Tech and education are both cutting jobs in 2026, but on very different scales. Official Bureau of Labor Statistics data show employment in the information sector, which includes software publishing, internet and media companies, down 120,000 jobs (-4.2%) from September 2025 to September 2026. Education employment fell far less: private educational services were nearly unchanged (-0.1%), and state and local government education lost 48,500 jobs combined. Here is what the official numbers show, and why WARN notices only tell part of the story.
Key numbers (September 2026 vs. September 2025, preliminary)
- Information sector: 2.74 million jobs, down 120,000 (-4.2%)
- Private educational services: 4.05 million jobs, down 3,900 (-0.1%)
- Local government education: 8.20 million jobs, down 29,100 (-0.4%)
- State government education: 2.60 million jobs, down 19,400 (-0.7%)
- All US jobs: up 496,000 (+0.3%)
How much has employment changed in tech and education?
Switch between the percentage change and the number of jobs. All figures are seasonally adjusted BLS Current Employment Statistics for September 2026 compared with September 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics (series CES5000000001, CES6561000001, CES9093161101, CES9092161101, CES0000000001). September 2026 data are preliminary.
In percentage terms, the information sector shrank about six times faster than state government education and more than forty times faster than private educational services, while total US employment grew. Because public education is a much larger employer, its losses in absolute numbers are closer: 48,500 jobs in state and local government education combined, against 120,000 in information.
What do WARN notices show?
WARN notices list individual planned layoffs filed with the states. In the two states with detailed industry codes in our tracker:
| State and period | Education notices | Education workers | Information notices | Information workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California, Jul 1 - Oct 7, 2026 | 12 | 271 | 8 | 636 |
| New York, Jan 1 - Oct 9, 2026 | 8 | 274 | 4 | 278 |
Source: California EDD WARN report (industry codes 61 and 51, by date processed) and New York State Department of Labor WARN dashboard (by date posted). GoLayoffs analysis.
These numbers understate both sectors, for two different reasons:
- Public schools are not in WARN data. Federal WARN rules exclude state and local governments, so public school districts usually do not file notices. Teacher layoffs follow state education codes instead; see our guide to teacher layoff notices.
- Many tech companies are coded in other industries. In California's file, large tech notices from companies such as Oracle and Uber are classified under manufacturing or administrative services, not information. Our Tech Layoff Tracker follows tech companies directly instead.
The largest education notices in California this fiscal year came from the Foundation for California Community Colleges (178 workers) and Udemy (28). In New York, the largest included Career Systems Development Corporation and the College Association at Delhi (SUNY Delhi).
Why tech is cutting more
Tech companies explain their cuts in their own filings. As of October 12, 2026, our tracker lists 46 announcements by technology companies in 2026, and in 13 of them the company itself linked the cut to artificial intelligence, for example to an "AI-first" operating model or to shifting investment into AI. Others cite cost reduction or restructuring. See every case, with sources, in the Tech Layoff Tracker.
Education cuts follow a different logic: public budgets, enrollment and the end of temporary funding, decided on a school-year calendar. That is why teacher layoff notices cluster in spring, while tech layoffs arrive throughout the year.
What this means if you work in either sector
- Tech workers: watch your employer's SEC filings and state WARN notices; our company pages track them. Before signing anything, read how to negotiate severance.
- School employees: know your state's notice deadlines and hearing rights, and check your union contract.
- Everyone: official monthly data are on our jobs by industry and US layoffs statistics pages, updated automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Are tech layoffs worse than education layoffs in 2026?
By official employment data, yes. The BLS shows the information sector, which includes much of tech and media, had 120,000 fewer jobs in September 2026 than a year earlier (-4.2%), while private educational services were nearly flat (-0.1%) and state and local government education lost 48,500 jobs combined, less than 0.5%. These are preliminary figures.
Why don't teacher layoffs show up in WARN notices?
Federal WARN rules exclude local and state governments, so public school districts usually do not file WARN notices. Teacher layoffs follow state education codes instead, such as California's March 15 notice deadline.
How many tech companies announced layoffs in 2026?
As of October 12, 2026, the GoLayoffs Tech Layoff Tracker lists 46 layoff announcements by technology companies in 2026, each linked to an SEC filing or company statement.
What is the best data source to compare layoffs by industry?
For national totals, the BLS Current Employment Statistics show net job changes by industry and JOLTS shows layoffs and discharges. WARN notices show individual planned layoffs but cover only qualifying private-sector cuts.
Methodology and sources
Employment changes compare September 2026 with September 2025 in seasonally adjusted BLS Current Employment Statistics; September 2026 figures are preliminary and may be revised. WARN counts are GoLayoffs calculations from the official state files; New York notices that were amended are counted once. Tech announcements come from the GoLayoffs Tech Layoff Tracker as of October 12, 2026.