January 12, 2026

Recruiters retreat from ‘talent is everywhere,’ double down on top colleges

Higher education is undergoing an identity crisis. Repeated attacks from the Trump administration, the rise of AI and budget shortfalls have put top universities on the defensive as public sentiment on the value of a college degree sours. But a new trend in company hiring suggests that elite colleges aren’t losing their edge anytime soon.

Read the full article from Fortune examining recent labor-market shifts, featuring data from Veris Insights.