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Number of job openings reached 6.9 million in July 2018

September 13, 2018

On the last business day of July 2018, the number of job openings was 6,939,000, the highest level on record for this data series. The job openings rate was 4.4 percent in July, up from 4.1 percent a year earlier.

 Total number of job openings, July 2003 to July 2018, seasonally adjusted
Month Number of job openings Job openings rate

Jul 2003

3,270,000 2.4%

Aug 2003

3,283,000 2.5

Sep 2003

3,074,000 2.3

Oct 2003

3,205,000 2.4

Nov 2003

3,157,000 2.4

Dec 2003

3,214,000 2.4

Jan 2004

3,459,000 2.6

Feb 2004

3,402,000 2.5

Mar 2004

3,380,000 2.5

Apr 2004

3,629,000 2.7

May 2004

3,660,000 2.7

Jun 2004

3,424,000 2.5

Jul 2004

3,934,000 2.9

Aug 2004

3,619,000 2.7

Sep 2004

3,742,000 2.8

Oct 2004

3,792,000 2.8

Nov 2004

3,238,000 2.4

Dec 2004

3,650,000 2.7

Jan 2005

3,670,000 2.7

Feb 2005

3,845,000 2.8

Mar 2005

3,831,000 2.8

Apr 2005

4,243,000 3.1

May 2005

3,884,000 2.8

Jun 2005

4,022,000 2.9

Jul 2005

4,319,000 3.1

Aug 2005

4,073,000 2.9

Sep 2005

4,237,000 3.1

Oct 2005

4,277,000 3.1

Nov 2005

4,220,000 3.0

Dec 2005

4,064,000 2.9

Jan 2006

4,298,000 3.1

Feb 2006

4,229,000 3.0

Mar 2006

4,493,000 3.2

Apr 2006

4,680,000 3.3

May 2006

4,389,000 3.1

Jun 2006

4,349,000 3.1

Jul 2006

4,154,000 3.0

Aug 2006

4,560,000 3.2

Sep 2006

4,516,000 3.2

Oct 2006

4,472,000 3.2

Nov 2006

4,341,000 3.1

Dec 2006

4,278,000 3.0

Jan 2007

4,630,000 3.3

Feb 2007

4,465,000 3.1

Mar 2007

4,666,000 3.3

Apr 2007

4,824,000 3.4

May 2007

4,550,000 3.2

Jun 2007

4,608,000 3.2

Jul 2007

4,490,000 3.1

Aug 2007

4,555,000 3.2

Sep 2007

4,523,000 3.2

Oct 2007

4,300,000 3.0

Nov 2007

4,156,000 2.9

Dec 2007

4,123,000 2.9

Jan 2008

4,260,000 3.0

Feb 2008

4,042,000 2.8

Mar 2008

4,001,000 2.8

Apr 2008

4,098,000 2.9

May 2008

3,960,000 2.8

Jun 2008

3,767,000 2.7

Jul 2008

3,821,000 2.7

Aug 2008

3,665,000 2.6

Sep 2008

3,264,000 2.3

Oct 2008

3,292,000 2.4

Nov 2008

2,956,000 2.1

Dec 2008

2,830,000 2.1

Jan 2009

2,767,000 2.0

Feb 2009

2,791,000 2.1

Mar 2009

2,491,000 1.8

Apr 2009

2,357,000 1.8

May 2009

2,427,000 1.8

Jun 2009

2,428,000 1.8

Jul 2009

2,196,000 1.7

Aug 2009

2,306,000 1.7

Sep 2009

2,478,000 1.9

Oct 2009

2,400,000 1.8

Nov 2009

2,350,000 1.8

Dec 2009

2,407,000 1.8

Jan 2010

2,636,000 2.0

Feb 2010

2,578,000 1.9

Mar 2010

2,666,000 2.0

Apr 2010

3,220,000 2.4

May 2010

2,891,000 2.2

Jun 2010

2,664,000 2.0

Jul 2010

2,965,000 2.2

Aug 2010

2,920,000 2.2

Sep 2010

2,767,000 2.1

Oct 2010

3,033,000 2.3

Nov 2010

2,914,000 2.2

Dec 2010

2,857,000 2.1

Jan 2011

2,940,000 2.2

Feb 2011

3,062,000 2.3

Mar 2011

3,132,000 2.3

Apr 2011

3,286,000 2.4

May 2011

3,114,000 2.3

Jun 2011

3,223,000 2.4

Jul 2011

3,476,000 2.6

Aug 2011

3,176,000 2.3

Sep 2011

3,494,000 2.6

Oct 2011

3,422,000 2.5

Nov 2011

3,152,000 2.3

Dec 2011

3,372,000 2.5

Jan 2012

3,725,000 2.7

Feb 2012

3,497,000 2.6

Mar 2012

3,830,000 2.8

Apr 2012

3,641,000 2.6

May 2012

3,693,000 2.7

Jun 2012

3,800,000 2.8

Jul 2012

3,694,000 2.7

Aug 2012

3,684,000 2.7

Sep 2012

3,521,000 2.5

Oct 2012

3,708,000 2.7

Nov 2012

3,542,000 2.6

Dec 2012

3,570,000 2.6

Jan 2013

3,805,000 2.7

Feb 2013

3,970,000 2.8

Mar 2013

3,922,000 2.8

Apr 2013

3,935,000 2.8

May 2013

3,885,000 2.8

Jun 2013

3,903,000 2.8

Jul 2013

3,872,000 2.8

Aug 2013

3,914,000 2.8

Sep 2013

3,937,000 2.8

Oct 2013

4,108,000 2.9

Nov 2013

3,845,000 2.7

Dec 2013

3,782,000 2.7

Jan 2014

3,989,000 2.8

Feb 2014

4,145,000 2.9

Mar 2014

4,204,000 3.0

Apr 2014

4,538,000 3.2

May 2014

4,609,000 3.2

Jun 2014

4,676,000 3.3

Jul 2014

4,622,000 3.2

Aug 2014

4,945,000 3.4

Sep 2014

4,588,000 3.2

Oct 2014

4,941,000 3.4

Nov 2014

4,698,000 3.2

Dec 2014

4,819,000 3.3

Jan 2015

5,111,000 3.5

Feb 2015

5,162,000 3.5

Mar 2015

5,182,000 3.5

Apr 2015

5,599,000 3.8

May 2015

5,424,000 3.7

Jun 2015

5,165,000 3.5

Jul 2015

5,863,000 4.0

Aug 2015

5,365,000 3.6

Sep 2015

5,367,000 3.6

Oct 2015

5,536,000 3.7

Nov 2015

5,225,000 3.5

Dec 2015

5,396,000 3.6

Jan 2016

5,726,000 3.8

Feb 2016

5,601,000 3.8

Mar 2016

5,944,000 4.0

Apr 2016

5,892,000 3.9

May 2016

5,695,000 3.8

Jun 2016

5,650,000 3.8

Jul 2016

5,982,000 4.0

Aug 2016

5,515,000 3.7

Sep 2016

5,650,000 3.8

Oct 2016

5,485,000 3.6

Nov 2016

5,631,000 3.7

Dec 2016

5,490,000 3.6

Jan 2017

5,442,000 3.6

Feb 2017

5,616,000 3.7

Mar 2017

5,607,000 3.7

Apr 2017

6,101,000 4.0

May 2017

5,689,000 3.7

Jun 2017

6,125,000 4.0

Jul 2017

6,202,000 4.1

Aug 2017

6,044,000 4.0

Sep 2017

6,229,000 4.1

Oct 2017

6,059,000 4.0

Nov 2017

5,931,000 3.9

Dec 2017

5,669,000 3.7

Jan 2018

6,230,000 4.0

Feb 2018

6,074,000 3.9

Mar 2018

6,638,000 4.3

Apr 2018

6,840,000 4.4

May 2018

6,659,000 4.3

Jun 2018

6,822,000 4.4

Jul 2018

6,939,000 4.4

Note: Data for the most recent month are preliminary.

In July 2018, the ratio of unemployed people to job openings was 0.9, compared with a ratio of 1.1 in July 2017.

Number of unemployed people per job opening, July 2003 to July 2018, seasonally adjusted
Month Number of unemployed per job opening Number of unemployed Number of job openings

Jul 2003

2.8 9,011,000 3,270,000

Aug 2003

2.7 8,896,000 3,283,000

Sep 2003

2.9 8,921,000 3,074,000

Oct 2003

2.7 8,732,000 3,205,000

Nov 2003

2.7 8,576,000 3,157,000

Dec 2003

2.6 8,317,000 3,214,000

Jan 2004

2.4 8,370,000 3,459,000

Feb 2004

2.4 8,167,000 3,402,000

Mar 2004

2.5 8,491,000 3,380,000

Apr 2004

2.3 8,170,000 3,629,000

May 2004

2.2 8,212,000 3,660,000

Jun 2004

2.4 8,286,000 3,424,000

Jul 2004

2.1 8,136,000 3,934,000

Aug 2004

2.2 7,990,000 3,619,000

Sep 2004

2.1 7,927,000 3,742,000

Oct 2004

2.1 8,061,000 3,792,000

Nov 2004

2.4 7,932,000 3,238,000

Dec 2004

2.2 7,934,000 3,650,000

Jan 2005

2.1 7,784,000 3,670,000

Feb 2005

2.1 7,980,000 3,845,000

Mar 2005

2.0 7,737,000 3,831,000

Apr 2005

1.8 7,672,000 4,243,000

May 2005

2.0 7,651,000 3,884,000

Jun 2005

1.9 7,524,000 4,022,000

Jul 2005

1.7 7,406,000 4,319,000

Aug 2005

1.8 7,345,000 4,073,000

Sep 2005

1.8 7,553,000 4,237,000

Oct 2005

1.7 7,453,000 4,277,000

Nov 2005

1.8 7,566,000 4,220,000

Dec 2005

1.8 7,279,000 4,064,000

Jan 2006

1.6 7,064,000 4,298,000

Feb 2006

1.7 7,184,000 4,229,000

Mar 2006

1.6 7,072,000 4,493,000

Apr 2006

1.5 7,120,000 4,680,000

May 2006

1.6 6,980,000 4,389,000

Jun 2006

1.6 7,001,000 4,349,000

Jul 2006

1.7 7,175,000 4,154,000

Aug 2006

1.6 7,091,000 4,560,000

Sep 2006

1.5 6,847,000 4,516,000

Oct 2006

1.5 6,727,000 4,472,000

Nov 2006

1.6 6,872,000 4,341,000

Dec 2006

1.6 6,762,000 4,278,000

Jan 2007

1.5 7,116,000 4,630,000

Feb 2007

1.6 6,927,000 4,465,000

Mar 2007

1.4 6,731,000 4,666,000

Apr 2007

1.4 6,850,000 4,824,000

May 2007

1.5 6,766,000 4,550,000

Jun 2007

1.5 6,979,000 4,608,000

Jul 2007

1.6 7,149,000 4,490,000

Aug 2007

1.6 7,067,000 4,555,000

Sep 2007

1.6 7,170,000 4,523,000

Oct 2007

1.7 7,237,000 4,300,000

Nov 2007

1.7 7,240,000 4,156,000

Dec 2007

1.9 7,645,000 4,123,000

Jan 2008

1.8 7,685,000 4,260,000

Feb 2008

1.9 7,497,000 4,042,000

Mar 2008

2.0 7,822,000 4,001,000

Apr 2008

1.9 7,637,000 4,098,000

May 2008

2.1 8,395,000 3,960,000

Jun 2008

2.3 8,575,000 3,767,000

Jul 2008

2.3 8,937,000 3,821,000

Aug 2008

2.6 9,438,000 3,665,000

Sep 2008

2.9 9,494,000 3,264,000

Oct 2008

3.1 10,074,000 3,292,000

Nov 2008

3.6 10,538,000 2,956,000

Dec 2008

4.0 11,286,000 2,830,000

Jan 2009

4.4 12,058,000 2,767,000

Feb 2009

4.6 12,898,000 2,791,000

Mar 2009

5.4 13,426,000 2,491,000

Apr 2009

5.9 13,853,000 2,357,000

May 2009

6.0 14,499,000 2,427,000

Jun 2009

6.1 14,707,000 2,428,000

Jul 2009

6.6 14,601,000 2,196,000

Aug 2009

6.4 14,814,000 2,306,000

Sep 2009

6.1 15,009,000 2,478,000

Oct 2009

6.4 15,352,000 2,400,000

Nov 2009

6.5 15,219,000 2,350,000

Dec 2009

6.3 15,098,000 2,407,000

Jan 2010

5.7 15,046,000 2,636,000

Feb 2010

5.9 15,113,000 2,578,000

Mar 2010

5.7 15,202,000 2,666,000

Apr 2010

4.8 15,325,000 3,220,000

May 2010

5.1 14,849,000 2,891,000

Jun 2010

5.4 14,474,000 2,664,000

Jul 2010

4.9 14,512,000 2,965,000

Aug 2010

5.0 14,648,000 2,920,000

Sep 2010

5.3 14,579,000 2,767,000

Oct 2010

4.8 14,516,000 3,033,000

Nov 2010

5.2 15,081,000 2,914,000

Dec 2010

5.0 14,348,000 2,857,000

Jan 2011

4.8 14,013,000 2,940,000

Feb 2011

4.5 13,820,000 3,062,000

Mar 2011

4.4 13,737,000 3,132,000

Apr 2011

4.2 13,957,000 3,286,000

May 2011

4.4 13,855,000 3,114,000

Jun 2011

4.3 13,962,000 3,223,000

Jul 2011

4.0 13,763,000 3,476,000

Aug 2011

4.4 13,818,000 3,176,000

Sep 2011

4.0 13,948,000 3,494,000

Oct 2011

4.0 13,594,000 3,422,000

Nov 2011

4.2 13,302,000 3,152,000

Dec 2011

3.9 13,093,000 3,372,000

Jan 2012

3.4 12,797,000 3,725,000

Feb 2012

3.7 12,813,000 3,497,000

Mar 2012

3.3 12,713,000 3,830,000

Apr 2012

3.5 12,646,000 3,641,000

May 2012

3.4 12,660,000 3,693,000

Jun 2012

3.3 12,692,000 3,800,000

Jul 2012

3.4 12,656,000 3,694,000

Aug 2012

3.4 12,471,000 3,684,000

Sep 2012

3.4 12,115,000 3,521,000

Oct 2012

3.3 12,124,000 3,708,000

Nov 2012

3.4 12,005,000 3,542,000

Dec 2012

3.4 12,298,000 3,570,000

Jan 2013

3.3 12,471,000 3,805,000

Feb 2013

3.0 11,950,000 3,970,000

Mar 2013

3.0 11,689,000 3,922,000

Apr 2013

3.0 11,760,000 3,935,000

May 2013

3.0 11,654,000 3,885,000

Jun 2013

3.0 11,751,000 3,903,000

Jul 2013

2.9 11,335,000 3,872,000

Aug 2013

2.9 11,279,000 3,914,000

Sep 2013

2.9 11,270,000 3,937,000

Oct 2013

2.7 11,136,000 4,108,000

Nov 2013

2.8 10,787,000 3,845,000

Dec 2013

2.8 10,404,000 3,782,000

Jan 2014

2.6 10,235,000 3,989,000

Feb 2014

2.5 10,365,000 4,145,000

Mar 2014

2.5 10,435,000 4,204,000

Apr 2014

2.1 9,724,000 4,538,000

May 2014

2.1 9,740,000 4,609,000

Jun 2014

2.0 9,474,000 4,676,000

Jul 2014

2.1 9,610,000 4,622,000

Aug 2014

1.9 9,602,000 4,945,000

Sep 2014

2.0 9,266,000 4,588,000

Oct 2014

1.8 8,972,000 4,941,000

Nov 2014

1.9 9,064,000 4,698,000

Dec 2014

1.8 8,704,000 4,819,000

Jan 2015

1.8 8,951,000 5,111,000

Feb 2015

1.7 8,634,000 5,162,000

Mar 2015

1.7 8,578,000 5,182,000

Apr 2015

1.5 8,546,000 5,599,000

May 2015

1.6 8,662,000 5,424,000

Jun 2015

1.6 8,265,000 5,165,000

Jul 2015

1.4 8,206,000 5,863,000

Aug 2015

1.5 7,996,000 5,365,000

Sep 2015

1.5 7,891,000 5,367,000

Oct 2015

1.4 7,884,000 5,536,000

Nov 2015

1.5 7,948,000 5,225,000

Dec 2015

1.5 7,907,000 5,396,000

Jan 2016

1.4 7,811,000 5,726,000

Feb 2016

1.4 7,806,000 5,601,000

Mar 2016

1.3 8,024,000 5,944,000

Apr 2016

1.3 7,942,000 5,892,000

May 2016

1.3 7,465,000 5,695,000

Jun 2016

1.4 7,812,000 5,650,000

Jul 2016

1.3 7,723,000 5,982,000

Aug 2016

1.4 7,827,000 5,515,000

Sep 2016

1.4 7,919,000 5,650,000

Oct 2016

1.4 7,761,000 5,485,000

Nov 2016

1.3 7,419,000 5,631,000

Dec 2016

1.4 7,502,000 5,490,000

Jan 2017

1.4 7,642,000 5,442,000

Feb 2017

1.3 7,486,000 5,616,000

Mar 2017

1.3 7,171,000 5,607,000

Apr 2017

1.1 7,021,000 6,101,000

May 2017

1.2 6,837,000 5,689,000

Jun 2017

1.1 6,964,000 6,125,000

Jul 2017

1.1 6,956,000 6,202,000

Aug 2017

1.2 7,127,000 6,044,000

Sep 2017

1.1 6,759,000 6,229,000

Oct 2017

1.1 6,524,000 6,059,000

Nov 2017

1.1 6,616,000 5,931,000

Dec 2017

1.2 6,576,000 5,669,000

Jan 2018

1.1 6,684,000 6,230,000

Feb 2018

1.1 6,706,000 6,074,000

Mar 2018

1.0 6,585,000 6,638,000

Apr 2018

0.9 6,346,000 6,840,000

May 2018

0.9 6,065,000 6,659,000

Jun 2018

1.0 6,564,000 6,822,000

Jul 2018

0.9 6,280,000 6,939,000

Note: Job openings data for the most recent month are preliminary.

These data are from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and are seasonally adjusted. Job openings data for the most recent month are preliminary. To learn more, see “Job Openings and Labor Turnover — July 2018.” We have more charts featuring data on job openings, hires, and separations.

 

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Number of job openings reached 6.9 million in July 2018 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2018/number-of-job-openings-reached-6-point-9-million-in-july-2018.htm (visited December 04, 2024).

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