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April job cuts up nearly 40%: See which industries had the most layoffs

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Published  May 7, 2026 5:24pm CDT
Economy
FOX Local
article

FILE - Person carries out a box of belongings after losing job. (Getty Images) 

The Brief

    • April job cuts rose 38% from March, but year-to-date layoffs are still down 50% from 2025.
    • Hiring remains slower than last year, reflecting a "low fire, low hire" job market.
    • Tech layoffs continue to lead, with AI cited as a key factor.

Jobs cuts in the United States were up by nearly 40% for the month of April, with tech companies leading the way for the most layoffs so far this year.

By the numbers:

Data collected by Challenger, Gray & Christmas found that in April alone, U.S.-based employers announced 83,387 job cuts, up from the 60,620 cuts recorded in March.

April’s total is the third-highest since 2009, according to The Challenger Report, Challenger, Gray & Christmas’ monthly jobs report.

So far in 2026, employers announced 300,749 job cuts, which is down about 50% compared to the same time last year. 

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Tech companies cut the most jobs

Dig deeper:

Tech companies announced 33,361 job cuts in April alone, totaling 85,411 job cuts so far in 2026, according to the report. The cuts are up 33% compared to the same time last year. 

What they're saying:

"Technology companies continue to announce large-scale cuts and are leading all industries in layoff announcements.They are also often citing AI spend and innovation. Regardless of whether individual jobs are being replaced by AI, the money for those roles is," said Andy Challenger, workplace expert and chief revenue officer for Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Other industries seeing significant layoffs include: 

  • Government: Plans to cut 9,149 jobs
  • Warehousing: Cut 5,743 jobs in April
  • Services: Cut 4,110 jobs in April
  • Pharmaceutical: Plans to cut 7,4400 jobs
  • Chemical: Cut 4,975 jobs in April
  • Industrial goods: Plans to cut 7,799 jobs
  • Media: Cut 1,462 jobs in April
  • News: Cut 200 jobs in April

Why are companies cutting jobs? 

Big picture view:

The factor driving jobs cuts in April was due in part to the shift in focus to Artificial Intelligence, according to the report. Roughly 26% of companies cited AI as the reason for its layoffs. 

Other reasons included: 

  • Closings
  • Cost-cutting measures
  • Voluntary severance/buyouts
  • Market and economic conditions
  • Restructuring
  • Contract loss

Which industries are hiring? 

The other side:

Overall, hiring plans decreased by about 69% in April, according to the report. 

But there are several industries that are actively hiring, including: 

  • Automotive
  • Entertainment/leisure
  • Aerospace/defense
  • Consumer products

The Source: Information for this article was taken from a news release based on an April 2026 job’s report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a global outplacement and executive coaching firm. This story was reported from San Jose. 

Economy