Microsoft Just Dropped Degree Requirements For All Roles (Including Engineering)—And Other Tech Giants Are Following
On October 30, 2025, Microsoft made a quiet but significant announcement: the company is removing degree requirements from all job postings globally.
Not just entry-level roles. Not just certain departments. All roles. Including software engineering, product management, and senior leadership positions.
Microsoft joins Google, Apple, IBM, and Accenture in eliminating degree requirements, but Microsoft's move is the most comprehensive yet—covering every single role in the company.
The shift signals that skills-first hiring is no longer experimental. It's becoming standard practice at the world's largest tech companies.
What Microsoft Actually Announced
Microsoft's announcement came via an internal memo and updated careers page:
"Effective immediately, all Microsoft job postings will focus on skills, experience, and demonstrated ability—not educational credentials. We believe talent exists everywhere, and degree requirements have historically excluded qualified candidates."
Key changes:
- All job postings revised: Degree requirements removed from over 4,500 active job postings
- New evaluation criteria: Hiring managers trained to assess candidates based on skills assessments, work samples, and relevant experience
- Internal mobility expanded: Microsoft employees can now apply for roles outside their departments without degree barriers
What Microsoft is NOT saying:
This doesn't mean degrees are irrelevant or that Microsoft will stop hiring college graduates. It means degrees are no longer automatic screening criteria.
Candidates with degrees will still apply and get hired. But candidates without degrees now have a shot—if they can demonstrate the required skills.
Why Microsoft Made This Move Now
Microsoft has been testing skills-first hiring since 2022, initially for cybersecurity and technical support roles. Results were strong enough to expand company-wide.
What drove the decision:
1. Talent shortages in critical roles
Microsoft has 15,000+ open positions globally, many sitting unfilled for 90+ days. Degree requirements were artificially limiting the candidate pool.
2. Skills assessments proved more predictive than degrees
Candidates who passed technical assessments performed equally well regardless of whether they had a degree.
3. Diversity and inclusion goals
Degree requirements disproportionately screen out underrepresented candidates—lower-income individuals, Black and Latino candidates, and older workers who entered the workforce before degrees became standard.
Removing degree barriers is one of the most impactful diversity initiatives Microsoft can implement.
4. Competition for talent
Google, Apple, and IBM have already moved away from degree requirements for many roles. Microsoft needed to compete for the same talent pools.
How Other Tech Companies Are Responding
Microsoft isn't alone. The tech industry is rapidly moving toward skills-first hiring.
Google (expanded October 2025):
Google removed degree requirements for 60% of roles in 2022. In October 2025, Google expanded this to 85% of roles, including senior engineering positions.
Apple (announced November 2025):
IBM (leading since 2016):
IBM pioneered skills-first hiring in tech, removing degree requirements back in 2016. Today, 50% of IBM's U.S. hires don't have a four-year degree.
Accenture, Dell, and others:
Multiple consulting and tech firms announced similar moves in Q4 2025.
The pattern: Large tech companies tested skills-first hiring, saw positive results, and are now scaling aggressively.
What This Means For Candidates (With And Without Degrees)
If you don't have a degree:
But—and this is critical—you'll need to prove your skills.
If you DO have a degree:
Nothing changes for you. You can still list your degree. Companies aren't penalizing degrees—they're just not requiring them.
However: Expect more rigorous skills assessments. Having a degree won't automatically get you through screening anymore.
What This Means For Recruiters And Hiring Teams
Changes recruiters must make:
1. Rewrite job descriptions
Every job description that says "Bachelor's degree required" needs updating.
Replace with skills-based requirements: "Demonstrated proficiency in X technology, evidenced by portfolio, certifications, or work experience."
2. Implement skills assessments
If you're not screening by degree, you need another way to evaluate baseline qualifications.
Microsoft, Google, and Apple use technical assessments, work samples, and project-based interviews.
3. Train hiring managers
Hiring managers need training on evaluating candidates without relying on degree credentials.
"Where did you go to school?" becomes "Show me a project where you solved a similar problem."
4. Update ATS screening
If your ATS auto-rejects candidates without degrees, that needs to change immediately.
5. Rethink sourcing strategies
Candidates without degrees aren't on traditional recruiting channels.
Look at: coding bootcamps, community colleges, online learning platforms, GitHub, portfolio sites, and non-traditional communities.
The Skeptics' Concerns
Not everyone is celebrating. Some hiring managers and academics worry about unintended consequences.
Concern 1: "Degrees still matter for complex roles"
Counter-argument: Microsoft's data shows skills assessments predict job performance better than degrees—even for complex engineering roles.
Concern 2: "This could lower hiring standards"
Some worry companies will hire unqualified candidates to meet diversity goals.
Counter-argument: Skills assessments are MORE rigorous than degree requirements. A degree proves you completed coursework. A skills assessment proves you can do the actual job.
Concern 3: "Bias will shift to other proxies"
Removing degree requirements doesn't eliminate bias—it might shift to other credentials (brand-name bootcamps, certifications from expensive programs).
Counter-argument: True. This is why blind skills assessments and structured interviews are critical.
What Happens To College Enrollment?
Education researchers are watching closely to see if skills-first hiring impacts college enrollment.
Possible outcomes:
1. Enrollment declines accelerate
College enrollment has been declining since 2010. If tech companies no longer require degrees, more students may skip college entirely.
2. Focus shifts to ROI
Students may become more selective, only pursuing degrees with clear career ROI (healthcare, law, specialized engineering).
3. Alternative credentials boom
Coding bootcamps, certifications, and online programs could see explosive growth.
Google, Microsoft, and IBM already offer their own certificate programs, competing directly with traditional degrees.
The Bottom Line
What's changing:
- Major tech companies are eliminating degree requirements across all roles
- Skills assessments and demonstrated ability are replacing educational credentials
- The talent pool is expanding to include millions of candidates previously excluded
What's not changing:
- Degrees still have value (especially for certain fields and career paths)
- Standards aren't lowering—skills assessments are rigorous
- College graduates will continue to be hired
For recruiters:
This is coming to your industry soon. If you're not already thinking about skills-first hiring, start now.
Update job descriptions. Implement skills assessments. Train hiring managers. Rethink sourcing.
Sources:
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