August 2025: Final Month of Summer Holds Strong

The tech labor market showed resilience as summer came to a close. According to CompTIA’s latest analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, U.S. employers added an estimated 247,000 technology workers in August. While month-to-month fluctuations in hiring can look dramatic, they tend to even out across the year—suggesting the sector is on stable footing heading into fall.

Tech unemployment edged up slightly, rising to 3% from July’s 2.9%. Even with that modest increase, the rate remains well below the national unemployment average, reinforcing just how tight the market for skilled technology professionals continues to be. Roughly 6.9 million people are currently employed in core tech occupations nationwide.

On the employer side, tech companies trimmed about 2,300 positions across all job categories in August. That’s a relatively small adjustment, especially since earlier reports for July were revised upward, showing less of a slowdown than initially believed.

Meanwhile, demand for talent remains strong. There were nearly 447,000 active tech job postings in August, only a slight dip from July. Of those, about 187,000 were brand new listings, led by roles for software developers, systems architects, technical support, and cybersecurity professionals.

Perhaps the most eye-catching trend was in artificial intelligence. CompTIA’s AI Hiring Intent Index jumped 94% year over year in August, underscoring employers’ accelerating push to bring AI skills into their organizations.

The majority of postings targeted mid-career professionals with 4–7 years of experience (29%), followed by early-career (21%) and senior (16%) roles, showing that hiring intent spans across the talent pipeline.

Geographically, job postings were down marginally month-over-month in most states and metros, though a handful of markets—such as San Jose and Little Rock—posted modest increases.

The Outlook: Steady Summer, Busier Fall

While August didn’t deliver huge spikes in tech job growth, it also avoided sharp declines. Low unemployment, steady demand for software and cybersecurity roles, and surging interest in AI talent all point to a market that held firm during the final month of summer.

As companies return from seasonal slowdowns, September and the fall months ahead are likely to see a pickup in hiring activity—especially in AI and other in-demand specialties.