Washington —
Muneeb Iqbal is set to graduate with a master’s degree in integrated design, business and technology from the University of Southern California next month, but he doesn’t have a job or internship lined up, despite the 4,000 applications he’s tallied over the past year.
The 23-year-old told CNN he’s noticed on LinkedIn that many of the entry-level roles he’s applied for have gone to people with several years of experience. Since beginning graduate school in 2024, Iqbal has managed to complete only one internship, he said — all while racking up $100,000 in student debt.