Top 10 industries expected to cut the most jobs in 2025
In 2025, the US projected 744,000 job cuts, with government, retail, and technology leading the way due to the impact of AI, tariffs, and the DOGE policy.
More than 744,000 American workers lost their jobs in the first six months of the year alone.
According to data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, as of the end of June 2025, the number of laid-offs in the US had reached 744,000, nearly double the number from the same period last year.
Many large corporations such as Microsoft, Intel, Walmart, and Amazon have undertaken large-scale job cuts, as factors such as artificial intelligence, tariff policies, and government policy uncertainty are reshaping the labor market.
The government sector is the leading provider of layoffs.
The government sector saw the largest number of job cuts, with 288,600 jobs eliminated, accounting for 39% of all layoffs nationwide in the first half of the year. Washington D.C. was the hardest hit area.
In addition to the officially released figures, a number of federal employees are also choosing to retire early or receive severance pay to avoid sudden layoffs.
The retail and technology sectors face a wave of massive layoffs.
The retail sector saw layoffs totaling 79,900 jobs, more than three times the number for the same period in 2024. Businesses in this sector were directly impacted by trade policies and declining consumer spending.
The technology sector was not immune to layoffs, with a total of 76,200 jobs cut – a 27% increase compared to the same period last year. Microsoft laid off at least 15,000 people, while Intel announced plans to reduce its workforce by 15% to cut costs.
Top 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 to be 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 |
| Healthcare | 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 believe that the rapid development of AI is leading to the replacement of many positions. At the same time, policy uncertainty from the federal government and new tariff barriers are contributing to increased cost pressures and prompting businesses to cut staff.
