This disconnect between the sheltered world of college and the harsh world of work proved hard to accept for 36 percent of respondents, who said they wished they chosen a different major.

But the study also indicates that majoring in one field and working in another isn't necessarily discouraging to most college grads.

Two-thirds of respondents say they are glad they chose the area of discipline that they did, and about the same number still believe they will land a job someday in their field of focus.

"A college education will give you a significant advantage in the job market. In a tough economic climate, college graduates must be flexible and open to taking positions outside their area of study. Taking the knowledge gained in college and branching out with it in unexpected directions is common after graduating," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. "In most cases, workers who went into a new field ended up liking the new industry. Odds are you won't get that dream job right out of school, but it's important to remember that there are many different paths."

Other neat stuff from the survey:

• 13 percent reported that the demand for their degree increased between the time they entered college and the time they graduated;
• 28 percent said the market for their degree got worse;
• 59 percent said the market for their degree was unchanged;
• 33 percent of those who said the demand for their degree decreased while they were in school said they were forced to take a lower paying job outside their field;
• 32 percent of them said the lack of demand meant they couldn't find work after graduation;
• 46 percent of respondents who said the demand for their major decreased while they were in college said they found a job in their desired career path within a year;
• and 58 percent had within two years after graduation.

Bottom line: The ones to feel sorry for are those who couldn't find a job in their field and didn't learn how to have a good time while they were in college.