As the debate rages over whether getting a college degree is worth the money, a new set of statistics is giving many people pause — seems half of recent college grads are either jobless or underemployed in positions that don’t fully use their skills and knowledge.

Government data shows that, saddled with student loans that make taking any job a necessity, many young grads are working as waiters, bartenders, retail clerks or receptionists.

Even those with full-time employment related to their degrees are making less than they were a decade ago, and future prospects don’t look bright — most experts predict new job openings will be in lower-skilled positions like home health aides.

But some majors have more opportunities than others. While people with arts and humanities degrees are suffering most, those who studied science, education or are in a health field are faring better.

And where you live matters, too. The western mountain area isn’t kind to recent grads, with three-in-five unemployed or underemployed. People in some Pacific and rural southern areas are facing similar hardships, while states like Texas were most likely to have young college graduates in higher-skill jobs.

“Everyone is always telling you, ‘Go to college,’” said Kelman Edwards Jr., a 24-year-old with a biology degree. “But when you graduate, it’s kind of an empty cliff.”

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