Kyah Storniolo
Finding a job in Tallahassee has become increasingly difficult for college students trying to balance academics with the rising cost of living.
With three major institutions—Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee State College—the city’s job market is filled with students competing for limited part-time opportunities.
FSU nursing student Isabella Hand described the frustration of applying to numerous jobs without success while being a full-time student.
“I’ve probably submitted over 20 applications to various places around the area, and I have yet to really hear back from anyone or find anything I can really do while being a student full-time,” Hand said.
She added that things are a lot different when she leaves the area. “When I go back home, I feel like I can get a job instantly, but in Tallahassee, it’s just really hard due to the amount of college kids,” Hand said.
According to the U.S Census Bureau, as of 2025, there is 205,0889 people estimated in the Tallahassee area, which is the largest city in the Florida panhandle, to put it to scale.
The lack of employment opportunities is not just an inconvenience for students; it is creating financial strain. “I’ve had to pull out multiple loans just to be able to afford my rent and groceries,” Hand added.
Valdemar Carnegie, a student from FAMU, shared a similar experience, explaining that it took months to find work after moving to Tallahassee.
“After being jobless for about four months when I first moved here, I finally got a job at Old Navy, but due to the School of Journalism being so heavily involved, I actually had to leave to be able to focus on school,” Carnegie said.
Carnegie explained that balancing work and academics ultimately became unsustainable, highlighting the challenges many students face when trying to maintain both.
Carnegie believes the high number of students plays a huge role in the low job availability in the Tallahassee area.
“We are in a college town, so we have Tallahassee State College, Florida A&M University and we also have Florida State, which is a huge university, so options are just very limited,” Carnegie said.
Without a steady income and the demands of college classes, many students struggle to stay afloat. “It’s affected me a lot—there’s been times where I miss payments, even times where I’m late on rent and really have to rely on my parents,” Carnegie added.
According to the Florida Department of Commerce, more than 10,000 people across the Capital Region were unemployed as of December 2025, which is the highest number in the last 10 years.
For students in Tallahassee, that reality is felt every day as they compete not only with one another but also with the broader community for a limited number of jobs.
Local workforce initiatives, including Career Source Capital Region, have received new funding to support job placement efforts and expand opportunities in the Big Bend area. As these programs continue to build, they are expected to help improve access to employment for residents, including college students.
