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Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows job openings are at some of their lowest levels nationally since April 2021.
After hitting a low of about 8.9 million in July 2023, job openings rose in August to 9.6 million. That number was 10.2 million a year ago, and in August 2021, job openings reached nearly 11 million.
As the number of jobs open for hire rose, employers continued to add jobs, upping employment by 187,000 in August. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.8%. So, while Americans still find themselves primarily employed, their job-hop capacity quickly falls to levels predating the Great Resignation. Job openings remain well above pre-COVID levels, typically around 7 million.
Conrad DeQuadros, a senior economic advisor at Brean Capital, told Reuters that excess labor demand is declining and the labor market is rebalancing. For workers, this means less confidence in finding new employment outside their current jobs. For employers, it could mean tempering wage inflation.
To discover which industries are driving the job market, Stacker used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover report to see which industries grew job openings in August and which saw open positions shrink. Industries are ranked by the percent change in job openings from August 2022 to August 2023. Monthly data is preliminary.
The bureau records job openings on the last business day of the month and calculates the rate as a percent of total employment plus job openings within the industry. Read through the list to gather a snapshot of the economic activity across categories—retail, health care, manufacturing, and more.
#17. Wholesale trade
– Total job openings, August 2023: 231,000
— Annual change: -113,000 (down 32.8%)
— One-month change: -15,000 (down 6.1%)
– Job openings rate: 3.7%
#16. Manufacturing
– Total job openings, August 2023: 616,000
— Annual change: -216,000 (down 26.0%)
— One-month change: +72,000 (up 13.2%)
– Job openings rate: 4.5%
#15. Real estate and rental and leasing
– Total job openings, August 2023: 146,000
— Annual change: -34,000 (down 18.9%)
— One-month change: -8,000 (down 5.2%)
– Job openings rate: 5.7%
#14. Accommodation and food services
– Total job openings, August 2023: 1.0 million
— Annual change: -197,000 (down 16.2%)
— One-month change: -55,000 (down 5.1%)
– Job openings rate: 6.7%
#13. Arts, entertainment, and recreation
– Total job openings, August 2023: 158,000
— Annual change: -30,000 (down 16.0%)
— One-month change: +2,000 (up 1.3%)
– Job openings rate: 6.0%
#12. Retail trade
– Total job openings, August 2023: 665,000
— Annual change: -125,000 (down 15.8%)
— One-month change: -48,000 (down 6.7%)
– Job openings rate: 4.1%
#11. Health care and social assistance
– Total job openings, August 2023: 1.8 million
— Annual change: -161,000 (down 8.4%)
— One-month change: +40,000 (up 2.3%)
– Job openings rate: 7.5%
#10. Transportation, warehousing, and utilities
– Total job openings, August 2023: 436,000
— Annual change: -19,000 (down 4.2%)
— One-month change: -47,000 (down 9.7%)
– Job openings rate: 5.7%
#9. State and local education
– Total job openings, August 2023: 295,000
— Annual change: -11,000 (down 3.6%)
— One-month change: +76,000 (up 34.7%)
– Job openings rate: 2.8%
#8. State and local government
– Total job openings, August 2023: 576,000
— Annual change: -3,000 (down 0.5%)
— One-month change: -16,000 (down 2.7%)
– Job openings rate: 5.8%
#7. Construction
– Total job openings, August 2023: 350,000
— Annual change: +5,000 (up 1.4%)
— One-month change: -3,000 (down 0.8%)
– Job openings rate: 4.2%
#6. Educational services
– Total job openings, August 2023: 176,000
— Annual change: +4,000 (up 2.3%)
— One-month change: +1,000 (up 0.6%)
– Job openings rate: 4.3%
#5. Information
– Total job openings, August 2023: 234,000
— Annual change: +7,000 (up 3.1%)
— One-month change: -20,000 (down 7.9%)
– Job openings rate: 7.1%
#4. Professional and business services
– Total job openings, August 2023: 1.9 million
— Annual change: +64,000 (up 3.4%)
— One-month change: +509,000 (up 35.5%)
– Job openings rate: 7.8%
#3. Finance and insurance
– Total job openings, August 2023: 417,000
— Annual change: +76,000 (up 22.3%)
— One-month change: +96,000 (up 29.9%)
– Job openings rate: 5.8%
#2. Federal government
– Total job openings, August 2023: 182,000
— Annual change: +48,000 (up 35.8%)
— One-month change: +31,000 (up 20.5%)
– Job openings rate: 5.8%
#1. Mining and logging
– Total job openings, August 2023: 30,000
— Annual change: +10,000 (up 50.0%)
— One-month change: +4,000 (up 15.4%)
– Job openings rate: 4.5%
