PwC Layoffs 2025: 1,500 Jobs Slashed Amid Professional Services Slowdown
PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), one of the Big Four accounting firms, has announced it will lay off approximately 1,500 employees across the United States due to ongoing challenges in the professional services industry. The pwc layoffs come amid internal overcapacity and a broader slowdown in demand across key service lines.
The pwc layoffs will impact about 2% of the firm’s 75,000 U.S. workforce, with the majority of affected roles in the audit and tax departments. The firm cited lower-than-expected attrition as a core reason for the pwc layoffs, stating that many employees have stayed longer than anticipated, leading to overstaffing in certain areas.
This marks the second major round of pwc layoffs in under a year. In late 2024, the firm reduced headcount by 1,800 in its products and technology division. Now, as part of its recalibration efforts, PwC is taking further steps to streamline operations and align workforce capacity with evolving client demands.
The pwc layoffs reportedly involved short-notice meetings held virtually, often impacting new hires and employees recently considered for promotion. While the manner of execution raised concerns internally, PwC maintains that the pwc layoffs were not based on performance but rather on structural and operational needs.
PwC also announced plans to reduce campus hiring in 2025 due to continued low attrition rates, although it will still honor existing offers extended to former interns. This shift reflects the firm’s cautious approach to hiring during uncertain times, even as it continues to invest in emerging areas like AI, ESG consulting, and digital transformation.
The pwc layoffs reflect broader trends within the industry. Other Big Four firms have also initiated workforce reductions in recent months in response to reduced consulting revenue, slower deal-making activity, and macroeconomic pressures. These trends have pushed firms like PwC to adapt their staffing models and focus resources on areas of higher growth.
Despite the difficult decision, the firm has pledged to support affected employees with severance packages, career placement services, and mental health resources. The pwc layoffs are aimed at preserving the long-term sustainability of the business while continuing to deliver quality service to clients.
As the professional services sector evolves, the pwc layoffs underscore the importance of agility and proactive workforce management. For PwC, these cuts are not just a reaction to current conditions but part of a strategic effort to future-proof the organization in a competitive and rapidly changing market.
With 15% of job functions impacted over the past year, the pwc layoffs paint a picture of an industry undergoing significant transformation. For remaining employees and clients, the focus now shifts to resilience, innovation, and adapting to the new realities of consulting and audit work.
