For U.S. IT workers weighing a move in 2023, the answer depended on the role—not on a blanket verdict about “tech.” The wider labor market cooled, while Bureau of Labor Statistics projections later showed sharply different outlooks for different computer occupations. Those projections offer context, not a promise about a particular job search or offer.
What did the U.S. job market look like in 2023?
The U.S. labor market cooled over the year: annual job openings and hires fell, while layoffs and discharges rose, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ retrospective on Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data. These are economy-wide measures, not counts of technology hiring or layoffs. BLS’s 2023 JOLTS review
At the end of December 2023, there were 9.0 million U.S. job openings on the last business day of the month. That was below the series high of 12.0 million in March 2022. The figures come from BLS’s economy-wide JOLTS estimates; they do not identify how many openings were in IT. The agency wrote, “The number of job openings changed little at 9.0 million on the last business day of December.” BLS December 2023 JOLTS release, published January 30, 2024
Which IT occupations had stronger or weaker projections?
BLS projections published in 2024 estimated employment change across the United States from a 2023 baseline through 2033. They are not counts of 2023 job postings, current vacancies, or a guarantee that an individual will find work. BLS occupational categories also do not cover every job an employer may label “IT.”
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute#1 Best Overall
| Occupation or group | Projected employment change, 2023–33 |
|---|---|
| Computer and mathematical occupations | 12.9% growth |
| Information security analysts | 32.7% growth |
| Software developers | 17.9% growth |
| Network and computer systems administrators | 2.6% decline |
| Computer programmers | 9.6% decline |
All figures are U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections for 2023–33, published in 2024—not observed openings in 2023. The computer and mathematical occupational group was projected to be the second-fastest-growing of 22 occupational groups. BLS overview of 2023–33 employment projections
Why do the outlooks differ?
BLS identifies demand for IT products and services—including software, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure and data centers—as support for some occupations. AI-related work may also contribute to demand. At the same time, automation of routine functions can constrain demand for certain tasks and roles. The balance varies by occupation; a projected decline in one category does not mean every worker in it will lose a job, just as strong projected growth does not guarantee an opening for every candidate.
Rank #2
Should you take an IT job or change jobs?
National statistics cannot decide whether an individual should accept an offer or leave a current role. The cited figures do not establish conditions in a particular city, employer, specialty, or candidate’s circumstances. Use them to frame questions, then assess the specific work and terms in front of you.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Author: Bungay Stanier, Michael.
- Publisher: Page Two
- Pages: 244
- Publication Date: 2016-02-29
- Edition: 1
- Identify the work, not just the label. Compare the responsibilities and occupation most closely related to the role with the BLS projections; an employer’s broad “IT” label may not map neatly to one category.
- Look for durable sources of demand. Determine whether the job centers on software, cybersecurity, cloud or data infrastructure, or other work connected to the demand drivers BLS describes.
- Ask how routine tasks are changing. Consider which responsibilities may be automated and what judgment, technical depth, or adjacent skills the role requires.
- Evaluate the offer on its own terms. Consider compensation, responsibilities, location, stability, growth opportunities, and how the change fits your financial obligations and risk tolerance. Those personal factors cannot be resolved by national projections.
- Separate a long-range outlook from a near-term search. A projection through 2033 does not tell you how many suitable vacancies are open now or how competitive a specific hiring process will be.
How to read the numbers without overreaching
- The 9.0 million and 12.0 million figures describe economy-wide U.S. job openings at two historical points, not IT-only hiring.
- The occupation percentages are BLS estimates of employment change over 2023–33, published in 2024, not actual job growth already recorded in 2023.
- Projections describe expected change under assumptions. They are useful for comparing occupational direction, not for promising a hiring outcome or predicting an individual candidate’s prospects.
- The evidence is U.S.-specific. It does not establish labor-market conditions in another country or the outlook at a particular employer.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
