How much experience do entry-level tech jobs require? What 1,329 new grad postings ask
Most new grad tech postings ask for less experience than you fear. The years 1,329 open roles name, by field, and when to apply anyway.
By Kevin Tang · Updated November 2026
The short answer
Less than the job titles suggest. We read 1,329 open new grad tech job descriptions on November 4, 2026: about two thirds named no minimum number of years, and another 20 percent named zero, a range starting at zero such as "0 to 2 years", or a cap such as "up to 2 years". Only about 10 percent asked for two years or more, and 3 percent for three or more. Many of those offer experience as an alternative to a degree or a master's, rather than as a hard bar. Internships almost never set one: 95 percent of 2,342 internship descriptions named no years at all. So when a new grad posting asks for "1 to 2 years", apply anyway if you have internships, research, or serious projects; it is the three-plus-year roles you can usually skip.
"Entry level, 2+ years of experience" is the line that makes new grads close the tab. We read every open new grad tech description we could reach to see how often postings actually ask for experience, and how much.
What we measured
On November 4, 2026, we read the full description of every open role on the SimplifyJobs new grad and internship trackers, the feed behind Arial's job board, that applies through Greenhouse, Ashby, Lever, or Workday, one per role, leaving out roles outside the U.S. and contract AI-training gigs: 1,329 new grad roles at 580 companies and 2,342 internships. For each, we took the smallest number of years of experience it names, required or preferred, and counted caps such as "less than 2 years" as no minimum. (SimplifyJobs new grad tracker, November 4, 2026 file, and the job pages of its open postings on Greenhouse, Ashby, Lever, and Workday, read that day; SimplifyJobs internship tracker, November 4, 2026 file, and the job pages of its open postings on Greenhouse, Ashby, Lever, and Workday, read that day)
How much experience new grad tech jobs ask for
Scroll sideways to see every column
| The description asks for | New grad roles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| No number of years | 868 | 65.3% |
| Zero, a range from zero, or a cap such as up to 2 years | 272 | 20.5% |
| At least 1 year | 63 | 4.7% |
| At least 2 years | 84 | 6.3% |
| At least 3 or 4 years | 35 | 2.6% |
| At least 5 years | 7 | 0.5% |
Nine in ten new grad descriptions ask for less than two years, or name no number at all, and 26 said outright that no experience is required. The ones that do ask for more often give a way around it: SpaceX, with the most such roles, asks for a degree or two years of professional experience. (SimplifyJobs new grad tracker, November 4, 2026 file, and the job pages of its open postings on Greenhouse, Ashby, Lever, and Workday, read that day)
Experience requirements by field
Scroll sideways to see every column
| Field | New grad roles | Ask for 2+ years | Ask for 3+ years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software | 495 | 10.5% | 3.6% |
| Hardware | 408 | 9.8% | 1.7% |
| AI, ML, and data | 330 | 7.9% | 3.6% |
| Product | 51 | 13.7% | 7.8% |
| Quant | 45 | 2.2% | 2.2% |
Software and hardware sit near the average. Quant firms almost never ask for experience from new grads, and the small product field asks most often. Internships are simpler still: 95 percent of internship descriptions named no years at all. (SimplifyJobs new grad tracker, November 4, 2026 file, and the job pages of its open postings on Greenhouse, Ashby, Lever, and Workday, read that day; SimplifyJobs internship tracker, November 4, 2026 file, and the job pages of its open postings on Greenhouse, Ashby, Lever, and Workday, read that day)
When to apply anyway
- "0 to 2 years" or "1 to 2 years": apply. Internships, research, and substantial projects count.
- "2+ years or a master's degree": apply if you have either one.
- "3+ years" with no alternative: usually skip, unless you have several internships in exactly that work.
- Titles with Senior, II, or III often expect more experience than a new grad listing suggests, so read the description before applying.
Read nextRemote, hybrid, or in office: what new grad roles require
Let an agent apply to the roles you qualify for
Arial's job board separates internships, new grad, and experienced roles, so you start from the jobs meant for you. On jobs hosted on Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, Workday, Oracle, and Indeed, Apply sends the application through Arial: the agent fills in the employer's form from your resume and saved profile and submits it, and the job's status shows when it is submitted. When a form asks something Arial cannot answer from what you have told it, it asks you once and remembers.
Most entry-level tech postings do not require experience you lack. Read the number, read the alternative, and apply to the roles where you can make the case.