Unemployment rose to an unnerving 8.1 percent in February, up from 4.8 percent during February last year. For this year’s graduating class, the increasingly dire economic picture means that finding a job or getting into grad school will be more difficult than ever. But most of the media’s economic coverage does not convey exactly how the recession will impact employment prospects for the class of 2009.

The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that a net 651,000 Americans lost their jobs in February, and unemployment in March will likely be higher still as the recession deepens and more firms are forced to make layoffs. Graduates will face more competition for fewer jobs. However, the impact of the economic downturn has not been felt evenly. Some regions and some industries have fared much better than others.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics breaks down the unemployment rate by state, by type of work and by education level, and these numbers can tell us a lot about the best options for graduating seniors.

Lesson #1: Finish your degree

It goes without saying that getting a bachelor’s degree will increase your potential income, but a degree also makes it much easier for you to find a job. For individuals with a bachelor’s degree or higher, the unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in February, compared with 7.2 percent for those with some college or an associate degree, 9.6 percent for those with only a high school degree, and 15.1 percent for those who didn’t finish high school.

Lesson #2: Stay in the Midwest.

In January, the unemployment rate in Kansas was 6.1 percent, the thirteenth lowest in the nation. The rate in Lawrence was even lower, at 5.3 percent; it was 5.8 percent in Wichita, 6.6 percent in Topeka, and 8.2 percent in the Kansas City Metropolitan area. Kansas and other Midwestern states have fared well compared with the places like California, which was hit hard by the crash of the housing market, and Michigan, which has been economically devastated by the failing automobile industry. One in 10 Californians and one in nine Michiganders are unemployed.

Lesson #3: Look for a job in healthcare or education

The only (faintly) bright spot in the economy can be found in education and the healthcare industry. Their combined unemployment rate is only 4.1 percent, and it’s even lower for those with college degrees. In contrast, the unemployment rate in the construction industry is 21.4 percent, 11.5 percent in manufacturing, 10.8 percent in professional and business services, 11.4 percent in leisure and hospitality, 7.1 percent in information services and 8.9 percent in retail.

Lesson #4: Persevere

All things equal, 2009 is an unlucky year in which to graduate, but the job market will eventually recover, just as it always has. In the meantime, good luck.