<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>

     The schedule contains financial information extracted from the consolidated
financial  statements  of CDI Corp.  and  Subsidiaries  and is  qualified in its
entirety by reference to such financial statements.

</LEGEND>
<CIK>                         0000018396
<NAME>                        CDI Corp.
<MULTIPLIER>                                      1,000
<CURRENCY>                                 U.S. dollars

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                              JAN-1-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1999
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<CASH>                                          11,429
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  356,661
<ALLOWANCES>                                     4,203
<INVENTORY>                                          0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               373,657
<PP&E>                                         117,859
<DEPRECIATION>                                  64,603
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 531,680
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          154,981
<BONDS>                                         65,651
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                         2,000
<OTHER-SE>                                     291,844
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   531,680
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             1,601,877
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                1,177,250
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               2,114
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 83,862
<INCOME-TAX>                                    32,960
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             49,679
<DISCONTINUED>                                   2,768
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    52,447
<EPS-BASIC>                                       2.76
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     2.74