TikTok employs roughly 40,000 people worldwide as of 2026, according to PitchBook, while its parent company ByteDance has over 150,000 staff across nearly 120 cities. The platform’s workforce went through a turbulent stretch in 2025, with layoffs hitting trust and safety teams in Europe and Asia and a US divestiture deal splitting American staff between two separate entities. This post breaks down TikTok employee statistics for 2026, covering headcount, regional distribution, salaries, layoffs, and how the company’s workforce compares to other tech firms.
TikTok Employee Statistics 2026 – TL;DR
TikTok has approximately 40,000 employees globally in 2026, with about 7,000 based in the United States. Parent company ByteDance employs over 150,000 people across 120 cities worldwide. TikTok’s US workforce was split in January 2026 between TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC and a ByteDance-owned entity called TT Commerce & Global Services LLC. The company cut hundreds of content moderation and trust and safety roles across Europe and Asia in 2025, replacing many positions with AI-powered systems. Average total compensation for TikTok employees in the US is approximately $126,000 per year, with senior engineering roles reaching above $400,000.
How Many People Work at TikTok in 2026?
TikTok had about 40,000 total employees as of 2026, per PitchBook data. That figure includes staff across all global offices but excludes ByteDance employees who work on other products like Douyin, Toutiao, or CapCut. The company also reported having more than 40,000 trust and safety professionals worldwide, a number that includes both full-time staff and contracted moderators.
ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, listed over 150,000 employees on its corporate website and PitchBook profile. The broader ByteDance headcount covers all subsidiaries and product lines, with offices in cities including Singapore, Beijing, London, Dublin, Los Angeles, and New York. For context on how other Google’s workforce of 190,820 and NVIDIA’s 42,000 employees compare in scale.
| Year | TikTok Global Employees (Approx.) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 10,000 |
| 2020 | 12,694 |
| 2021 | 20,000+ |
| 2022 | 30,000+ |
| 2023 | 38,578 |
| 2024 | ~40,000 |
| 2026 | ~40,000 |
Source: SQ Magazine, PitchBook, SendShort
TikTok Employee Statistics in the United States
TikTok maintained about 7,000 employees in the United States as of early 2026. The company confirmed this number in internal memos and congressional testimony over the past two years. In addition, TikTok USDS (US Data Security) had more than 2,000 full-time employees dedicated to data protection, algorithm security, and compliance functions.
In January 2026, TikTok’s US staff was formally divided between two entities. Employees handling data protection and algorithm work moved to TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, the new company co-owned by Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX. Staff working on e-commerce, advertising, and marketing stayed with TT Commerce & Global Services LLC, which remains under ByteDance ownership. The deal valued TikTok’s US operations at around $14 billion, according to statements from Vice President JD Vance in September 2025. The broader US employment picture adds context to where TikTok sits within the tech labor market.
US employee departures increased 38% during the second half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, according to Live Data Technologies. Most departing staff joined Meta, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple. Hiring slowed to its lowest level since the second half of 2020.
| US Entity | Approx. Employees | Function |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC | 2,000+ | Data security, algorithm, compliance |
| TT Commerce & Global Services LLC | ~5,000 | E-commerce, ads, marketing |
| Total US Workforce | ~7,000 | All functions |
Source: TikTok USDS, Business Insider, Music Business Worldwide
TikTok Employee Statistics by Region
TikTok’s workforce is spread across multiple continents, with the largest concentrations in Asia, North America, and Europe. The Dublin office alone employs roughly 3,000 people, making it one of TikTok’s biggest European hubs. The company also operates offices in London, Berlin, Paris, and Singapore, among others.
Regional headcount shifted in 2025 due to restructuring in trust and safety teams. In Germany, about 40% of the Berlin office’s trust and safety staff were let go. Ireland saw up to 300 roles flagged for redundancy out of its 3,000-strong workforce. London lost an estimated 300 positions as well. For a look at how these workforce changes fit into broader future of work trends, including the AI-driven shift in content moderation.
| Region / Office | Approx. Employees | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| United States | ~7,000 | Split between USDS JV and ByteDance entity |
| Dublin, Ireland | ~3,000 | 300 roles flagged for redundancy in 2025 |
| London, UK | ~2,500 | Layoffs in trust & safety, Aug 2025 |
| Singapore | Major hub | Global HQ, layoffs in safety teams |
| Berlin, Germany | Reduced | 40% of T&S staff cut in 2025 |
Source: SQ Magazine, Reuters, Gizmodo, Silicon Republic
TikTok Layoffs and Workforce Restructuring
TikTok ran two rounds of layoffs in its trust and safety division during 2025. The first wave started in February 2025, affecting teams in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Adam Presser, TikTok’s head of operations and trust and safety, sent an internal memo to staff announcing the cuts. The second round came in August 2025, when TikTok cut hundreds of content moderators in the UK and Asia.
The company framed these reductions as part of a shift toward AI-powered moderation. TikTok stated it would use AI tools to “maximize effectiveness and speed” in moderating content. The Communications Workers Union in the UK criticized the move, saying TikTok was prioritizing cost savings over public safety. The pattern mirrors what’s happening across the tech sector, where return-to-office mandates and restructuring are reshaping how companies staff their operations.
ByteDance also conducted separate layoffs in May 2024, cutting a large percentage of the 1,000 employees in its global user operations, content, and marketing teams. The global user operations team was disbanded entirely.
TikTok Employee Salary and Compensation
Average annual salary for TikTok employees in the US was $101,018 as of late 2025, according to Salary.com. Comparably placed the average higher at $126,000, which includes base salary and bonuses. Total compensation data from Glassdoor, based on 5,235 salary submissions, showed a range from $53,328 for a marketing intern to $433,195 for a senior machine learning engineer.
Anonymous data from Teamblind put total compensation between $138,906 at the 25th percentile and $326,000 at the 90th percentile. Backend software engineers earned between $144,000 and $301,158 annually, while machine learning scientists could reach $390,000. Product and design leadership roles topped out near $900,000 in total compensation. For comparison, Anthropic’s software engineers earn between $300,000 and $490,000 in total compensation.
| Role | Salary Range (Annual) |
|---|---|
| Marketing Intern | $53,328 |
| Data Scientist | $85,821 – $283,629 |
| Backend Software Engineer | $144,000 – $301,158 |
| Machine Learning Scientist | $168,000 – $390,000 |
| Senior MLE | Up to $433,195 |
| Product/Design Leadership | Up to $900,000 |
Source: Glassdoor, Salary.com, SQ Magazine
ByteDance Revenue and TikTok Employee Productivity
ByteDance targeted $186 billion in revenue for 2025, with a 20% year-over-year growth rate. Overseas revenue surged almost 50% and now accounts for a record 30% of total revenue, up from 25% in 2024. TikTok’s e-commerce operations were a primary driver of international growth.
Net profit fell sharply, however. Yicai Global reported that ByteDance’s net profit dropped more than 70% in 2025, from $33 billion in 2024 to approximately $9 billion, as the company poured money into AI infrastructure. ByteDance budgeted roughly $23 billion in capital expenditure for AI in 2026, covering chips, data centers, and R&D. The US job market data for 2026 shows how AI investment is reshaping hiring across the tech sector.
TikTok’s ad revenue reached approximately $23.6 billion globally in 2024, with projections pointing toward $33.1 billion in 2025 — a 40.5% increase. The US market alone generated an estimated $10 billion in advertising revenue.
How TikTok’s Workforce Compares to Other Tech Companies
TikTok’s roughly 40,000 employees place it well below the largest tech employers but in line with other platform-focused companies. Amazon leads the industry at 1.56 million employees, followed by Microsoft at 228,000 and Alphabet (Google) at 190,820. Meta employed 78,865 people at the end of 2025. Among companies that produce similar revenue per headcount, NVIDIA generated $5.14 million per employee in fiscal 2026 while employing 42,000 people — very close to TikTok in headcount but far higher in per-worker output.
ByteDance’s 150,000-strong workforce makes it one of the largest private tech companies globally. For a broader look at workforce efficiency in tech, the NVIDIA employee statistics show how AI-focused firms are achieving record revenue-per-employee ratios. The Walmart workforce data offers contrast at the other end of the spectrum, where headcount runs into the millions.
| Company | Employees (2025-2026) | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 1,556,000 | Public |
| Microsoft | 228,000 | Public |
| Alphabet (Google) | 190,820 | Public |
| ByteDance (TikTok parent) | 150,000+ | Private |
| Meta | 78,865 | Public |
| NVIDIA | 42,000 | Public |
| TikTok | ~40,000 | Private (subsidiary) |
Source: PitchBook, Company filings, LeadIQ
TikTok’s Economic Impact on US Jobs
An Oxford Economics report published in March 2025, commissioned by TikTok, estimated that 28 million workers are employed by the 7.5 million US businesses that use TikTok. The survey, which polled 1,000 businesses between December 2024 and January 2025, counted both direct employees and those in businesses that use TikTok as part of their commercial operations.
TikTok said 170 million Americans use the app. Over 7 million US businesses rely on TikTok for income, according to the company. The freelancer statistics for 2026 show that many of these TikTok-dependent workers are independent creators and small business owners rather than traditional employees. Companies like content agencies and hybrid work organizations increasingly factor social media platforms into their hiring and revenue strategies.
FAQ
How many employees does TikTok have in 2026?
TikTok has approximately 40,000 employees globally as of 2026, according to PitchBook. Its parent company ByteDance employs over 150,000 people across nearly 120 cities worldwide.
How many TikTok employees are in the United States?
TikTok has about 7,000 US-based employees. In January 2026, they were split between TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC and TT Commerce & Global Services LLC, a ByteDance-owned entity.
What is the average TikTok employee salary?
Average annual salary at TikTok in the US is around $101,000 to $126,000 depending on the source. Total compensation including stock and bonuses can reach $224,000 on average for mid-level roles.
Did TikTok have layoffs in 2025?
Yes. TikTok cut hundreds of trust and safety roles in February and August 2025 across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The company shifted content moderation toward AI-powered systems.
What is TikTok USDS?
TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is an American entity established in January 2026 to oversee TikTok’s US operations. It was formed as part of a divestiture deal involving Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX.
Sources:
https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/279877-42
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TikTok_USDS
https://newsroom.TikTok.com/en-us/oxford-economics-us-jobs-impact-report
