College-educated Black women faced largest employment losses in 2025

Amid an economic slowdown, the latest 2025 labor market data shows that Black women, especially those with college degrees, experienced some of the largest employment losses of any demographic group last year.

“While this analysis offers more details about the decline in Black women’s employment, the biggest looming question remains unanswered: Why do federal and private-sector employment losses seem so targeted to Black women? Whether those losses are an early indication of more widespread job losses to come — or casualties of anti-equity backlash in action — could become clearer in the months ahead,” the report stated.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, Black women’s employment-to-population ratio fell by 1.4 percent in 2025, a sudden drop in comparison to Black men or white women. Black women with bachelor’s degrees fell by 3.5 percent, making it the largest drop in employment and labor force participation in comparison to women with lower levels of education.

The economic institute’s research links this change to the federal layoffs enacted by the Trump administration, a job sector where many college-educated Black women are employed.