US Software Developer Employment Aged 22-25 Drops 19% Since 2022
July 4, 2026
ADP payroll data from Stanford's Digital Economy Lab shows a 19% decline in US software developers aged 22 to 25 since late 2022. While developers over 30 saw growth, including a 14% increase in the 41-49 age cohort, entry-level demand has collapsed as startups substitute compute for labor.
HOW THIS AFFECTS YOU
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founderYou can increasingly replace entry-level engineering headcount with compute to scale development.
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investorLabor trends suggest a shift in startup cost structures from payroll to compute expenses.