Young men are struggling in a slowing job market, even if they have college degrees

Men ages 23 to 30 are discovering that a bachelor's degree doesn't offer the same protection from unemployment that it used to.

Amid a wider slowdown in hiring, the unemployment rate for men ages 23 to 30 with bachelor’s degrees has jumped in recent months to 6% — compared with 3.5% for young women with the same level of education, according to data analyzed by NBC News.

Now, young men with bachelor’s degrees are slightly likelier to be unemployed than young men with just high school diplomas, the analysis found. That’s a recent reversal after decades when young men with bachelor’s degrees had an advantage in the labor market, economists said.

Young women haven’t experienced the same trend; they are still significantly likelier to be employed if they have bachelor’s degrees.