Shaky Economy Has College Graduates Nervous

As young college graduates leave school, looking for employment, some worry they won't be able to find jobs.

However, some experts say job prospects for the class of 2014 may be brighter than expected.

The jobless rate for college graduates in their 20s is now at 10.9 percent - still high, but down almost 2.5 percent since 2012.

While that's encouraging news for many just getting out of school, some are still skeptical they'll land the job they want.

Kayla Harris, a graphic design major from Howard University, said she has a plan in case things don't work out the way she hopes.

She started her own graphic design company while she was in school, and plans to continue with that if she doesn't find a job in her field.

Like Harris, most students hope to find a job in their area of study. But many settle for positions that have nothing to do with their degree - something analysts say hurts the economy.

Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute, said the fact that so many young graduates are "either not working in a job that doesn't require the skills they have, is part of the gap in our economy."

"That's part of the difference between what we could be producing as an economy and what we are producing," she said.

A study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found employers plan to hire 8.6 percent more recent graduates this year - an increase over last year's graduating class.

According to the NACE, the average starting salary for those leaving school with bachelor's degrees is up 1.2 percent since 2013.