Photo: Luca Nardone / Pexels
America’s information industry loses 23,000 jobs in August, hitting lowest level since 2015
The sector's steepest monthly decline in over a year lands while the rest of the economy quietly adds 162,000 jobs
The US information sector shed 23,000 positions in August, dragging employment down to 2.745 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That figure represents the industry’s lowest headcount since 2015, excluding the brief pandemic crater.
Where the cuts landed
The losses weren’t spread evenly. Computing infrastructure providers, data processing firms, and web hosting companies bore the heaviest burden, collectively losing 8,000 jobs. Publishing industries followed with 7,000 cuts. Broadcasting and content providers dropped another 5,000 positions.
The August figure also represents the sector’s steepest single-month loss in more than a year. Over the prior twelve months, the information industry had averaged 8,000 job losses per month, making August’s 23,000-job drop nearly three times worse than the recent trend.
Year-over-year, employment in the information sector has fallen by 115,000 jobs compared to August 2025, a decline of 4.0%.
The news moving money, markets, and the world—before your day starts.
Daily. Free. Join 34,000+ readers across crypto, finance, and policy.
The rest of the economy didn’t get the memo
Total nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, and the national unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%. Food services and drinking places alone added 59,000 jobs during the month.