A Zety report comparing early-career cohorts found Gen Z had lower unemployment but a lower employment-population ratio than millennials, averaging 65.8% versus 67.9%. Full-time Gen Z workers’ median inflation-adjusted weekly earnings were $756, $82 higher than millennials’.
The September 2026 report used U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, comparing millennials who started their careers in 2005–08 with Gen Z workers who entered the labor force in 2021–24. Gen Z had lower labor-force participation, meaning fewer were working or looking for work. People count as unemployed only when actively seeking work.
Report author and career expert Jasmine Escalera said the findings complicate claims that Gen Z is disengaged or unable to find jobs. She argued that the challenge is helping young people get into the workforce, and said Gen Z’s anxiety about AI and possible career shifts are issues to explore further.
