Alexandria, VA, July 8, 2026 – With tepid hiring by employers and many candidates reluctant to switch jobs, aggregate employment in IT remained essentially flat, inching up a mere 343 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 0.52%, adding 27,068 jobs. Engineering employment declined 0.01% in June and was down 0.9% compared to the same period last year, with a net loss of 26,418 jobs.
Source: TechServe Alliance and BLS
“While IT employment has stabilized after two years of anemic demand, the employment market still appears to be stuck in neutral,” said Mark Roberts, CEO of TechServe Alliance. “We see this in the data and the “on the ground” reports of our member companies. The labor market continues to be characterized by “low hire, low fire” with the hiring and quit rates remaining at cycle lows, even as layoff rates hold at a historically modest level.”
“Whether because of ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty, the redeployment of capital to fund AI infrastructure, or the belief that they can operate with fewer workers, employers remain cautious in their hiring. Candidates remain equally cautious about changing jobs in this environment. Despite these trends, demand for talent in high-demand skill sets remains strong. Whether this measured hiring environment transitions into broader employment growth will likely depend on increased confidence among business leaders and a willingness among employers to expand hiring beyond the highest-priority technology roles,” Roberts added.
To access the interactive IT & Engineering Employment Index, please click here.
