2.1 million job openings in health care and social assistance in September 2022

On the last business day of September 2022, the total number of job openings increased (+437,000) to 10.7 million. The overall job openings rate was 6.5 percent. There were 2.1 million job openings in health care and social assistance, yielding a job openings rate of 9.2 percent. Professional and business services had 1.9 million job openings (a 7.9 percent job openings rate), while accommodation and food services had 1.4 million job openings (9.5 percent).

Arts, entertainment, and recreation; and real estate and rental and leasing had job openings rates of 8.4 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively. Both industries had roughly 200,000 job openings.

In September, the largest increases in job openings were in accommodation and food services; health care and social assistance; and transportation, warehousing, and utilities. The number of job openings decreased in wholesale trade and in finance and insurance.

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 — September 2022." Also see charts of job openings, hires, and separations data. Job openings include all positions that are open on the last business day of the reference month. A job is open only if it meets all three of these conditions: A specific position exists and there is work available for that position, the job could start within 30 days, and the employer is actively recruiting workers from outside the establishment to fill the position. The job openings rate is computed by dividing the number of job openings by the sum of employment and job openings and multiplying that quotient by 100.