---
source: Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
url: https://www.challengergray.com/blog/challenger-report-april-job-cuts-rise-38-from-march-ytd-cuts-down-50/
document_type: pdf
date_retrieved: 2026-05-07
period: April 2026
parent_publication: Challenger Report
indicators_covered: [Job Cuts]
---

# Challenger Report: April 2026 Job Cuts

U.S.-based employers announced **83,387 job cuts** in April 2026, up 38% from the 60,620 job cuts recorded in March 2026. It is down 21% from the 105,441 cuts announced during the same month last year.

Year-to-date through April 2026, employers have announced 300,749 job cuts, down 50% from the 602,493 cuts recorded through April 2025.

April’s total is the third highest since 2009, after April 2025 (105,441) and April 2020 (671,129).

## Key Findings

**Technology sector** led all industries with 33,361 cuts in April for a year-to-date total of 85,411, a 33% increase from the 64,118 layoffs announced in this sector during the same period last year. This is the highest YTD total for Technology since 2023.

**Government** entities announced 9,149 job cuts in April, the highest monthly total since March 2025. Year-to-date Government cuts stand at 11,419, down 96% from the 282,227 cuts announced through April 2025.

**Warehousing** announced 5,743 cuts in April for a YTD total of 10,512, down 65% from the 30,057 cuts announced through April 2025.

**Services** sector cut 4,110 jobs in April for a YTD total of 10,797, down 50% from the 21,781 job cuts announced through April last year.

**Pharmaceutical** companies have announced plans to cut 7,440 jobs through April, an increase of 500% from the 1,238 cuts announced in the same period in 2025.

**Chemical** companies announced 4,975 job cuts, an increase of 167% from the 1,863 cuts announced through April 2025.

**Industrial Manufacturing** announced 7,799 job cuts YTD, up 71% from the 4,563 cuts announced in the same period in 2025.

**Media & News** announced 1,462 cuts in April, nearly doubling the YTD total to 2,954. News (subset) announced 200 job cuts in April for a total of 839, up 46% from the 573 cuts announced during the same period last year.

## Reasons for Cuts

**Artificial Intelligence (AI)** led all reasons for job cuts in April with 21,490 announced during the month (26% of total cuts). This reason has been cited for 49,135 cuts year-to-date, accounting for roughly 16% of all 2026 job cut plans, up from 13% through March.

Through April 2026, **Market and Economic Conditions** lead all reasons year-to-date with 53,058 cuts, followed by **Closings** with 52,187, **Restructuring** with 42,307, and **Contract Loss** with 34,484.

## Hiring Plans

Hiring plans fell 69% in April to 10,049 from 32,826 in March. They are down 38% from the 16,191 hiring plans announced in April 2025. Year-to-date, employers have announced plans to hire 60,936 workers, down 13% from 70,058 new hires announced during the same period in 2025.

**Government** led April hiring with 2,350 announced positions, followed by **Technology** with 1,980 and **Food** with 1,348.

Year-to-date, **Automotive** leads all industries with 12,258 hiring plans, more than double the 4,874 announced through April 2025.

## Executive Summary Tables

### Month-by-Month Totals

| Month   | 2026    | 2025    |
|---------|---------|---------|
| January | 108,435 | 49,795  |
| February| 48,307  | 172,017 |
| March   | 60,620  | 275,240 |
| April   | 83,387  | 105,441 |

### Top Five Industries YTD

| Industry              | 2026    | 2025    |
|-----------------------|---------|---------|
| Technology            | 85,411  | 64,118  |
| Transportation        | 33,479  | 5,679   |
| Health Care/Products  | 27,162  | 19,494  |
| Education             | 15,260  | 7,243   |
| Government            | 11,419  | 282,227 |