What percentage of people take jobs not in their fields just to pay off student loans?

Hi Mallory,

That's a great question with the current state of student loan debt and the job market. While the economy has been growing it may still be difficult to find your ideal job right after graduation. For me, personally, I ended up continuing a job that I started as a student. I ended up in a managerial role for about 7 years that had nothing to do with my undergraduate degree and nothing to do with my dream job, being a professional illustrator. It was a perfectly fine job and paid the bills. While I worked that job, I was able to have a stable financial situation and work on my Master of Fine Arts degree.

Now I've been working in the video games industry as a professional artist for the past 10 years. So it paid off in the end. I actually know several people who have ended up working in a field other than their undergraduate major and enjoy it tremendously. I also know many who work in the industry that their undergraduate studies prepared them for and they are just as happy with their education and professional trajectory.

Don't be afraid to take an unrelated job to find stability. But at the same time, don't give up on your dreams if that's what you really want. I hope that this information helps. Good luck out there.

Hi Mallory,

I agree with Andy, if you find a job in your field depends on the current situation on the job market. It also depends on your field. It is hard to answer this question in general terms.
Having debts can be terrifying therefore the question here is, do you want to work in your field at all costs or do you want to pay back your student loan as quickly as possible? Even so you ideally get both, this is unfortunately not always the case. It might be more comfortable to accept a higher paid job in a different field.
I can only recommend to make your CV as interesting as possible when applying for your dream job. Next to your college degree, do you already have work experience in that field? Did you work on any projects or did you work on something in your spare time that could count as experience? Especially when you work in a field that has many candidates for a few jobs this might be helpful. Even before you need a job, get out there and check the opportunities and get connections within your field.
Otherwise, even if you can't find a job in your field you might be able to gather experience with a different job. If your main goal is to pay back your student loan, you will find something for sure. Personally I worked in different call center for 3 years to pay my bills before I finally found my current job.

Hope you found this helpful and all the best with finding the right job

Aria