Top 10 industries with the most job cuts by 2025
By 2025, the US will see 744,000 job losses, with government, retail, and tech leading the way due to the impact of AI, tariffs, and DOGE policies.
More than 744,000 US workers lost their jobs in just the first 6 months of the year
According to data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, by the end of June 2025, the number of laid-off workers in the US had reached 744,000, nearly double the same period last year.
Many large corporations such as Microsoft, Intel, Walmart and Amazon have carried out large-scale staff cuts, in the context of factors such as artificial intelligence, tax policies and government policy instability reshaping the labor market.
Government is the leading industry in layoffs.
The government sector recorded the largest reductions in staffing, with 288,600 jobs eliminated, accounting for 39% of the total layoffs nationwide in the first half of the year. Washington, DC, was the hardest hit area.
In addition to the official numbers, a growing number of federal employees are also choosing to retire early or take severance pay to avoid sudden layoffs.
Retail and tech industries face a wave of big cuts
The retail industry saw layoffs of up to 79,900 jobs, more than three times higher than the same period in 2024. Businesses in this sector are directly affected by trade policy and a decline in consumer spending.
The tech industry has not been spared, with a total of 76,200 jobs cut – a 27% increase from the same period last year. Microsoft has laid off at least 15,000 people, while Intel has announced plans to reduce its workforce by 15% to cut costs.
10 industries with the highest number of layoffs in the US in 2025 (as of June 30)
| Branch | Number of jobs cut (2024) | Number of jobs cut (2025) |
| Government | 37,000 | 288,600 |
| Retail | 22,500 | 79,900 |
| Technology | 59,900 | 76,200 |
| Service | 27,800 | 48,700 |
| Consumer goods | 21,000 | 31,400 |
| Health care | 23,500 | 30,100 |
| Finance | 31,500 | 25,800 |
| Logistics | 14,300 | 24,400 |
| Non-profit organization | 3,300 | 16,900 |
| Telecommunications | 3,400 | 14,900 |
Experts say the rapid development of AI is causing many positions to be replaced. At the same time, policy instability from the federal government and new tariff barriers are also contributing to increased cost pressures and pushing businesses to cut staff.
