in helping students make decisions about their education and career. But new research from Strada, based on in-depth interviews with college students and career professionals, suggests students have incomplete or inaccurate perceptions of labor market opportunities.

While employers, policymakers, state agencies, and colleges and universities routinely use labor market information to understand job availability, wages, and other trends, students making consequential education and career decisions typically have limited access to it and understanding of how to use it. Among the report’s findings:

• Student interest in labor market information is high, but experiences with it largely are unstructured. Without coordinated institutional support, students draw on social media, peer networks, and other sources to make sense of complex information.
• Career centers and coursework are not yet primary sources of labor market insights. Students report using career centers primarily for discrete career supports rather than as hubs for labor market insights and long-term career planning.
• Scaling personalized labor market insights is a challenge. While most institutions are embedding LMI into the classroom and advising contexts, both practitioners and students suggest these efforts are not yet pervasive, visible, or consistently experienced.

Learn more.