Tech job demand reaches three-year high
US IT job postings rose 22.4% year on year in September. Demand for AI skills increased while tech occupation employment was flat.
Employer demand for IT workers in the US reached its highest level in more than three years in September, with active job postings rising to 625,633, according to CompTIA’s analysis of Lightcast data.
Active postings increased 22.4% compared with September 2025. Employers advertised 272,040 new IT openings during the month, up 16% year on year.
Employment in tech occupations across all industries was essentially flat in September, with more than seven million people employed. Rising job postings have yet to translate into growth in that employment measure.
Active postings requiring AI-related skills across the US labour market reached 349,821, an increase of 32,327 from August and approximately 282% since May 2024. This measure covers occupations across the labour market, rather than IT roles alone.
Employers also advertised 13,636 active openings within CompTIA’s dedicated AI and machine learning job titles group, nearly triple the level recorded in May 2024.
Seth Robinson, vice president, research, at CompTIA, said: ‘Even in an environment where employers remain generally cautious about hiring, there is still strong demand for the core IT skills that can help companies build digital discipline and advance AI adoption.’
Software developers and engineers attracted 47,598 new postings, up 8.3% from August. Systems engineers followed with 36,146, ahead of tech support specialists, data analysts and DevOps engineers.
Job postings increased month on month in 23 of the 30 highest-volume technology occupations and 16 of the 20 industries tracked by CompTIA. Professional, scientific and technical services recorded the most IT postings, followed by manufacturing and administrative and support services.
CompTIA combines Lightcast employer job postings with US Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data. Advertised openings do not measure completed hires or establish whether AI is creating or removing jobs. CompTIA cautions that monthly occupation employment estimates are volatile and advises assessing longer-term trends.
US tech and AI skills demand, September 2026
AI skills postings cover the whole labour market and are not a subset of the IT postings total. Active postings and new postings are separate measures. Figures may be revised.
Source: CompTIA Tech Jobs Report, October 2026 release, and CompTIA announcement, 2 October 2026. Job postings: Lightcast. Employment: US Bureau of Labor Statistics.