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CyberSN's latest jobs report shows US cybersecurity job postings have fallen to a four‑year low. Between January and September 2026 employers listed 235,786 openings, down 26.4% from 320,210 in the same period of 2025. The dataset, compiled from JobSpikr and mapped into CyberSN's taxonomy of 45 cybersecurity functional roles in ten categories, counts postings by requested skills rather than by employers' titles. That process highlights sharp growth in narrowly defined AI roles: AI Security Engineer demand rose 268.3% and Cyber Data Scientist demand rose 203.5% year‑on‑year. At the same time several established roles saw large declines, leaving a mixed picture for candidates and hiring managers.
Key takeaways
- Overall market: CyberSN recorded 235,786 US cybersecurity job postings from January–September 2026, a 26.4% decline from 320,210 in the same months of 2025.
- Fastest growth: AI Security Engineer demand increased by 268.3% year‑on‑year and Cyber Data Scientist demand rose 203.5%.
- AI prevalence: Just under 15% of all cybersecurity postings reference AI overall, with AI mentions peaking at 20.0% in September 2026.
- Largest declines: Cyber Insider Threat Analyst postings fell 55.6% to 1,088 and Cyber Risk Analyst listings fell 51.5% to 4,031.
- CISO nuance: Chief Information Security Officer postings were down 38.9% to 2,832 year‑on‑year but remain almost unchanged from 2024's 2,808 and rose 19.5% from Q2 to Q3 2026.
Table of contents
CyberSN data: postings hit a four‑year low
CyberSN aggregates listings from JobSpikr, removes duplicates and maps every posting into its taxonomy so demand is counted by the work requested rather than the employer's job title. Using that method the report finds 235,786 US cybersecurity postings between January and September 2026, down 26.4% from 320,210 in the same period of 2025. The dataset covers 45 cybersecurity functional roles organised into ten categories, which is why CyberSN stresses the report is a measurement of posted demand not an explanation of hiring decisions.
That distinction matters because a fall in listings can reflect slower hiring, fewer new roles being advertised, or changes in how employers label openings. CyberSN cautions against reading motives into the counts; its taxonomy approach is designed to make cross‑company comparisons possible even when titles differ.
AI-focused roles are the fastest-growing
Demand for narrowly defined AI security skills stands out as the main growth story. AI Security Engineer demand increased by 268.3% and Cyber Data Scientist demand rose 203.5% compared with the same months in 2025. Those percentage changes are absolute year‑on‑year moves inside the CyberSN taxonomy rather than broad headcount figures for whole teams.
References to AI appear in just under 15% of all postings overall, a figure comparable to the 15.1% recorded for the same period last year, but CyberSN records rising momentum within 2026 that peaked at 20.0% in September. Functions that most often call for an AI understanding include Research (32.7%, up 11.7 percentage points), Offense (23.3%, up 4.8 points), GRC (19.8%, up 2.1 points) and Plan (18.9%, up 0.6 points).
Which job families are shrinking fastest
Several established roles recorded steep year‑on‑year drops. Cyber Insider Threat Analyst listings fell 55.6% to 1,088, Cyber Risk Analyst postings dropped 51.5% to 4,031 and Penetration Tester listings declined 45.9% to 3,063. Other notable falls include Cybersecurity Lead down 41.0% to 4,688, Threat Hunter down 40.0% to 1,013, Cybersecurity Project Manager down 39.4% to 783 and Chief Information Security Officer postings down 38.9% to 2,832.
The report points out that some of those moves reflect an unusually strong 2025 baseline for CISO roles: the 2026 CISO count (2,832) is almost identical to 2024's 2,808, and CISO listings rose 19.5% from Q2 to Q3 2026. That pattern shows why year‑on‑year percentages need context when employers cycle through hiring phases.
What employers and candidates should do now
For hiring managers the numbers suggest rethinking skill taxonomies and targeting: AI‑related skills are now a distinct demand vector inside cyber teams, while several traditional roles have softened. Remote work signals are uneven: Sales listings show 32.8% remote, GRC 31.2%, Offense 24.7%, Product Security 22.9%, Educate 22.8%, Research 21.9% and Defense 21.3%, so flexibility varies by function.
For candidates, the safest bet is to combine core security expertise with demonstrable AI or data skills if they want to access the fastest‑growing openings. For employers, the report underlines the value of consistent job labelling and skills taxonomies—the CyberSN methodology, mapping JobSpikr listings into 45 functional roles in ten categories, is precisely aimed at giving that comparability.
| Role | % change | 2026 postings |
|---|---|---|
| Cyber Insider Threat Analyst | -55.6% | 1,088 |
| Cyber Risk Analyst | -51.5% | 4,031 |
| Penetration Tester | -45.9% | 3,063 |
| Cybersecurity Lead | -41.0% | 4,688 |
| Threat Hunter | -40.0% | 1,013 |
| Cybersecurity Project Manager | -39.4% | 783 |
| Chief Information Security Officer | -38.9% | 2,832 |
Case for and against a sustained shift
The case for
- AI specialist roles could keep growing as organisations embed model‑oriented tooling and seek staff who can secure models and data, supported by the 268.3% and 203.5% increases recorded for AI Security Engineer and Cyber Data Scientist roles.
- Improved job labelling and taxonomies — the CyberSN approach — may make demand signals clearer, which could speed targeted hiring for high‑priority AI and data roles.
The case against
- A persistent decline in overall postings (26.4% year‑on‑year) could reflect tighter budgets or a pause in new role creation, limiting pipeline opportunities despite pockets of AI growth.
- Because the dataset records postings not hires, headline falls may overstate employment weakness if employers are filling fewer roles via internal movement or contractor models.
What to be careful about
- The CyberSN dataset measures job postings, not actual hires or headcount changes, so listings can overstate or understate labour market movement.
- Taxonomy mapping can misclassify multi‑skill postings; changes in employer wording could shift counts without any real change in demand.
- Year‑on‑year percentages can be distorted by an unusually strong baseline (for example, 2025 CISO listings), masking stability in absolute counts.
- Remote percentages are function‑level snapshots and do not prove a permanent shift to long‑term remote hiring across employers.
The bottom line
The CyberSN numbers show a cybersecurity labour market that is reshaping rather than simply shrinking: total postings are down 26.4% to 235,786 for Jan–Sep 2026, but demand has concentrated sharply in AI and data roles where AI Security Engineer and Cyber Data Scientist listings rose by 268.3% and 203.5% respectively. Employers and candidates should therefore treat headline declines as a directional signal while reading function‑level patterns closely. Organisations that clarify job descriptions and invest in AI‑aware security skills will be best placed to capture the pockets of growth the data reveals.
What to watch
- watch for CyberSN's next jobs report; no date has been set.
- watch whether AI mentions remain near 20% in the next published month; no date has been set.
- watch Q4 posting totals from JobSpikr or CyberSN to see if the year‑end trend narrows the 26.4% decline; no date has been set.
Frequently asked questions
Does the 26.4% drop mean fewer people were hired?
Not necessarily; the 26.4% figure reports posted job listings (235,786 Jan–Sep 2026 versus 320,210 in the same months of 2025). CyberSN counts postings, so hires, internal moves or contractor use are not captured by that number.
Which roles grew fastest in 2026?
AI Security Engineer demand rose 268.3% year‑on‑year and Cyber Data Scientist demand rose 203.5%, making AI‑focused positions the fastest‑growing categories in the CyberSN taxonomy.
Are CISO roles disappearing?
No: CISO postings were down 38.9% year‑on‑year to 2,832, but that level is almost identical to 2024's 2,808 and listings rose 19.5% from Q2 to Q3 2026, so the decline partly reflects a strong 2025 baseline.
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