Over the past eighteen months, more than 170,000 U.S. tech workers lost their jobs, with layoffs rising 35% in early 2025. Programming roles shrank by 27% between 2022 and 2024, while average tech salaries dropped over 12%. Many displaced workers moved to smaller tech firms, finance, consulting, healthcare, or logistics, while others pursued freelancing, entrepreneurship, or public sector roles, especially cybersecurity. Reskilling in AI and advanced tech skills has surged. However, entry-level hiring declined sharply, creating a divide between established professionals and newcomers. This situation demands stronger reskilling, hiring incentives, and labor mobility support across industries.
