Upwork: Main Insights from Jobs Posted in Upwork Platform

See also: Upwork | Upwork: Analysis of Freelancer Success Badges | Numbers on Google Sheet / Upwork: Impact of AI

Discussion: Upwork Platform Insights

Important notice: This page summarizes developments observable with Upworks currently open jobs, posted by clients on the plattform. It does not reflect jobs currently in progress. (A number that is likely considerably higher)

June 2023

Total Number of Open Jobs

• The average number of open jobs posted in Upwork rose by 1% month-over-month to 196,526.

Open Jobs at risk of automation by AI

• The number of open Web, mobile and software development jobs grew 1% m/m to an average of 50,106.
• The number of open design and creative jobs grew by 2% m/m to an average of 41,596.
• Growth in the number of open admin support and data science& analytics jobs were flat m/m to an average 17,527 and 7,230, respectively.
• The number of open writing jobs declined by 1.8% m/m to an average of 13,347.
• IT and networking open jobs grew by 38% m/m to an average of 5,066.
• Open Customer service jobs declined by 1% m/m to an average of 3,083.

Number of connects

Status: Increasing restrictions for freelancers to connect to clients. Points to large work supply/demand imbalance. Caused either by diminishing jobs, more freelancers or a combination of both.

• The number of jobs with 2 or less connects declined by 54% m/m to an average of 9,387.
• The number of jobs with 4 connects declined by 33% m/m to an average of  37,914.
• The number of jobs with 6 connects declined by 53% m/m to an average of 24,194.
• Connects are tokens used by freelancers to bid for jobs posted by clients. The amount is dynamically adjusted by Upwork. A Lower number encourages more engagement while a higher numbers restricts it.
• The reason for the huge drop in the number of jobs requiring 2, 4 or 6 connects is because Upwork raised the maximum number of connects to 8 in March. This probably shifted some jobs to the 8 connects category. Upwork seems to have also silently raised the maximum number of connects to 16 recently. Data provided by Upwork doesn't include the 8 connects category yet. 8+ connects jobs now account for more than 60% of the total jobs.

Job posts by new clients

• The number of jobs posted by new clients rose by 4% m/m to an average of 83,980.

Contract-to-hire roles

• The average number of contract-to-hire roles grew by 5% m/m to 62,219.

Number of job posts by large clients

• The number of hourly job posted by large clients(those that have spend over $2 million) declined by around 2% m/m to an average of 977.

July 2024

Total Number of Open Jobs

• The average number of open jobs posted in Upwork declined by 2.17% month-over-month to 192,269.
• Looking at the past quarter, it seems growth in the number of open jobs were slightly impacted compared to the previous quarter.

Open Jobs at risk of automation by AI

• The number of open Web, mobile and software development jobs declined 2.61% m/m to an average of 48,798.
• The number of open design and creative jobs fell by 1.82% m/m to an average of 40,838.
• Growth in the number of open admin support and IT and networking jobs were flat m/m to an average 17,419 and 5,082, respectively.
• The number of open writing jobs declined by 2.69% m/m to an average of 12,988.
• Data Science and Analytics jobs fell by 4.62% m/m to an average of 6,896.
• Open Customer service jobs were flat m/m at an average of 3,101.
• Translation jobs declined by 7.64% m/m to an average of 4,791 from 5,188 last month.

Job posts by new clients

• The number of jobs posted by new clients fell by 4% m/m to an average of 80,266.

Number of Connects

• The number of jobs with 2 or less connects grew by 12.4% m/m to an average of 10,555.
• The number of jobs with 4 connects were flat m/m at an average of  37,631.
• The number of jobs with 6 connects declined by 2.7% m/m to an average of 23,542.

Number of job posts by large clients

• The number of hourly job posted by large clients(those that have spend over $1 million) declined by around 2% m/m to an average of 952.

Contract-to-hire roles

• The average number of contract-to-hire roles were flat m/m to 62,595.

Upwork: Job Posts By Region

• The number of jobs posted by U.S clients declined by 1.7% to an average of 68,874.
• The number of jobs posted by European clients declined by 3% to an average of 45,385.

August 2023

Total Number of Open Jobs

• The average number of open jobs posted in Upwork platform were flat m/m at 191,217 in August.

Open Jobs at risk of automation by AI

• Data Science and Analytics jobs were flat in August at 6,861.
• Web, mobile and software development declined by 1% m/m to 48,162 while Design and Creative jobs were flat m/m at 40,543.

Number of job posts by large clients

• The average number of open jobs by clients who have spend over $1 million in Upwork fell by 9% m/m to 868 in August.

Job posts by new clients

• The average number of jobs by new clients fell by 2% m/m to 78,342(July: -4%).

Contract-to-hire roles

• The average number of contract-to-hire roles declined by 3% m/m to 60,464, after being flat in July(62,595).

September 2023

• The average number of open jobs fell by 3% month-over-month to 184,587 in September, but was up by 13% year-over-year.
• Average number of job posts by clients who have spent over $1 million in the platform rose by 1% m/m to 883.
• The average number of jobs posted by new clients dropped by 12% m/m to 68,970 in September, but was up by 19% y/y.
• Web, mobile and software development jobs declined by 4% m/m to 46,012 while Design and Creative jobs fell by 2% m/m to 39,642.
• The average number of contract-to-hire roles fell by 4% m/m to 57,748 on the month (August: -3%).

October 2023

• The average number of open jobs in Upwork declined 7% m/m to 170,863 in October, but was up 1% y/y.
• The average number of open jobs by clients who have spent over $1 million rose 7% m/m to 948.
• Web, mobile and software development jobs declined by 3% m/m to 43,865 while Design and Creative jobs fell by 8% m/m to 35,797.
• The average number of jobs posted by new clients declined by 14% m/m to 59,145, but was flat y/y.
• Average number of contract-to-hire roles fell by 9% m/m to 52,353.

November 2023

• The average number of open jobs in Upwork fell by 1% m/m and 4.8% y/y to 169,064.

• The average number of open jobs by new clients (those that don't have any hires) grew by 3.5% m/m to 61,259 but was down 5% y/y.
• Month-over-month decline in the average number of jobs was mostly broad-based.
• The average number of open jobs by clients who have spent over $1 million rose 5.8% m/m to 1,003.
• Average number of contract-to-hire roles fell by 3.6% m/m to 50,461.

December 2023

• The average number of open jobs in Upwork declined by 4.8% m/m and 11.9% y/y to 160,970.
• The average number of open jobs by new clients (those that don't have any hires) fell by 4.5% m/m and 15.6% y/y to 58,535.
• Decline in the average number of open jobs was led by web, mobile and software development, which fell by 2,232 or 5% m/m.
• The average number of open jobs by clients who have spent over $1 million rose 2.8% m/m to 975.
• Average number of contract-to-hire roles fell by 6.8% m/m to 47,028.

January 2023

• The average number of jobs listed in Upwork fell by 3.6% m/m and 18.8% y/y to 155,154 in January.
• The average number of jobs listed by new clients declined by 2.7% m/m and 27.1% y/y to 56,976.
• The decline in the average number of open jobs was mostly broad-based across job categories.

June 5 2024

• The proportion of jobs from existing clients is at an all-time high of 68% while that of jobs from clients with no hires is at all-time low of 32%.
• The number of open jobs is still declining. The number of jobs posted in June 5, 2024 was 159,082 down 10% from February and down 19% y/y.
• Decline in the average number of jobs was broad-based.