Alexandria, VA, May 12, 2026 – While the broader labor market exceeded expectations adding 115,000 jobs in April, aggregate employment in IT remained effectively flat in April, ticking down 210 jobs month-over-month, according to TechServe Alliance, the national trade association for the IT & Engineering Staffing and Solutions Industry. On a year-over-year basis, IT employment grew 0.66%, adding 34,636 jobs. Engineering employment was also essentially flat, declining 0.05% in April and down 0.94% compared to the same period last year, with a net loss of 26,754 jobs.
Source: TechServe Alliance and BLS
“IT employment has remained flat since the beginning of the year. While industry executives report some increase in client demand, improvement remains uneven and choppy,” said Roberts. “We are seeing increased job orders, but those orders are not always being fully realized in the form of actual hires. With continued economic and geopolitical uncertainty — coupled with the breakneck pace of AI advancement — clients remain cautious, with elongated hiring processes and a focus on critical roles such as AI, data, and cybersecurity. The ‘Great Stay,’ combined with a persistent reluctance to hire, has yet to give way to a broad-based increase in IT hiring.”
“The broader story is one of cautious recovery: firms are hiring deliberately, clients are extending decision timelines, and the path forward will depend on whether the early indications of positive momentum continue through Q2,” Roberts added.
Source: TechServe Alliance and BLS
To access the interactive IT & Engineering Employment Index, please click here.
