Three years of layoffs. Entry-level hiring collapsed 73%. 500+ applications for one job. AI replacing junior roles. Here's what the data actually shows about breaking into tech in 2025.
Total damage: 630,000+ tech workers laid off since 2022. That's more than the entire population of Milwaukee. And these are just the publicly reported numbers.
Entry-level tech hiring has collapsed 73% in the past year. Before the pandemic, new grads made up 15% of Big Tech hires. Now? 7%. Meanwhile, the supply of candidates has exploded.
Tech job postings aren't declining equally across cities:
Remote work reality: Only 35% of engineering jobs are open to remote candidates (down from 56% in 2022). But remote jobs get 4.5X as many applications. Remote work made the market more competitive, not less.
78% of tech roles now include AI technical skills. Companies aren't using AI to help junior engineers—they're using AI to replace junior engineers.
What employers are thinking: "Entry-level marketing jobs are using generative AI to create first drafts. Early career data analysts are using AI to prepare datasets. Why pay $70K for a junior when ChatGPT costs $20/month?"
The jobs AI is taking first: Data entry, basic coding tasks, documentation writing, junior QA testing, content creation, basic data analysis—all the tasks that used to be stepping stones for entry-level workers.
Fed Governor Christopher Waller (October 2025): "Layoffs and reductions in hiring plans due to AI use are expected to increase, especially for workers with a college degree."
Is tech dead? No. Is breaking into tech brutally hard in 2025? Yes.
The 2020-2021 hiring boom was an anomaly. Tech jobs are still growing—BLS projects +317,700 annual openings through 2034. But those jobs aren't going to fresh CS grads cold-applying on LinkedIn.
If you're trying to break in: The entry-level market is a bloodbath. 300-500 applications per role. 73% drop in entry-level hiring. 70% of recent grads don't have jobs in their field. Generic "software engineer" applications go into a black hole. You need specialization (AI/ML, cybersecurity, cloud), referrals, proof of work (GitHub portfolio, not just Leetcode), and frankly, a backup plan.
If you're already in: The experienced market is better but still competitive. 500,000+ laid-off senior engineers are competing for the same roles. Specialize in high-demand areas (AI, security, cloud). Generic full-stack developers are competing with AI and millions of others. The middle is disappearing—you're either indispensable or replaceable.
The CS degree question: A CS degree still helps you pass resume screens, but it won't carry you alone. 95% of employers say it's harder to find candidates with the right skills despite record CS enrollment. The degree gets you in the door; actual projects, internships, and specialized skills get you hired.
The harsh truth: Tech is still a good career—for those who can actually break in. But the guaranteed path to $100K+ that everyone promised? That's over. The market has permanently changed. The question isn't whether tech jobs exist (they do). The question is whether YOU can compete for them in 2025.
If you're a student or recent grad:
If you're laid off or job searching:
The new reality: Success in tech requires strategy, not just skill. The spray-and-pray approach doesn't work anymore. You need proof of work, specialized skills, and realistic expectations about timelines and competition.
Data Sources: Layoffs.fyi, TrueUp.io Tech Layoff Tracker, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Ravio 2025 Tech Job Market Report, Indeed Hiring Lab, SignalFire, Revelio Labs, Crunchbase News, National Association of Colleges and Employers, Wellfound, General Assembly State of Tech Talent 2025, Federal Reserve research, Harvard Business School, MIT research, World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report, CompTIA State of Tech Workforce, Robert Half 2025-2026 reports, AI Workforce Consortium (Cisco), Cengage Group Graduate Employability Report, PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer.