The Tech Job Market Right Now
3.4% of people in computer and math work are unemployed, against 4.3% of all workers (average of the 12 months to September 2026).
Is tech unemployment high?
For computer and math work it is 3.4%, against 3.0% a year earlier. Since 2000 the lowest it has been is 1.9% (August 2019) and the highest 5.5% (October 2003). Every figure here is the average of the twelve months ending in the month named.
Tech against everyone else
Unemployment, computer and math work
People whose last job was computer or math work, in any industry. 12 months to September 2026.
Unemployment, information industry
Software publishing, telecom, data processing and media companies, every kind of job in them. 12 months to September 2026.
Unemployment, professional and technical services
Includes computer systems design and IT consulting firms, along with law, accounting and engineering firms. 12 months to September 2026.
Job openings, information industry
Open positions as a share of all positions, filled and open. August 2026.
Hires, information industry
People hired in the month as a share of the industry's jobs. August 2026.
Layoffs, information industry
People laid off or discharged in the month as a share of the industry's jobs. August 2026.
"Everyone" is all workers for the unemployment rows and all industries for the others, for the same months.
What about software engineers?
There is no monthly unemployment rate for software engineers alone. The closest published number is computer and math work, which includes software developers along with analysts, support and data jobs. "Tech" is also not one industry: a developer at a bank counts under finance in the industry rows above, and a recruiter at a software company counts under information. That is why this page shows the kind of work and the industries side by side.
Look closer
Compare computer and math work with any other kind of work, or see the whole job market. Every number is in one file: download the CSV. It is free to use. If you publish something made with it, please link to this page.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Current Population Survey; Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey), last read October 12, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.