Recent research reveals that recent college graduates find negotiating salary more stressful than ending a relationship. A survey of 2,000 graduates from 2024 and 2025 found 54% believed salary negotiations were more anxiety-inducing than breaking up with a partner (39%). Graduates were split on whether filing taxes or assembling IKEA furniture was more confusing, with 52% selecting taxes. Only 35% had created and stuck to a budget, while fewer had written checks (26%) or balanced a checkbook (22%). 71% graduated worried about their next steps, as less than half (42%) felt “very sure” about post-graduation plans. For 2024 graduates, 66% said their “future roadmap” went as planned, and 71% said the year after graduation was better than expected. However, 2025 graduates felt more mentally than financially prepared to enter the workforce. (Talker Research)
Graduates Say Salary Talk Is More Stressful Than Breakups
May 27, 2025 | 8:00 PM