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Monitor · Labour markets

AI Jobs MonitorUS tech employment, developer demand and who gets hired

Employers are posting more software jobs while tech employment keeps falling. This page tracks that split, and who pays for it, after every US jobs report. Every figure links to its source.

Updated Data to October 2026Next update

Get the monthly note
Information sector jobs against the peak−12.2%2,734,000 in October 2026, against 3,115,000 in November 2022−1,000 jobs on SeptemberSoftware developer postings on Indeed79.4October 2026 average, +22.3% on a year ago. Index, 1 February 2020 = 100+2.3 on SeptemberPostings against payrolls since January 202522.7 pointsPostings 117.7, jobs 95.0 in October 2026 (January 2025 = 100)+3.5 points on SeptemberQuits rate2.1%September 2026, a month behind the jobs report. 2.3% before the pandemic+0.2 points on August

This month’s note ·

Developer postings and tech payrolls pull further apart

Indeed's index of US software development postings, where 100 is the February 2020 level, rose to 79.4 in October, its highest since August 2023. Information sector jobs went the other way, down 1,000 to 2,734,000, the lowest since October 2014 once you set aside March to December 2020. That widens the gap on postings against payrolls to 22.7 points, from 19.2 points a month earlier. It is the number I watch most, because it sets what employers advertise against who they actually employ.

The wider labour market moved the other way. All US jobs rose by 165,000 to 159.3 million, the highest in data going back to January 2000, and the quits rate, the share of workers leaving a job by choice, climbed to 2.1% in September, its highest since June 2025 though still under the 2.3% seen before the pandemic. Layoffs and discharges eased to 1.0%, below the 2019 average of 1.2%, so the weakness still sits in hiring more than in firing. The next update is on 4 December 2026.

Chart 3

Postings up, payrolls down

United States, January 2025 = 100. Software development postings on Indeed against information sector employment.

Software development postingsInformation sector jobs

Full chart, reading and data below

Link to this noteEvery monthly note

The six charts

Each chart marks three dates: the first Federal Reserve rate rise (16 March 2022), the launch of ChatGPT (30 November 2022) and the first rate cut (18 September 2024).

Chart 1

The economy grew. Tech shrank.

United States, January 2020 = 100. Payroll employment, seasonally adjusted.

Since January 2020 all US jobs are up 4.8%. Over the same period information sector jobs are down 5.8% and IT services jobs are up 5.6%.

All US jobsIT servicesInformation sector
Show the data
US employment index, January 2020 = 100
MonthAll jobsIT servicesInformation
Oct 2026104.8105.694.2
Sep 2026104.7105.594.3
Aug 2026104.6105.894.7
Jul 2026104.5106.095.4
Jun 2026104.5106.395.2
May 2026104.5106.395.9
Apr 2026104.5106.396.1
Mar 2026104.4106.396.3
Feb 2026104.2106.896.2
Jan 2026104.3106.597.0
Dec 2025104.2106.898.0
Nov 2025104.2106.998.2
Oct 2025104.2106.898.3
Sep 2025104.3107.198.6
Aug 2025104.2107.498.6
Jul 2025104.3107.598.6
Jun 2025104.2107.798.7
May 2025104.3108.298.7
Apr 2025104.2108.298.8
Mar 2025104.2108.198.8
Feb 2025104.1108.499.1
Jan 2025104.1108.999.2
Dec 2024104.1109.199.8
Nov 2024104.0109.099.4
Oct 2024103.9109.299.5
Sep 2024103.9109.4100.1
Aug 2024103.8109.4100.3
Jul 2024103.8109.6100.6
Jun 2024103.7109.7101.0
May 2024103.7109.5101.0
Apr 2024103.6109.5101.3
Mar 2024103.6109.5101.7
Feb 2024103.4109.7102.0
Jan 2024103.3109.8102.1
Dec 2023103.2109.9102.1
Nov 2023103.1110.0102.1
Oct 2023103.0110.1101.7
Sep 2023102.9110.2102.6
Aug 2023102.8110.7102.8
Jul 2023102.6110.9103.4
Jun 2023102.5111.0104.1
May 2023102.4111.2104.6
Apr 2023102.2111.4104.9
Mar 2023102.0111.4105.1
Feb 2023102.0111.3105.1
Jan 2023101.8111.2105.5
Dec 2022101.5111.4106.6
Nov 2022101.5111.4107.4
Oct 2022101.3111.2106.9
Sep 2022101.0110.8106.7
Aug 2022100.9110.5106.8
Jul 2022100.7110.3106.7
Jun 2022100.2110.3106.0
May 202299.9110.1105.4
Apr 202299.7109.6104.6
Mar 202299.5109.3104.0
Feb 202299.2108.3103.1
Jan 202298.7108.0102.9
Dec 202198.5107.2102.3
Nov 202198.2106.7101.9
Oct 202197.7106.0101.3
Sep 202197.2105.4100.6
Aug 202196.9104.6100.1
Jul 202196.5104.199.3
Jun 202195.9103.197.3
May 202195.4102.397.1
Apr 202195.1102.096.4
Mar 202194.9101.495.5
Feb 202194.3100.995.3
Jan 202194.0100.294.7
Dec 202093.899.793.5
Nov 202093.999.192.9
Oct 202093.798.892.5
Sep 202093.398.392.9
Aug 202092.697.991.0
Jul 202091.697.290.4
Jun 202090.697.390.4
May 202087.597.289.9
Apr 202085.897.291.1
Mar 202099.399.6100.0
Feb 2020100.2100.3100.3
Jan 2020100.0100.0100.0
Download CSVImage cardPermalink

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED (PAYEMS, USINFO, CES6054150001).

Chart 2

Demand for software developers

United States, Indeed job postings index, 1 February 2020 = 100. Monthly average of the daily index.

Software development postings averaged 79.4 in October 2026, up 22.3% on a year ago. That is 65.4% below the February 2022 peak and 27.4% above the March 2025 low. All postings on Indeed stand at 103.9.

All job postingsSoftware development postings
Show the data
Indeed US postings index, 1 February 2020 = 100
MonthAll postingsSoftware dev
Oct 2026103.979.4
Sep 2026103.277.1
Aug 2026101.974.4
Jul 2026101.675.0
Jun 2026100.873.1
May 2026101.974.1
Apr 2026102.772.8
Mar 2026103.971.6
Feb 2026104.670.3
Jan 2026103.368.1
Dec 2025102.966.9
Nov 2025101.366.2
Oct 2025101.064.9
Sep 2025102.864.7
Aug 2025104.866.1
Jul 2025104.365.4
Jun 2025105.365.4
May 2025105.962.7
Apr 2025106.863.5
Mar 2025107.862.3
Feb 2025109.364.9
Jan 2025110.267.5
Dec 2024110.367.4
Nov 2024109.567.3
Oct 2024110.168.7
Sep 2024112.469.4
Aug 2024113.468.4
Jul 2024113.770.1
Jun 2024114.269.9
May 2024115.969.1
Apr 2024118.570.4
Mar 2024118.670.8
Feb 2024118.271.1
Jan 2024119.471.8
Dec 2023121.372.5
Nov 2023123.373.0
Oct 2023124.975.1
Sep 2023127.077.3
Aug 2023128.579.4
Jul 2023129.483.5
Jun 2023131.886.9
May 2023134.797.3
Apr 2023136.098.1
Mar 2023135.0102.5
Feb 2023136.6114.1
Jan 2023140.6126.3
Dec 2022144.4135.3
Nov 2022147.7147.1
Oct 2022148.5160.7
Sep 2022150.6173.9
Aug 2022153.4187.3
Jul 2022155.7202.0
Jun 2022158.6217.9
May 2022160.4226.7
Apr 2022159.8224.8
Mar 2022160.4228.7
Feb 2022159.2229.2
Jan 2022156.5216.1
Dec 2021157.2213.8
Nov 2021152.9202.5
Oct 2021147.0186.3
Sep 2021143.1173.6
Aug 2021139.1158.2
Jul 2021137.4145.7
Jun 2021133.4137.5
May 2021128.7131.3
Apr 2021122.0120.4
Mar 2021110.6112.2
Feb 2021103.2102.6
Jan 202197.793.4
Dec 202094.890.0
Nov 202093.583.6
Oct 202090.577.8
Sep 202086.372.9
Aug 202083.070.1
Jul 202078.367.3
Jun 202070.165.2
May 202062.966.6
Apr 202068.277.4
Mar 202094.598.2
Feb 2020100.099.7
Indeed data from Hiring LabImage cardPermalink

Source: Indeed Hiring Lab via FRED, monthly average of the daily index (IHLIDXUS, IHLIDXUSTPSOFTDEVE).

Chart 3

Postings up, payrolls down

United States, January 2025 = 100. Software development postings on Indeed against information sector employment.

Since January 2025 software development postings are up 17.7% while information sector jobs are down 5.0%, a gap of 22.7 points.

Software development postingsInformation sector jobs
Show the data
Postings against payrolls, January 2025 = 100
MonthSoftware postingsInformation jobs
Oct 2026117.795.0
Sep 2026114.395.1
Aug 2026110.395.4
Jul 2026111.296.2
Jun 2026108.496.0
May 2026109.996.7
Apr 2026107.996.9
Mar 2026106.197.1
Feb 2026104.297.0
Jan 2026101.097.8
Dec 202599.298.8
Nov 202598.299.0
Oct 202596.299.2
Sep 202596.099.4
Aug 202598.099.4
Jul 202597.099.4
Jun 202596.999.5
May 202592.999.5
Apr 202594.299.6
Mar 202592.499.7
Feb 202596.1100.0
Jan 2025100.0100.0
Indeed data from Hiring LabImage cardPermalink

Source: Indeed Hiring Lab via FRED (monthly average of the daily index); Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED (IHLIDXUSTPSOFTDEVE, USINFO).

Chart 4

Hiring door, not firing door

United States, all industries, percent of employment. Job openings data run a month behind the jobs report.

In September 2026 the hires rate was 3.4% and the quits rate 2.1%, against 2019 averages of 3.9% and 2.3%. The layoffs and discharges rate was 1.0%, below its 2019 average of 1.2%.

Hires rateQuits rateLayoffs and discharges rate
Show the data
Hires, quits and layoffs rates, percent
MonthHires %Quits %Layoffs %
Sep 20263.42.11.0
Aug 20263.31.91.1
Jul 20263.21.91.1
Jun 20263.42.01.1
May 20263.32.01.1
Apr 20263.31.91.0
Mar 20263.52.01.2
Feb 20263.11.91.1
Jan 20263.42.01.0
Dec 20253.32.01.1
Nov 20253.22.01.0
Oct 20253.31.91.2
Sep 20253.31.91.1
Aug 20253.22.01.2
Jul 20253.32.01.1
Jun 20253.42.11.2
May 20253.42.11.1
Apr 20253.42.01.1
Mar 20253.42.21.0
Feb 20253.32.01.2
Jan 20253.32.01.1
Dec 20243.31.91.1
Nov 20243.31.91.2
Oct 20243.32.01.0
Sep 20243.42.01.1
Aug 20243.32.11.1
Jul 20243.42.11.1
Jun 20243.32.10.9
May 20243.52.11.1
Apr 20243.52.21.0
Mar 20243.52.11.0
Feb 20243.62.21.1
Jan 20243.62.11.0
Dec 20233.62.21.1
Nov 20233.52.31.0
Oct 20233.72.31.0
Sep 20233.72.31.0
Aug 20233.72.31.1
Jul 20233.62.31.1
Jun 20233.82.41.1
May 20233.92.61.0
Apr 20233.82.31.1
Mar 20233.82.41.2
Feb 20233.92.51.0
Jan 20234.12.51.1
Dec 20224.02.71.0
Nov 20224.02.61.0
Oct 20224.02.61.0
Sep 20224.02.70.9
Aug 20224.22.81.0
Jul 20224.22.61.0
Jun 20224.32.71.0
May 20224.22.81.0
Apr 20224.33.00.9
Mar 20224.42.90.9
Feb 20224.52.80.9
Jan 20224.32.90.9
Dec 20214.52.90.9
Nov 20214.63.00.9
Oct 20214.52.80.9
Sep 20214.52.91.0
Aug 20214.32.80.9
Jul 20214.62.81.0
Jun 20214.52.80.9
May 20214.12.60.9
Apr 20214.22.71.0
Mar 20214.32.51.0
Feb 20214.12.41.1
Jan 20213.92.31.1
Dec 20203.92.41.3
Nov 20204.12.21.5
Oct 20204.32.31.2
Sep 20204.22.21.1
Aug 20204.32.11.1
Jul 20204.52.21.3
Jun 20205.41.91.6
May 20206.11.71.6
Apr 20203.11.57.0
Mar 20203.41.98.6
Feb 20203.92.31.3
Jan 20203.92.31.2
Download CSVImage cardPermalink

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, via FRED (JTSHIR, JTSQUR, JTSLDR).

Chart 5

The ladder is losing its bottom rungs

United States, unemployment rate, seasonally adjusted. The lower panel shows the teenage rate as a multiple of the overall rate.

Unemployment among 16 to 19 year olds was 13.9% in October 2026, 3.4 times the 4.1% rate for all workers. In 2019 the teenage rate averaged 12.7%.

Ages 16 to 19All workers

Teenage rate as a multiple of the overall rate

Show the data
Unemployment rates and ratio
MonthAges 16 to 19 %All workers %Ratio
Oct 202613.94.13.4
Sep 202614.54.23.5
Aug 202614.14.13.4
Jul 202612.14.13.0
Jun 202614.64.23.5
May 202614.74.33.4
Apr 202614.44.33.3
Mar 202613.74.33.2
Feb 202614.94.43.4
Jan 202613.64.33.2
Dec 202515.74.43.6
Nov 202516.34.53.6
Oct 2025
Sep 202513.34.43.0
Aug 202513.94.33.2
Jul 202515.24.33.5
Jun 202514.54.13.5
May 202513.44.33.1
Apr 202513.04.23.1
Mar 202513.84.23.3
Feb 202513.04.23.1
Jan 202511.84.03.0
Dec 202412.34.13.0
Nov 202413.04.23.1
Oct 202413.84.13.4
Sep 202414.34.13.5
Aug 202414.34.23.4
Jul 202412.54.23.0
Jun 202412.24.13.0
May 202412.33.93.2
Apr 202411.83.93.0
Mar 202412.53.93.2
Feb 202412.63.93.2
Jan 202410.73.72.9
Dec 202311.83.83.1
Nov 202311.33.73.1
Oct 202313.23.93.4
Sep 202311.73.73.2
Aug 202312.33.73.3
Jul 202311.33.53.2
Jun 202311.23.63.1
May 202310.33.62.9
Apr 20239.43.42.8
Mar 20239.83.52.8
Feb 202311.13.63.1
Jan 202310.63.53.0
Dec 202210.43.53.0
Nov 202211.23.63.1
Oct 202210.73.63.0
Sep 202211.43.53.3
Aug 202210.23.62.8
Jul 202211.33.53.2
Jun 202211.03.63.1
May 202210.53.62.9
Apr 202210.73.72.9
Mar 202210.23.72.8
Feb 202210.23.92.6
Jan 202211.24.02.8
Dec 202111.03.92.8
Nov 202110.84.12.6
Oct 202111.34.52.5
Sep 202111.24.72.4
Aug 202111.15.12.2
Jul 202110.45.41.9
Jun 202111.25.91.9
May 20219.75.81.7
Apr 202112.16.12.0
Mar 202112.96.12.1
Feb 202113.96.22.2
Jan 202115.16.42.4
Dec 202015.86.72.4
Nov 202013.86.72.1
Oct 202013.86.92.0
Sep 202016.07.82.1
Aug 202016.58.42.0
Jul 202019.210.21.9
Jun 202022.511.02.0
May 202030.513.22.3
Apr 202032.814.82.2
Mar 202014.34.43.3
Feb 202011.33.53.2
Jan 202012.53.63.5
Download CSVImage cardPermalink

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, via FRED. No survey data for October 2025 (LNS14000012, UNRATE).

Chart 6

Same crash, different recoveries

Software development postings on Indeed, 1 February 2020 = 100. Each panel shows the United States in grey for comparison.

Australia is the only market at or above the level of 1 February 2020. US postings are up 22.3% on a year ago, the fastest rise of the six, and Germany is lowest at 48.3.

United States, for comparisonMarket shown

United States79.4 · +22.3% YoY

Australia105.1 · −3.5% YoY

Canada76.2 · −3.6% YoY

United Kingdom60.7 · +1.9% YoY

France51.7 · −7.8% YoY

Germany48.3 · −16.1% YoY

Show the data
Software development postings in six countries
MonthUSAustraliaCanadaUKFranceGermany
Oct 202679.4105.176.260.751.748.3
Sep 202677.1107.077.462.153.348.9
Aug 202674.4104.677.159.951.250.1
Jul 202675.0108.878.060.251.251.1
Jun 202673.1116.280.059.850.851.8
May 202674.1118.878.362.752.953.9
Apr 202672.8121.177.062.955.054.6
Mar 202671.6121.279.564.256.157.1
Feb 202670.3122.178.964.957.158.3
Jan 202668.1122.583.763.854.758.2
Dec 202566.9114.984.763.555.456.8
Nov 202566.2113.481.460.555.557.7
Oct 202564.9109.079.059.556.157.6
Sep 202564.7107.177.859.257.558.1
Aug 202566.1112.479.760.357.459.4
Jul 202565.4113.678.159.858.660.0
Jun 202565.4111.977.759.360.862.7
May 202562.7109.275.054.763.763.6
Apr 202563.5107.175.854.665.364.8
Mar 202562.3106.574.054.367.666.0
Feb 202564.9110.773.355.669.166.7
Jan 202567.5111.273.557.871.470.1
Dec 202467.4106.273.957.871.670.2
Nov 202467.3104.772.457.372.670.2
Oct 202468.7103.072.256.974.871.7
Sep 202469.4104.872.158.580.273.5
Aug 202468.4103.170.356.783.478.4
Jul 202470.1102.469.660.086.081.2
Jun 202469.9104.969.561.088.584.7
May 202469.1104.371.165.292.188.0
Apr 202470.4105.069.666.894.391.0
Mar 202470.8102.968.768.996.593.9
Feb 202471.1104.370.467.799.697.8
Jan 202471.8109.472.571.0103.9101.7
Dec 202372.5104.272.472.9106.7102.9
Nov 202373.0105.072.174.1109.1106.6
Oct 202375.1112.476.277.5111.5110.0
Sep 202377.3113.879.879.6112.0111.8
Aug 202379.4121.780.479.3114.0117.8
Jul 202383.5132.780.182.3113.7122.1
Jun 202386.9141.481.686.8114.7125.2
May 202397.3152.789.796.3121.7128.2
Apr 202398.1160.197.3103.7127.9135.0
Mar 2023102.5168.8103.5107.2127.7139.7
Feb 2023114.1173.9112.7114.5128.6141.2
Jan 2023126.3188.1122.2121.9131.9138.8
Dec 2022135.3198.5136.8127.6133.2145.8
Nov 2022147.1216.9151.1137.3133.1150.3
Oct 2022160.7230.1165.9146.0131.3150.7
Sep 2022173.9236.7183.2155.1130.4154.8
Aug 2022187.3244.8196.3161.8131.9159.2
Jul 2022202.0259.2207.9166.4136.6163.6
Jun 2022217.9261.5221.9170.7135.3167.7
May 2022226.7252.7227.7176.8132.7168.0
Apr 2022224.8260.6224.1178.2129.9164.8
Mar 2022228.7268.8225.0176.3126.3159.1
Feb 2022229.2258.4221.2172.1123.6154.3
Jan 2022216.1243.2210.4164.1121.7149.1
Dec 2021213.8236.6210.0160.8120.3148.3
Nov 2021202.5230.2206.7155.4121.2145.6
Oct 2021186.3225.6197.8149.3119.1141.4
Sep 2021173.6216.9190.5142.2111.3136.6
Aug 2021158.2203.0183.3135.4108.9133.0
Jul 2021145.7189.3176.6129.5105.6125.8
Jun 2021137.5176.5169.0121.498.7119.9
May 2021131.3167.0159.8115.392.5115.2
Apr 2021120.4154.8149.8107.087.5109.8
Mar 2021112.2148.2140.797.387.7105.2
Feb 2021102.6132.7129.188.985.198.9
Jan 202193.4118.4116.081.983.995.8
Dec 202090.0112.6110.177.883.092.3
Nov 202083.6102.6100.569.180.188.7
Oct 202077.891.893.162.877.985.6
Sep 202072.978.886.657.577.583.7
Aug 202070.174.280.054.473.884.6
Jul 202067.366.373.651.468.483.9
Jun 202065.261.068.549.567.384.3
May 202066.658.766.351.570.382.6
Apr 202077.465.473.663.577.986.4
Mar 202098.298.199.595.092.099.0
Feb 202099.7100.5101.5100.898.5100.1
Indeed data from Hiring LabImage cardPermalink

Source: Indeed Hiring Lab via FRED, monthly average of the daily index (IHLIDXUSTPSOFTDEVE, IHLIDXAUTPSOFTDEVE, IHLIDXCATPSOFTDEVE, IHLIDXGBTPSOFTDEVE, IHLIDXFRTPSOFTDEVE, IHLIDXDETPSOFTDEVE).

Beyond the US jobs report

These sources have no data feed, so they are checked by hand each quarter. Last checked 21 October 2026; next check January 2027.

United States56%

of active US tech job postings ask for AI skills, 349,821 of 625,633.

CompTIA Tech Jobs Report, September 2026
Worldwide128,500

announced tech layoffs in 2026 to 10 September, about half the 2023 total.

Layoffs.fyi via ValueAdd VC, 27 September 2026
India+20% vs −4%

year on year change in hiring for AI and machine learning roles against IT and software services.

Naukri JobSpeak, September 2026

Youth unemployment outside the US

How the numbers are built

Every series comes from FRED, the St. Louis Fed's data service, which carries the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Indeed Hiring Lab data alike. The full history is pulled again on every update, because the BLS revises the two previous months in each jobs report and resets its benchmark every February. In February 2026 it cut its 2025 estimates by 898,000.

Indeed publishes its postings index daily, and the charts show the average for each month. A month counts only once the daily data reach its final days, so a partial month never appears. Employment, unemployment and job turnover series are seasonally adjusted, as published.

Index charts set a base to 100: January 2020 for employment, 1 February 2020 for Indeed postings (Indeed's own base, so the February 2020 monthly average sits close to 100 rather than on it) and January 2025 for the postings against payrolls chart. Job turnover data (JOLTS) arrive about five weeks after the month they cover, so they run a month behind the jobs report.

BLS data are in the public domain and the CSV downloads cover them. Indeed's terms on FRED do not allow its data to be passed on, so the Indeed charts link to Hiring Lab's own downloads instead.

What changed since last month's data

Compared with the September 2026 figures in the jobs article of 21 October 2026.

Revisions since last month
SeriesMonthBeforeNowChange
All US jobsAugust 2026159,015,000159,068,000+53,000
All US jobsSeptember 2026159,044,000159,128,000+84,000
Information sector jobsAugust 20262,749,0002,746,000−3,000
Information sector jobsSeptember 20262,739,0002,735,000−4,000
IT services jobs, computer systems designAugust 20262,359,8002,357,600−2,200
IT services jobs, computer systems designSeptember 20262,355,4002,350,900−4,500

The series

Series used on this page
SeriesFRED IDSourceLatest
All US jobsPAYEMSBLS, CESOctober 2026
Information sector jobsUSINFOBLS, CESOctober 2026
IT services jobs, computer systems designCES6054150001BLS, CESOctober 2026
All job postings on Indeed, USIHLIDXUSIndeed Hiring LabOctober 2026
Software development postings on Indeed, USIHLIDXUSTPSOFTDEVEIndeed Hiring LabOctober 2026
Hires rateJTSHIRBLS, JOLTSSeptember 2026
Layoffs and discharges rateJTSLDRBLS, JOLTSSeptember 2026
Quits rateJTSQURBLS, JOLTSSeptember 2026
Unemployment rate, 16 to 19 year oldsLNS14000012BLS, CPSOctober 2026
Unemployment rate, all workersUNRATEBLS, CPSOctober 2026
Software development postings on Indeed, United KingdomIHLIDXGBTPSOFTDEVEIndeed Hiring LabOctober 2026
Software development postings on Indeed, CanadaIHLIDXCATPSOFTDEVEIndeed Hiring LabOctober 2026
Software development postings on Indeed, GermanyIHLIDXDETPSOFTDEVEIndeed Hiring LabOctober 2026
Software development postings on Indeed, FranceIHLIDXFRTPSOFTDEVEIndeed Hiring LabOctober 2026
Software development postings on Indeed, AustraliaIHLIDXAUTPSOFTDEVEIndeed Hiring LabOctober 2026

Downloads: Payroll employment, thousands (CSV) · Hires, layoffs and quits rates, percent (CSV) · Unemployment rates, percent (CSV)

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Short answers

Questions this page answers

Are US tech jobs recovering?
Not in payrolls. Information sector employment was 2,734,000 in October 2026, 12.2% below its November 2022 peak and 4.2% lower than a year earlier. Demand is picking up, with Indeed's index of US software development postings up 22.3% on a year ago, so employers are posting more jobs than a year ago while employing fewer people in the sector.
Is AI causing tech layoffs?
The layoffs figures do not show it. The BLS layoffs and discharges rate across the economy was 1.0% in September 2026, below its 2019 average of 1.2%. Hiring is where the change shows, with a hires rate of 3.4% against 3.9% in 2019. These rates cover all industries, and they cannot separate AI from interest rates or any other cause.
Are software developer job postings going up?
Yes, from a low base. Indeed's index of US software development postings averaged 79.4 in October 2026 (1 February 2020 = 100), up 22.3% on a year ago. It is 65.4% below its February 2022 peak.
How often is the AI Jobs Monitor updated?
After every US jobs report, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics usually publishes on the first Friday of the month. This edition uses payroll data to October 2026, released on 6 November 2026, and job turnover data to September 2026. The next update follows the report due on 4 December 2026.