A forecast points to 3.7 million unfilled tech positions globally, while U.S. software developer jobs are projected to grow 26% and information security analyst roles 32%. The shortage is already visible, with 76% of organizations reporting skills gaps and 38% of employers unable to find enough qualified candidates.
Key Takeaways
- US employment of software developers is projected to grow by 26% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations
- US employment of information security analysts is projected to grow by 32% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations
- US employment of computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow by 13% from 2022 to 2032
- $2.0 billion global market size for developer tools in 2023 (A developer tools spend benchmark)
- 76% of organizations report that the cost of hiring and retaining tech talent is a top concern
- 48% of HR leaders report that they are having difficulty hiring due to skills gaps (HR survey)
- 52% of companies say they have difficulty hiring specific technology roles (career/skills survey)
- 44% of organizations say they face shortages of skills in cloud computing (survey benchmark)
- 44% of organizations report shortages of skills in cloud computing (survey benchmark), continuing to show persistent cloud talent constraints
- 57% of firms say the skills gap is a barrier to adopting analytics and data initiatives
- 20.3% of organizations report difficulty filling AI-related roles, contributing to AI talent shortages
- 78% of organizations report they are struggling to keep up with the pace of technology change, increasing internal reskilling needs
- 60% of workers say they need to learn new skills to keep their jobs, indicating reskilling pressure
- 63% of organizations say employee retention is a major challenge for tech talent
- In the US, tech workers switching jobs averaged 4.0% per month in early 2024, indicating mobility that can intensify retention challenges
Tech roles are projected to grow fast while skills and cybersecurity gaps persist, driving higher hiring costs.
Related reading
01 · Category
Workforce Gaps7 stats
01
US employment of software developers is projected to grow by 26% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations
02
US employment of information security analysts is projected to grow by 32% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations
03
US employment of computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow by 13% from 2022 to 2032
04
The U.S. has 164,000 fewer cybersecurity professionals than needed to meet demand (ISC2 estimate)
05
3.7 million unfilled tech positions globally by 2025, according to a skills gap forecast
06
38% of employers say they cannot find enough candidates with the skills they need, contributing to the tech talent shortage
07
76% of organizations reported that they had a skills shortage in 2023, with technology-related skills among the most impacted
Interpretation
Workforce Gaps Interpretation
The workforce gaps behind the tech talent shortage are widening, with U.S. demand for roles like software developers and information security analysts projected to grow by 26% and 32% respectively while the U.S. faces a shortage of 164,000 cybersecurity professionals and globally 3.7 million tech jobs remain unfilled by 2025.
02 · Category
Cost Analysis2 stats
01
$2.0 billion global market size for developer tools in 2023 (A developer tools spend benchmark)
02
76% of organizations report that the cost of hiring and retaining tech talent is a top concern
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
With the developer tools market reaching $2.0 billion in 2023 alongside 76% of organizations flagging hiring and retention costs as a top concern, the cost pressure around tech talent is clearly a major driver of how much businesses invest in tools and staffing.
03 · Category
Hiring Frictions2 stats
01
48% of HR leaders report that they are having difficulty hiring due to skills gaps (HR survey)
02
52% of companies say they have difficulty hiring specific technology roles (career/skills survey)
Interpretation
Hiring Frictions Interpretation
Hiring frictions are showing up clearly, with 48% of HR leaders citing skills gaps as the cause and 52% of companies struggling to hire specific technology roles.
04 · Category
Industry Trends1 stats
01
44% of organizations say they face shortages of skills in cloud computing (survey benchmark)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In the industry trends data, 44% of organizations report skill shortages in cloud computing, highlighting how employers are increasingly struggling to find the talent needed to keep pace with cloud-driven technology demands.
05 · Category
Cloud & Data Skills3 stats
01
44% of organizations report shortages of skills in cloud computing (survey benchmark), continuing to show persistent cloud talent constraints
02
57% of firms say the skills gap is a barrier to adopting analytics and data initiatives
03
20.3% of organizations report difficulty filling AI-related roles, contributing to AI talent shortages
Interpretation
Cloud & Data Skills Interpretation
For Cloud and Data skills, shortages are persistent, with 44% of organizations reporting cloud computing skill gaps and 57% saying the skills gap blocks analytics adoption, while 20.3% struggle to fill AI roles, signaling a widening shortage across the entire cloud and data talent pipeline.
06 · Category
Reskilling & Retention5 stats
01
78% of organizations report they are struggling to keep up with the pace of technology change, increasing internal reskilling needs
02
60% of workers say they need to learn new skills to keep their jobs, indicating reskilling pressure
03
63% of organizations say employee retention is a major challenge for tech talent
04
34% of workers report they changed jobs in the past year due to lack of growth or pay concerns, relevant for retention dynamics in tech
05
23% of respondents say they would take a pay cut to pursue better learning or development opportunities
Interpretation
Reskilling & Retention Interpretation
With 78% of organizations struggling to keep up and 63% citing retention as a major challenge, the reskilling and retention link is becoming more urgent, reinforced by 60% of workers saying they need new skills to stay employed.
More related reading
07 · Category
Cost & Hiring Economics4 stats
01
In the US, tech workers switching jobs averaged 4.0% per month in early 2024, indicating mobility that can intensify retention challenges
02
$6,500average cost to replace an employee in 2023, with indirect costs often impacting tech hiring budgets
03
Global spending on HR technology reached $41.3 billion in 2023, supporting hiring workflows and screening tools in tech talent acquisition
04
Software developers’ median pay in the US was $127,260in 2023, making compensation a major lever in tech hiring
Interpretation
Cost & Hiring Economics Interpretation
From a Cost & Hiring Economics perspective, the average $6,500 cost to replace an employee in 2023 and software developers’ $127,260 median pay are happening alongside a 4.0% monthly job-switching rate in early 2024, so retention and compensation costs can quickly strain tech hiring budgets.
08 · Category
Skills Gap1 stats
01
61% of organizations cite skills gaps as a barrier to implementing AI or AI-driven initiatives
Interpretation
Skills Gap Interpretation
In the context of the Skills Gap, 61% of organizations report that skills gaps are a key barrier to rolling out AI or AI-driven initiatives, highlighting how talent constraints are slowing adoption.
09 · Category
Cybersecurity Demand2 stats
01
64% of organizations report their cybersecurity workforce is at risk due to high job vacancies and resignations
02
74% of organizations expect to face difficulty hiring cybersecurity professionals over the next 12 months
Interpretation
Cybersecurity Demand Interpretation
For cybersecurity demand, the pressure is clearly building as 74% of organizations expect hiring cybersecurity professionals to be difficult in the next 12 months and 64% say their current workforce is already at risk due to high vacancies and resignations.
10 · Category
Retention & Mobility1 stats
01
34% of organizations report that they will increase learning and development spend to address tech skills gaps
Interpretation
Retention & Mobility Interpretation
With 34% of organizations planning to increase learning and development spend to address tech skills gaps, Retention and Mobility efforts are clearly shifting toward upskilling as a strategy to keep talent from falling behind and wanting to move on.
11 · Category
Cost & Investment1 stats
01
$41.3 billion global HR technology spending in 2023, supporting hiring workflows and talent management tools
Interpretation
Cost & Investment Interpretation
With global HR technology spending reaching $41.3 billion in 2023, companies are clearly investing heavily in hiring workflows and talent management to help address Tech Talent Shortage pressures under the Cost and Investment category.
report visual · Breakdown
Tech Talent Shortage: Growth Pressure & Hiring Gaps
Tech roles are projected to grow faster than overall employment, while organizations report persistent difficulty filling positions and skills gaps.
26%
US employment of software developers is projected to grow by 26% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occu
74%
74% of organizations expect to face difficulty hiring cybersecurity professionals over the next 12 months
source-verifiedbls.gov · cybint.com2022
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lukas Bauer. (2026, February 13). Tech Talent Shortage Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/tech-talent-shortage-statistics
MLA
Lukas Bauer. "Tech Talent Shortage Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/tech-talent-shortage-statistics.
Chicago
Lukas Bauer. 2026. "Tech Talent Shortage Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/tech-talent-shortage-statistics.
Sources & references
29 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+9 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)