Tech workers now make up 9% of DSA members, more than blue-collar workers. Job anxiety is rising. A Harris Poll found 64% of six-figure earners feel their income is just survival.
Alpha Score of 40 reflects weak overall profile with weak momentum, poor value, moderate quality, weak sentiment.
Tech workers now make up a larger share of Democratic Socialists of America members than blue-collar workers, according to a survey of the group's membership.
The survey found 9% of DSA members worked in the tech sector in 2021. White-collar professionals accounted for 13% of the membership, down from 21% in 2017, up from 3% in 2013. Blue-collar workers represented just 4% of members in 2021, versus 3% in 2017 and 2% in 2013. More than 80% of members aged 25 or older held bachelor's degrees. While 45% had household incomes below $60,000, 28% earned $100,000 or more.
The numbers describe the DSA specifically, not the broader labor force. Zohran Mamdani's win in New York City's mayoral race last year and democratic socialist election gains this year show the movement is gaining political support. A Wall Street Journal survey found 51% of Americans said capitalism was not working well or not working at all, up from 37% in 2015.
The DSA survey predated the AI boom that began in late 2022. Since then, tech companies have announced waves of layoffs and entry-level jobs have dried up. Consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said the U.S. tech sector has shed about 140,000 workers so far this year, more than any other industry. May's tally of 38,242 was the highest for any month since August 2024. The New York Fed reported the unemployment rate among recent college graduates was 5.6% in March, up from 3.9% in March 2022 and above the overall jobless rate of 4.2%.
Even Americans earning six figures report feeling squeezed. A Harris Poll survey found 64% of six-figure earners said their income is not a milestone for success. It is merely the bare minimum for staying afloat. To get by, 61% are engaged in or considering side hustles, 53% are selling personal items, 41% are skipping meals, and 41% are renting out all or part of their home. Libby Rodney, the Harris Poll's chief strategy officer, said in a statement: "Our data shows that even high earners are financially anxious. They're living the illusion of affluence while privately juggling credit cards, debt, and survival strategies."
Gustavo Gordillo, a co-leader of the DSA's New York City chapter, told the New York Times that during orientation sessions new members are taught that anyone who works for a living can be working class. "A lot of tech workers are working class," Gordillo said. "We're trying to build a broad movement. We think of most DSA members as being working class."
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