'I Have a F***ing Master's Degree': Graduate With $120K Debt Snaps After 300 Rejections, Even Walmart Said No

Finishing a degree is something most people have probably been told by their parents when they were younger. Many would say that with a good educational background, they would be able to navigate the challenges of everyday life once they venture out on their own.

However, with the changes in the world today, the narrative that a good education equals secure jobs no longer seems viable. Graduates struggle to find decent jobs despite relentlessly applying to various companies, which is why some end up frustrated.

Job Security No Longer About Degrees

To back this up, here is a case of a graduate who claims to be struggling to land a job despite holding a master's degree. He shared how he vigorously tried his luck with multiple companies but received little consideration.

'I Have A F***G Master's degree! I went to school for 12 years (...) Do you know how much school that is? It's a lot! And the worst part is (...) America, the government probably thinks it's the best part (...) I'm $120,000 in debt,' an individual named Timmy said in a video shared by Matrix Mysteries on X.

Timmy's outburst appears to have been triggered after he failed to land a job even with Walmart, where he applied for a cashier position. Given his credentials, some may question why he would stoop that low. Timmy explained why.

'I have applied to over 300 companies and I've gotten responses back from 11 of them. Why the f*** do you think I am applying to Walmart to be a cashier? Cause no one is hiring! Why even post a job offering if you're not gonna hire anyone or respond?' he rued.

US Job Market and Student Debts

At the time of this writing, the US unemployment rate is 4.3%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As far as unemployed individuals go, the figures show that there were roughly 7.4 million people who were jobless.

According to The Guardian, the job losses mostly came from the federal government and information sector, reportedly down 348,000 since November 2024. Job gains came from the healthcare, transportation and warehousing, retail, and social assistance sectors where roughly 106,000 new jobs were added.

It is possible that Timmy sent out his applications at the wrong time. He is likely to be told to keep on trying. For better chances, he may want to try the sectors where new jobs were reportedly added to finally land employment.

Whatever he plans, Timmy admitted he needs to act fast to start paying back the $120,000 in debt he incurred investing in a good education.

'What are people doing for work? I need to figure something out,' he said, aware that failure to do so would leave him in a worse situation that could include potentially becoming homeless.

Timmy did not detail how he ended up with a $120,000 debt. However, part or most of it could have come from student loans to finish his degree.

According to Wooclap, the total US student loan debt is approximately $1.81 trillion. Federal student loans account for 92% ($1.67 trillion) of that, with the rest coming from private loans ($144.86 billion).

Further, Timmy did not mention when the loans started. The amount that can be borrowed varies. The National Center for Education Statistics broke down estimated amounts that could be loaned depending on the degree.

• Undergraduate/Bachelor's degree: $45,300
• Master's degree: $70,000 to $80,000
• Professional Doctorates: $186,600

With Timmy claiming he owes $120,000 in debt and that he holds a master's degree, it is likely he took out loans to finance both his bachelor's and master's degrees. His debt aligns with the combined loan estimates for undergraduate and graduate studies.

Timmy's frustration is understandable, and he is probably not alone in facing it. But like most, all he can do right now is try to figure it out and keep trying. Opportunities are available, and the challenge is finding the right job based on a job-seeker's credentials.