Perhaps it's the naiveté of youth. Or perhaps they know something the rest of us don't.

Either way, a poll by McGraw-Hill Education finds that 90 percent of college students are optimistic about their chances of finding meaningful employment after graduation.

This is especially noteworthy, perhaps even puzzling, given that the unemployment rate for workers under the age of 25 remains well above 14 percent — more than twice the national average.

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Sounding like, well, a worried parent, McGraw-Hill says the findings "raise serious questions about millennials' level of career preparedness, concern for earning a return on their college investment, and awareness of tools and services that will help them develop the skills they need to thrive in the workplace."

Its study uncovered a few other points that set millennials apart from "previous, more financially-focused generations." Among them:

  • The vast majority of students report that it is more important to find a job that allows them to do what they love (73 percent) than to find a job that pays well (20 percent).
     
  • Many students report that they would prefer a job that is beneficial to society (45 percent) over a job that simply pays well (27 percent).

"Today's college students have career aspirations that are markedly different, perhaps nobler, than those of previous generations, and I for one find that exciting. But at the same time, we need to be doing more to help students prepare for the very real challenges they will face as they enter the workforce," Brian Kibby, president of McGraw-Hill Education's higher-ed division, said in a statement.

"As education professionals and employers, we can and must do a better job of understanding who this generation is, what motivates them, and how best to encourage and support them as they get ready to enter the workforce."

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