How many employees work at First Data?
First Data Corp. has approximately 5,857 total employees worldwide as of March 2026, according to Revelio Labs workforce intelligence data. First Data’s total headcount has declined 3.8% from 6,090 employees in 2023 to 5,857 in 2026.
Is First Data hiring right now?
Yes, First Data is actively hiring. First Data had 49 active job postings in 2026, a 25.0% decline from 2025 — see job openings & hiring trends.
About First Data’s Workforce
First Data Corp. is an Information Technology Services company that employs 5,857 people worldwide as of March 2026. It is the 11th-largest by headcount among its peers. Founded in 1971, the company is headquartered in New York City, New York.
First Data's workforce has declined 3.8% from 2023 to 2026, down 0.9% year over year in 2026. It fell to a low of 5,842 in 2025 Q2 before recovering. Its workforce is concentrated most in North America (69.2%), followed by South Asia (9.4%) and Northern Europe (6.9%).
First Data's functional groups are Finance and Operations (42.2%), Engineering (33.0%), and Sales and Marketing (24.9%). The average salary is $93,724, ranging from a median of $106,000 in North America to $15,000 in South America.
First Data's active job postings fell 25.0% in 2026 to 49, with new postings per month cooling from 33 in 2023 to 27 in 2026. Overall employee sentiment is negative and declining.
Sourced from Revelio Labs workforce data.
- Headquarters
- New York City, New York
- Founded
- 1971
- Industry
- Information Technology Services
- Employees
- 5,857
- YoY
- -0.9% (-6)
As of March 2026
First Data workforce metrics
Unlock hiring rate, attrition rate, and 12 additional workforce metrics for First Data. Compare to peers, export the dataset, and access the full quarterly history.
Unlock MetricsFirst Data Annual Employee Count (2023-2026)
- First Data had 5,857 employees in 2026, a 0.9% decline (-6) from 2025.
- First Data had 5,847 employees in 2025, a 1.3% decline (-60) from 2024.
- First Data had 5,907 employees in 2024, a 1.0% decline (-102) from 2023.
- First Data had 6,009 employees in 2023, a 1.2% decline (-209) from 2022.
First Data's total workforce has grown from 5,842 employees in 2025 to 5,857 in 2026. First Data's headcount peaked at 6,090 in 2023 before declining in 2025 and recovering through 2026.
First Data Corp. quarterly employee count
| Year | Qtr | Employees | YoY Change | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Q1 | 5,857 | -6 | -0.9% |
| 2025 | Q4 | 5,847 | -60 | -1.3% |
| 2025 | Q3 | 5,853 | -104 | -1.5% |
| 2025 | Q2 | 5,842 | -146 | -1.4% |
| 2025 | Q1 | 5,863 | -132 | -1.3% |
| 2024 | Q4 | 5,907 | -102 | -1.0% |
| 2024 | Q3 | 5,957 | -75 | -0.9% |
| 2024 | Q2 | 5,988 | -102 | -1.1% |
| 2024 | Q1 | 5,995 | -149 | -1.1% |
| 2023 | Q4 | 6,009 | -209 | -1.2% |
| 2023 | Q3 | 6,032 | -248 | -1.5% |
| 2023 | Q2 | 6,090 | -254 | -1.3% |
See First Data's complete headcount history, including quarterly breakdowns.
Get the DataFirst Data Employee Count by Region (2026)
North America accounts for the largest share of First Data's global workforce with approximately 69% of total employees, followed by South Asia and Northern Europe.
First Data employees by region
| Region | Employees | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| North America | 4,021 | 69.2% |
| South Asia | 545 | 9.4% |
| Northern Europe | 398 | 6.9% |
| South America | 239 | 4.1% |
| Western Europe | 184 | 3.2% |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 80 | 1.4% |
| Eastern Europe | 80 | 1.4% |
| Southeast Asia | 77 | 1.3% |
| Central America and the Caribbean | 42 | 0.7% |
| Pacific Islands | 38 | 0.7% |
Drill into city-level data, hiring trends by region, and historic geographic shifts.
Unlock Geographic DataFirst Data Employee Count by Department (2026)
First Data's employee groups are Finance and Operations (42.2%), Engineering (33.0%), and Sales and Marketing (24.9%).
First Data employees by department
| Department | Employees | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Operations | 2,455 | 42.2% |
| Engineering | 1,919 | 33.0% |
| Sales and Marketing | 1,449 | 24.9% |
Compare First Data's department mix to industry peers.
See Full DataFirst Data Employee Salary by Region (2026)
First Data's average employee salary is $93,724 globally. Employees in North America receive the highest compensation. Pay is lowest in South America, at a median of $15,000.
First Data median employee salary by region (USD)
| Region | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| North America | $106,000 |
| Pacific Islands | $101,000 |
| Northern Europe | $85,000 |
| Western Europe | $53,000 |
| Eastern Europe | $43,000 |
| East Asia | $41,000 |
| Southern Europe | $33,000 |
| Arab States | $32,000 |
| Central and Western Asia | $25,000 |
| Central America and the Caribbean | $23,000 |
| Southeast Asia | $16,000 |
| South Asia | $15,000 |
| South America | $15,000 |
| North Africa | $8,000 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | $8,000 |
Unlock salary by role, level, and city — and compare to First Data's industry peers.
Unlock Salary DataFirst Data Job Openings and Hiring Trends (2023-2026)
- First Data had 49 active job postings in 2026, a 25.0% decline (+23) from 2025.
- First Data had 26 active job postings in 2025, a 74.7% decline (-31) from 2024.
- First Data had 57 active job postings in 2024, a 19.2% increase (+10) from 2023.
- First Data had 47 active job postings in 2023, a 68.6% increase from 2022.
- Hiring velocity in 2026: 27 new roles/month, down from 38 in 2025 and 43 in 2024.
First Data's hiring is slowing: active job postings fell 25.0% in 2026 to 49, with new postings per month cooling from 33 in 2023 to 27 in 2026.
Track new postings per month, role-level demand, and hiring velocity vs. peers.
Unlock Hiring DataFirst Data Employee Sentiment (2026)
Revelio Labs tracks employee sentiment across First Data's workforce based on public professional data. Overall sentiment is negative and has declined year over year in 2026.
Overall
Unlock the full sentiment breakdown by department, tenure, and trend over time.
Unlock SentimentSimilar Companies
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Frequently Asked Questions About First Data
- How fast is First Data growing?
- In 2026, First Data's headcount shrank 0.9% to 5,857 employees, down from 5,863 in 2025.
- See the full headcount history
- Where are First Data employees located?
- Most First Data employees are based in North America (69.2% of headcount), followed by South Asia and Northern Europe.
- Explore where the workforce is based
- What is the average salary at First Data?
- The average employee salary at First Data is approximately $93.7k per year.
- Analyze the salary distribution
- How many new job postings does First Data open per year?
- In Q1 2026, First Data opened 80 new job postings. In 2025, First Data opened 454 new job postings — about 38 per month.
- Track hiring trends by role
- When was First Data founded and where is it headquartered?
- First Data was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in New York City, New York.
- Compare First Data to industry peers
Speak with a workforce expert about First Data.
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