Entry-Level Job Market in the US: Week of October 6, 2026 - Over 8,700 New Openings Posted

FirstHire tracked 8,713 new entry-level job openings in the United States for the week ending October 6, 2026. Hiring for recent graduates remains steady but cautious, with an emphasis on skills-based evaluation and a mix of virtual and in-person recruiting.

This week's numbers show continued demand for entry-level talent across various sectors, with top employers including IBM, SpaceX, and Epic. Over half of all new roles posted did not require any prior work experience.

Openings this week

Of the 8,713 new jobs for candidates with 0-2 years of experience that FirstHire tracked this week, 5,012 (57.5%) required no previous professional experience. This reflects a broader trend of employers focusing more on skills and potential rather than time in a previous role.

Demand for on-site work remains dominant, but some flexibility is available. FirstHire found that 419 roles were fully remote and another 548 were hybrid. Combined, these flexible-location jobs make up about 11% of all new openings this week. You can browse all remote entry-level jobs on FirstHire.

Internship recruiting is also active, with 366 new positions posted this week. Many companies are opening applications now for Spring and Summer 2027 programs. You can find these on FirstHire's internships in the US page.

Who is hiring

Top Companies: Hiring was distributed across 4,815 different companies this week. Technology and aerospace firms led the way, with IBM and SpaceX each posting 37 new entry-level roles. They were followed closely by healthcare software company Epic (34) and defense technology firm Anduril Industries (34). Other major companies with significant entry-level hiring include Walmart (31), Boeing (27), Amazon (25), and Tata Consultancy Services (25).

Top Cities: New York City remains the largest single market for entry-level jobs, with 419 new openings. Other major hubs for hiring this week were Chicago (155), San Francisco (143), Houston (139), and Atlanta (123). Boston, Austin, and Dallas also saw over 100 new entry-level jobs each. You can explore openings in these markets on pages like entry-level jobs in New York and entry-level jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Top Roles: The most common roles for new graduates this week were in Sales and business development, with 663 openings. Finance and accounting (624) and Software engineering (558) were also areas of high demand. Other key functions included customer support (420), non-software engineering (410), and marketing (408). You can find roles like these on pages for new grad software engineer jobs and entry-level data analyst jobs.

What it pays

Of the jobs tracked this week, 789 included an annual salary range. Based on this sample, the median midpoint of posted salary ranges was $80,000 per year. For hourly positions, FirstHire analyzed a sample of 434 openings and found a median midpoint of $26 per hour.

The "midpoint" represents the value halfway between the lowest and highest end of a company's stated pay range. It is a useful benchmark for typical compensation, but actual offers will depend on factors like your skills, experience, and location.

Hiring news this week

• Cautious Labor Market: The broader US job market showed slower growth in September, with the economy adding 29,000 jobs, below forecasts. A report from Marcus & Millichap noted that the unemployment rate for recent college graduates remains above 5%, as companies hire more selectively. This environment reinforces the trend of employers prioritizing skills-based hiring over traditional metrics like GPA.

• Internship Deadlines Approaching: The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is accepting applications for its paid Blavatnik Internship Program for Spring 2027 in New York, Washington, D.C., and remote. The deadline is October 11, 2026, and interns will be paid $18.50 per hour. Separately, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission opened applications for its summer internship program on October 1, with opportunities in multiple cities.

• Federal Hiring: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is urgently hiring for full-time, entry-level Border Patrol Agent positions and is offering incentives of up to $50,000. The roles are open to candidates with relevant education or experience in fields like public safety and security.

• Student Visa Rules Update: A federal judge issued an injunction on September 14, 2026, blocking a new Department of Homeland Security rule that would have replaced "duration of status" (D/S) with a fixed period of stay for international students. For now, the previous rules remain in effect, but international students should stay informed as the situation could change.

What to do this week

• Finalize Internship Applications: With deadlines for spring and summer 2027 programs approaching, focus on completing your applications. Check out the 366 new openings on our US internships page and pay close attention to deadlines like the one for the CFR program.

• Tailor Your Resume to Skills: Since employers are increasingly using skills-based hiring, make sure your resume highlights what you can do, not just your GPA. For every application, customize your resume to match the specific skills listed in the job description. Browse all new entry-level jobs to see what's in demand.

• Focus on Active Hiring Hubs: Concentrate your search on cities with high numbers of new openings. This week, that includes New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. Explore jobs in New York, Chicago, and Austin.

• Prepare for a Hybrid Recruiting Process: Campus recruiting in 2026 is a mix of virtual and in-person events. Be ready for online skills tests, asynchronous video interviews, and virtual career fairs, which companies use to screen more candidates efficiently.

FAQ

How is this data collected?

FirstHire's data is compiled by tracking new, unique entry-level job postings on LinkedIn and thousands of company career sites across the United States. We count roles requiring 0-2 years of experience and filter out duplicates from third-party recruiting agencies to provide a clear view of direct employer demand.

Why is the salary sample smaller than the total number of jobs?

Many companies do not include salary ranges in their job postings, although pay transparency laws are making this more common. Our pay data is based only on the subset of job listings that provided a salary range, which is why the sample size is smaller than the total number of openings.

Should I apply for a job that asks for 1-2 years of experience if I'm a new grad?

Yes, you often should. Many employers are flexible on this requirement, especially if you have strong, relevant experience from internships, co-op programs, or significant academic projects. If your skills and project work align closely with the role's responsibilities, you can be a competitive candidate even without full-time work experience.