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Job openings down to 6.5 million in December 2025
February 24, 2026
The number of job openings continued to trend down to 6.5 million in December 2025. Over the month, both hires and total separations were little changed at 5.3 million each. Within separations, quits (3.2 million) were unchanged while layoffs and discharges (1.8 million) were little changed.
| Month | Total nonfarm job openings | Total nonfarm hires | Total nonfarm separations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2010 | 3,058,000 | 4,299,000 | 4,142,000 |
| Jan 2011 | 3,104,000 | 4,000,000 | 4,001,000 |
| Feb 2011 | 3,226,000 | 4,231,000 | 4,037,000 |
| Mar 2011 | 3,261,000 | 4,430,000 | 4,142,000 |
| Apr 2011 | 3,259,000 | 4,296,000 | 3,991,000 |
| May 2011 | 3,179,000 | 4,261,000 | 4,189,000 |
| June 2011 | 3,455,000 | 4,366,000 | 4,173,000 |
| July 2011 | 3,623,000 | 4,261,000 | 4,153,000 |
| Aug 2011 | 3,329,000 | 4,298,000 | 4,173,000 |
| Sept 2011 | 3,774,000 | 4,429,000 | 4,208,000 |
| Oct 2011 | 3,619,000 | 4,370,000 | 4,150,000 |
| Nov 2011 | 3,565,000 | 4,365,000 | 4,267,000 |
| Dec 2011 | 3,768,000 | 4,356,000 | 4,084,000 |
| Jan 2012 | 3,909,000 | 4,457,000 | 4,158,000 |
| Feb 2012 | 3,616,000 | 4,560,000 | 4,349,000 |
| Mar 2012 | 3,979,000 | 4,575,000 | 4,277,000 |
| Apr 2012 | 3,793,000 | 4,389,000 | 4,333,000 |
| May 2012 | 3,835,000 | 4,533,000 | 4,437,000 |
| June 2012 | 3,911,000 | 4,440,000 | 4,382,000 |
| July 2012 | 3,735,000 | 4,327,000 | 4,151,000 |
| Aug 2012 | 3,809,000 | 4,450,000 | 4,318,000 |
| Sept 2012 | 3,882,000 | 4,302,000 | 4,092,000 |
| Oct 2012 | 3,775,000 | 4,389,000 | 4,261,000 |
| Nov 2012 | 3,878,000 | 4,489,000 | 4,347,000 |
| Dec 2012 | 3,970,000 | 4,452,000 | 4,118,000 |
| Jan 2013 | 3,923,000 | 4,487,000 | 4,347,000 |
| Feb 2013 | 4,004,000 | 4,571,000 | 4,293,000 |
| Mar 2013 | 4,076,000 | 4,369,000 | 4,241,000 |
| Apr 2013 | 3,988,000 | 4,572,000 | 4,422,000 |
| May 2013 | 4,145,000 | 4,663,000 | 4,442,000 |
| June 2013 | 4,150,000 | 4,440,000 | 4,307,000 |
| July 2013 | 3,885,000 | 4,561,000 | 4,421,000 |
| Aug 2013 | 4,085,000 | 4,730,000 | 4,493,000 |
| Sept 2013 | 4,128,000 | 4,726,000 | 4,519,000 |
| Oct 2013 | 4,222,000 | 4,518,000 | 4,350,000 |
| Nov 2013 | 4,119,000 | 4,622,000 | 4,367,000 |
| Dec 2013 | 4,121,000 | 4,614,000 | 4,392,000 |
| Jan 2014 | 4,127,000 | 4,626,000 | 4,435,000 |
| Feb 2014 | 4,373,000 | 4,696,000 | 4,549,000 |
| Mar 2014 | 4,388,000 | 4,763,000 | 4,518,000 |
| Apr 2014 | 4,566,000 | 4,880,000 | 4,597,000 |
| May 2014 | 4,747,000 | 4,808,000 | 4,572,000 |
| June 2014 | 4,982,000 | 4,925,000 | 4,612,000 |
| July 2014 | 4,846,000 | 5,008,000 | 4,748,000 |
| Aug 2014 | 5,349,000 | 4,810,000 | 4,623,000 |
| Sept 2014 | 4,914,000 | 5,149,000 | 4,855,000 |
| Oct 2014 | 5,012,000 | 5,111,000 | 4,937,000 |
| Nov 2014 | 4,843,000 | 4,978,000 | 4,682,000 |
| Dec 2014 | 5,130,000 | 5,192,000 | 4,827,000 |
| Jan 2015 | 5,344,000 | 5,061,000 | 4,886,000 |
| Feb 2015 | 5,466,000 | 5,127,000 | 4,869,000 |
| Mar 2015 | 5,210,000 | 5,126,000 | 5,102,000 |
| Apr 2015 | 5,598,000 | 5,196,000 | 4,944,000 |
| May 2015 | 5,563,000 | 5,142,000 | 4,825,000 |
| June 2015 | 5,248,000 | 5,125,000 | 4,978,000 |
| July 2015 | 6,056,000 | 5,150,000 | 4,848,000 |
| Aug 2015 | 5,467,000 | 5,163,000 | 5,032,000 |
| Sept 2015 | 5,488,000 | 5,287,000 | 5,110,000 |
| Oct 2015 | 5,773,000 | 5,338,000 | 5,032,000 |
| Nov 2015 | 5,708,000 | 5,358,000 | 5,089,000 |
| Dec 2015 | 5,845,000 | 5,540,000 | 5,225,000 |
| Jan 2016 | 6,012,000 | 5,220,000 | 5,099,000 |
| Feb 2016 | 5,770,000 | 5,470,000 | 5,265,000 |
| Mar 2016 | 6,129,000 | 5,359,000 | 5,133,000 |
| Apr 2016 | 5,803,000 | 5,294,000 | 5,110,000 |
| May 2016 | 5,777,000 | 5,197,000 | 5,176,000 |
| June 2016 | 5,742,000 | 5,281,000 | 5,118,000 |
| July 2016 | 5,962,000 | 5,426,000 | 5,065,000 |
| Aug 2016 | 5,677,000 | 5,327,000 | 5,204,000 |
| Sept 2016 | 5,868,000 | 5,306,000 | 4,985,000 |
| Oct 2016 | 5,591,000 | 5,210,000 | 5,125,000 |
| Nov 2016 | 5,971,000 | 5,308,000 | 5,139,000 |
| Dec 2016 | 5,964,000 | 5,343,000 | 5,071,000 |
| Jan 2017 | 5,617,000 | 5,499,000 | 5,320,000 |
| Feb 2017 | 5,923,000 | 5,350,000 | 5,176,000 |
| Mar 2017 | 5,811,000 | 5,395,000 | 5,280,000 |
| Apr 2017 | 6,091,000 | 5,272,000 | 5,091,000 |
| May 2017 | 5,826,000 | 5,477,000 | 5,270,000 |
| June 2017 | 6,305,000 | 5,635,000 | 5,463,000 |
| July 2017 | 6,238,000 | 5,497,000 | 5,338,000 |
| Aug 2017 | 6,276,000 | 5,519,000 | 5,334,000 |
| Sept 2017 | 6,320,000 | 5,450,000 | 5,289,000 |
| Oct 2017 | 6,408,000 | 5,581,000 | 5,397,000 |
| Nov 2017 | 6,271,000 | 5,494,000 | 5,283,000 |
| Dec 2017 | 6,336,000 | 5,421,000 | 5,249,000 |
| Jan 2018 | 6,621,000 | 5,512,000 | 5,288,000 |
| Feb 2018 | 6,552,000 | 5,624,000 | 5,319,000 |
| Mar 2018 | 6,818,000 | 5,623,000 | 5,500,000 |
| Apr 2018 | 6,877,000 | 5,590,000 | 5,441,000 |
| May 2018 | 7,016,000 | 5,859,000 | 5,492,000 |
| June 2018 | 7,230,000 | 5,760,000 | 5,566,000 |
| July 2018 | 7,190,000 | 5,649,000 | 5,577,000 |
| Aug 2018 | 7,208,000 | 5,815,000 | 5,543,000 |
| Sept 2018 | 7,411,000 | 5,625,000 | 5,494,000 |
| Oct 2018 | 7,304,000 | 5,907,000 | 5,602,000 |
| Nov 2018 | 7,594,000 | 5,826,000 | 5,793,000 |
| Dec 2018 | 7,489,000 | 5,768,000 | 5,554,000 |
| Jan 2019 | 7,502,000 | 5,786,000 | 5,549,000 |
| Feb 2019 | 7,066,000 | 5,704,000 | 5,653,000 |
| Mar 2019 | 7,317,000 | 5,689,000 | 5,543,000 |
| Apr 2019 | 7,272,000 | 6,016,000 | 5,777,000 |
| May 2019 | 7,275,000 | 5,686,000 | 5,556,000 |
| June 2019 | 7,194,000 | 5,801,000 | 5,574,000 |
| July 2019 | 7,042,000 | 5,871,000 | 5,839,000 |
| Aug 2019 | 7,178,000 | 5,900,000 | 5,657,000 |
| Sept 2019 | 7,124,000 | 5,963,000 | 5,755,000 |
| Oct 2019 | 7,289,000 | 5,781,000 | 5,631,000 |
| Nov 2019 | 6,888,000 | 5,847,000 | 5,675,000 |
| Dec 2019 | 6,699,000 | 5,951,000 | 5,771,000 |
| Jan 2020 | 7,124,000 | 5,981,000 | 5,741,000 |
| Feb 2020 | 6,966,000 | 5,990,000 | 5,764,000 |
| Mar 2020 | 5,894,000 | 5,171,000 | 16,275,000 |
| Apr 2020 | 4,606,000 | 4,029,000 | 11,531,000 |
| May 2020 | 5,612,000 | 8,133,000 | 4,718,000 |
| June 2020 | 6,129,000 | 7,477,000 | 5,176,000 |
| July 2020 | 6,530,000 | 6,320,000 | 5,191,000 |
| Aug 2020 | 6,429,000 | 6,004,000 | 4,813,000 |
| Sept 2020 | 6,511,000 | 5,966,000 | 5,123,000 |
| Oct 2020 | 6,798,000 | 6,091,000 | 5,356,000 |
| Nov 2020 | 6,820,000 | 5,894,000 | 5,631,000 |
| Dec 2020 | 6,773,000 | 5,577,000 | 5,601,000 |
| Jan 2021 | 7,204,000 | 5,594,000 | 5,229,000 |
| Feb 2021 | 7,752,000 | 5,772,000 | 5,381,000 |
| Mar 2021 | 8,470,000 | 6,148,000 | 5,477,000 |
| Apr 2021 | 9,356,000 | 6,216,000 | 5,693,000 |
| May 2021 | 9,905,000 | 6,013,000 | 5,535,000 |
| June 2021 | 10,298,000 | 6,606,000 | 5,681,000 |
| July 2021 | 11,049,000 | 6,732,000 | 5,756,000 |
| Aug 2021 | 10,956,000 | 6,390,000 | 5,833,000 |
| Sept 2021 | 10,879,000 | 6,653,000 | 6,107,000 |
| Oct 2021 | 11,341,000 | 6,652,000 | 5,808,000 |
| Nov 2021 | 11,119,000 | 6,811,000 | 6,247,000 |
| Dec 2021 | 11,417,000 | 6,596,000 | 6,144,000 |
| Jan 2022 | 11,238,000 | 6,400,000 | 6,265,000 |
| Feb 2022 | 11,661,000 | 6,806,000 | 6,081,000 |
| Mar 2022 | 12,134,000 | 6,607,000 | 6,235,000 |
| Apr 2022 | 11,881,000 | 6,614,000 | 6,140,000 |
| May 2022 | 11,483,000 | 6,461,000 | 6,115,000 |
| June 2022 | 11,256,000 | 6,510,000 | 5,991,000 |
| July 2022 | 11,610,000 | 6,470,000 | 5,797,000 |
| Aug 2022 | 10,148,000 | 6,443,000 | 6,181,000 |
| Sept 2022 | 10,812,000 | 6,206,000 | 5,862,000 |
| Oct 2022 | 10,488,000 | 6,104,000 | 5,753,000 |
| Nov 2022 | 10,619,000 | 6,134,000 | 5,864,000 |
| Dec 2022 | 10,876,000 | 6,113,000 | 6,029,000 |
| Jan 2023 | 10,393,000 | 6,347,000 | 6,026,000 |
| Feb 2023 | 9,846,000 | 6,020,000 | 5,770,000 |
| Mar 2023 | 9,572,000 | 5,932,000 | 5,910,000 |
| Apr 2023 | 9,992,000 | 5,954,000 | 5,612,000 |
| May 2023 | 9,310,000 | 6,128,000 | 5,842,000 |
| June 2023 | 9,191,000 | 5,930,000 | 5,668,000 |
| July 2023 | 8,606,000 | 5,646,000 | 5,561,000 |
| Aug 2023 | 9,287,000 | 5,824,000 | 5,661,000 |
| Sept 2023 | 9,279,000 | 5,772,000 | 5,533,000 |
| Oct 2023 | 8,550,000 | 5,700,000 | 5,513,000 |
| Nov 2023 | 8,663,000 | 5,501,000 | 5,429,000 |
| Dec 2023 | 8,585,000 | 5,614,000 | 5,342,000 |
| Jan 2024 | 8,468,000 | 5,572,000 | 5,429,000 |
| Feb 2024 | 8,445,000 | 5,664,000 | 5,476,000 |
| Mar 2024 | 8,093,000 | 5,472,000 | 5,268,000 |
| Apr 2024 | 7,619,000 | 5,584,000 | 5,388,000 |
| May 2024 | 7,901,000 | 5,573,000 | 5,314,000 |
| June 2024 | 7,412,000 | 5,088,000 | 5,064,000 |
| July 2024 | 7,504,000 | 5,451,000 | 5,434,000 |
| Aug 2024 | 7,649,000 | 5,230,000 | 5,170,000 |
| Sept 2024 | 7,103,000 | 5,519,000 | 5,197,000 |
| Oct 2024 | 7,615,000 | 5,350,000 | 5,285,000 |
| Nov 2024 | 8,031,000 | 5,307,000 | 5,087,000 |
| Dec 2024 | 7,508,000 | 5,374,000 | 5,082,000 |
| Jan 2025 | 7,762,000 | 5,371,000 | 5,272,000 |
| Feb 2025 | 7,480,000 | 5,370,000 | 5,316,000 |
| Mar 2025 | 7,200,000 | 5,404,000 | 5,183,000 |
| Apr 2025 | 7,395,000 | 5,615,000 | 5,313,000 |
| May 2025 | 7,712,000 | 5,465,000 | 5,213,000 |
| June 2025 | 7,357,000 | 5,267,000 | 5,341,000 |
| July 2025 | 7,208,000 | 5,240,000 | 5,221,000 |
| Aug 2025 | 7,227,000 | 5,126,000 | 5,111,000 |
| Sept 2025 | 7,658,000 | 5,367,000 | 5,264,000 |
| Oct 2025 | 7,449,000 | 5,368,000 | 5,069,000 |
| Nov 2025 | 6,928,000 | 5,121,000 | 5,144,000 |
| Dec 2025 | 6,542,000 | 5,293,000 | 5,251,000 |
The number of job openings in December (6.5 million) decreased by 386,000 over the month and was down by 966,000 over the year. The job openings rate, at 3.9 percent, changed little over the month. The number of job openings decreased in professional and business services, retail trade, and finance and insurance.
In December, the number and rate of hires were little changed at 5.3 million and 3.3 percent, respectively. The number of hires increased in real estate and rental and leasing and in state and local government, excluding education. Hires decreased in federal government.
The number and rate of total separations in December were little changed at 5.3 million and 3.3 percent, respectively. The number of total separations decreased in professional and business services and in private educational services. Total separations increased in transportation, warehousing, and utilities and in federal government.
These data are from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent month are preliminary. To learn more, see "Job Openings and Labor Turnover — December 2025." 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 month. Hires and separations include all changes to the payroll during the entire month. Total separations include quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. Quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee. Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer. Other separations include retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same employer.
SUGGESTED CITATION
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Job openings down to 6.5 million in December 2025 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2026/job-openings-down-to-6-5-million-in-december-2025.htm (visited February 24, 2026).
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