CyberSN: US Cybersecurity Postings Fell 26.4% to 235,786 Through September While AI Security Engineer Demand Surged 268%

CyberSN says US cybersecurity job postings fell 26.4% in the first nine months of 2026 to a four-year low of 235,786, with Cyber Insider Threat Analyst (-55.6%), Cyber Risk Analyst (-51.5%) and Penetration Tester (-45.9%) hardest hit. AI Security Engineer demand soared 268.3% year-over-year and Cyber Data Scientist roles climbed 203.5%, with nearly 15% of all postings now citing AI skills. Research roles leaned most heavily on AI competency at 32.7% of postings.