Massachusetts biotech workforce rebounds after 2025 decline
A new report from the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council shows the state’s biopharma employment fell by about 3,600 workers in 2025, marking the first drop since at least 2002.
The workforce total fell to 113,503, a 3.1% decrease from the 2024 level, as industry headwinds and uncertainty over federal research funding weighed on hiring.
Despite the 2025 contraction, analysts say the sector is turning a corner in 2026, with hiring picking up and previously vacant lab spaces beginning to fill.
The rebound is being watched closely by investors and companies, who see the trend as an early indicator of renewed venture capital flow and growth in the Greater Boston biotech hub.
This writeup was produced by pharmadog from original reporting by STAT.
Original headline: “STAT+: After a years-long slump, Massachusetts biopharma sector has come roaring back in 2026”
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