Why Entry-Level Tech Jobs Are Down 25% Since 2023

Entry-Level Tech Jobs Are Down 25%. Here's What Happened

Companies still need the work done, they just don't need someone new to do it.

Sep 9, 2026

Unlike what early predictions suggested, artificial intelligence hasn't replaced entire professions at scale. Instead, the technology has been disruptive in other ways, taking over parts of the work that junior employees once handled, from basic coding and research to data analysis and routine administrative tasks.

Entry-level job postings, roles that require at least a college degree, are down more than 35% from January 2023, a drop equal to over 100,000 fewer new postings a month, while non-entry-level roles have been recovering over the same period, according to a study from Revelio Labs.

Meanwhile, a 10-percentage point increase in a role's AI exposure is associated with an 11% drop in demand for that role at entry level, and a 7% increase in demand for the same role at senior level.

For individuals trying to break into tech, this could now prove to be a problem as businesses integrate AI across their operations.

Why the pathway is disappearing, not just the jobs?

While there are many factors contributing to why this is happening, from experience inflation and economic uncertainty to leaner corporate structures, a more dominant factor is AI and automation.

Generative AI tools now handle routine drafting, basic coding, data entry, and customer support tasks that were previously assigned to junior staff, making these roles less necessary as companies find they can get more done with fewer people. As a result, some organizations are reducing the number of entry-level positions they hire for.

In tech specifically, the effect is further revealed by the numbers. According to Revelio Labs data, Entry-level demand across the industry is down roughly 25%, the steepest decline of any major graduate-hiring sector. Within that, the most AI-exposed junior roles are down by more than 40%, more than any other category tracked.

Then there are the roles emerging to maximise the use of AI, which aren't built to be as forgiving of inexperience either. As routine work becomes automated, more specialised positions are emerging around what is left.

"There's a couple of roles that are popping up in the tech world," says Kaan Un, a Lead GTM Engineer for B2B, pointing to GTM engineering and forward-deployed engineering, a role Palantir pioneered, as examples.