Entry-Level Job Market in the US: Week of October 18, 2026 - Openings Jump Over 7%

The number of new entry-level job openings jumped this week, a positive sign for job seekers heading into the latter half of the fourth quarter. FirstHire tracked 49,636 new jobs for candidates with 0-2 years of experience, a significant increase from the previous week. Roles requiring no prior experience and internship postings both saw growth.

Openings this week

FirstHire tracked 49,636 new entry-level job openings (0-2 years of experience) in the United States during the week ending October 18. This represents a 7.2% increase from the 46,299 openings tracked the week prior.

• No-experience roles grow: A majority of the new roles, 28,036 or 56.5%, do not require any previous work experience. This is an increase from 25,707 such roles last week.
• Remote and hybrid work: The share of jobs with flexible work arrangements held steady. FirstHire found 2,866 new remote jobs and 2,732 new hybrid roles, together making up about 11.3% of all new openings.
• Internships increase: The number of new internship postings rose to 2,050 from 1,837 last week, as more companies open applications for spring and summer 2027 programs.

Who is hiring

This week, 16,522 companies posted new entry-level jobs. Hiring was distributed across many industries, from aerospace and defense to retail and professional services.

Top hiring companies: The most active companies posting entry-level roles were: - SpaceX (300) - Deloitte (233) - Amazon (217) - CyberCoders (210) - Walmart (187) - crewlia (172) - Tata Consultancy Services (162)

Top hiring cities: New York City continues to lead the nation in entry-level opportunities by a wide margin. The top cities for new openings were: - New York (2,209) - Chicago (838) - Houston (751) - San Francisco (733) - Austin (681)

Top role categories: Demand was strongest in client-facing and operational roles. The top role groups by number of new openings were: - Sales and business development (3,813) - Finance and accounting (3,601) - Software engineering (2,846) - Customer support (2,321) - Engineering (non-software) (2,214)

What it pays

Of the new jobs posted this week that included salary information, the median annual salary midpoint was $85,000. This figure is based on a sample of 4,816 jobs. For roles with hourly pay, the median midpoint was $25.96 per hour, based on a sample of 2,963 jobs.

These numbers represent a national median and can vary significantly based on the role, industry, location, and company. They should be used as a general guide, not as a precise expectation for any specific job.

Hiring news this week

Recent government data and company announcements provide a mixed but cautiously optimistic picture of the job market.

• September jobs report: The US economy added 29,000 jobs in September, a slowdown from previous months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 4.2%, a figure that remains low by historical standards. While hiring slowed in some sectors like financial activities, healthcare and construction saw modest gains.
• AI impact debated: An article from College Recruiter this week pushed back against fears of AI decimating the entry-level market. It noted that the summer unemployment rate for young college graduates in 2026 was around 7.3%, which is within the normal range seen between 2022 and 2024. The data suggests the current market is a general cooling of the economy, not a targeted AI-driven collapse of new-grad jobs.
• Internship deadlines approaching: Several major companies have internship application windows that are closing soon or opening now. The Walt Disney Company has a deadline of October 20, 2026, for many of its internships. According to an analysis by Extern, the Barclays Discovery Program for sophomores is expected to open its fall 2026 application window between October and November.
• Shipbuilder hiring event: HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding division will host a hiring event on October 24 in Pascagoula, Mississippi, for entry-level, semi-skilled, and skilled applicants, according to a company announcement.

What to do this week

• Target high-volume cities: New York City posted more than double the openings of any other city. If you're open to relocating, explore the thousands of entry-level jobs in New York, or check out other active markets like Chicago and Austin.
• Focus on in-demand roles: Sales, finance, and software engineering are the top three categories for new jobs this week. If you're a new grad programmer, find openings on the new grad software engineer jobs page. If you have analytical skills, consider the growing field of data, which had over 1,500 new roles, and browse entry-level data analyst jobs.
• Don't forget internships: Companies are actively recruiting for 2027. With over 2,000 new postings this week, it's a good time to update your resume and apply on the internships in the US page.
• Expand your search to remote work: Over 2,800 new remote jobs were posted this week. If you're looking for flexibility, the entry-level remote jobs board can help you find opportunities nationwide.

FAQ

How is this data collected?

FirstHire's data is compiled by tracking new job postings on LinkedIn and company career sites across the United States. The data in this report covers roles posted in the last seven days that require 0-2 years of experience. To ensure accuracy, postings from third-party recruiting agencies that repost jobs are excluded.

Is $85,000 a typical starting salary for a new grad?

The $85,000 figure is the median annual midpoint from a sample of over 4,800 jobs that included pay data in their listings this week. It is not a guarantee or a national average for all entry-level roles. Actual salaries vary widely depending on your field (e.g., software engineering vs. customer support), your location (e.g., New York vs. a smaller city), and the company. Use it as a directional guide, but research specific roles and locations for more accurate salary expectations.

What does the latest government jobs report mean for my search?

The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed that job growth slowed in September, but the unemployment rate remains low. This indicates a market that is cooling down from the rapid hiring of past years but is not in a state of crisis. For job seekers, this means it's still a good market to find a job, but competition may be higher and the search process might take longer than it did a few years ago. It's important to be persistent and have a well-prepared application.