Live BLS Data

The U.S. Job Market,
Explained for You

Real job openings and hiring trends — straight from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. No jargon, just the data.

Start your job search BLS Source Data
Data: February 2026  ·  Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — JOLTS & CPS

Key Metrics at a Glance

What the top-line numbers mean for your job search right now.

6.9M

positions unfilled (total nonfarm)

Total Job Openings

There are 6.9M open jobs in the U.S. right now. That's roughly 16.0 open jobs for every unemployed person — meaning competition exists but real opportunities do too.

4.8M

people hired this month

Monthly Hires

4.8M people were hired in the latest month. This tells you employers are still actively filling roles — the market is moving, not frozen.

3.0M

workers who left voluntarily

Voluntary Quits

3.0M workers quit voluntarily. A high quits number signals worker confidence — people only leave when they believe they can find something better.

1.7M

involuntary separations

Layoffs & Discharges

1.7M layoffs occurred. Compared to total employment of ~160M, this is a 1.08% rate — historically moderate, not a crisis signal.

4.2%

of all positions are open

Job Openings Rate

4.2% of all positions are currently unfilled. A rate above 4% is considered a job-seeker-friendly market. Below 3% favors employers.

1.9%

of workers quit voluntarily

Quits Rate

The quits rate is 1.9%. Pre-pandemic it averaged ~2.3%. A lower rate means workers feel less confident switching jobs — negotiate carefully.

4.3%

of labor force actively seeking work

Unemployment Rate

At 4.3%, unemployment is near historical lows (full employment is ~4%). If you're unemployed, you're not alone — but the market is absorbing workers.

61.9%

of working-age adults are active

Labor Force Participation

61.9% of working-age Americans are either employed or actively looking. The pre-pandemic peak was ~63.4% — a lower rate means more potential workers on the sidelines.

What This Means For Your Job Search

Plain-language takeaways from the data — no economics degree required.

There are real jobs available — but competition is rising

With 6.9M open positions, the market isn't dead. But openings have trended down from their 2022 peak of 12M+. This means you need to be more targeted and strategic — spray-and-pray applications won't cut it.

Employers are still hiring — just more selectively

4.8M of people were hired last month. Companies are filling roles, but they're taking longer to decide and raising the bar. Tailor every application, optimize for ATS systems, and follow up.

The quits rate signals worker confidence

A quits rate of 1.9% means workers are somewhat cautious about switching. If you're employed and considering a move, this is a good time to negotiate — your current employer knows replacing you is costly.

Watch out for ghost jobs

With openings trending down but postings still high on job boards, the gap between listed jobs and real openings is growing. Use Elevate's Ghost Job Detector to screen postings before investing hours in an application.

Sector matters more than ever

Healthcare, government, and professional services are consistently the strongest sectors for openings. If your skills are transferable, consider pivoting toward high-demand industries — Elevate's Career Path Finder can map your skills to new sectors.

Unemployment is low — but that cuts both ways

Low unemployment (4.3%) means fewer people are competing for each job — good for you. But it also means employers have fewer desperate candidates to choose from, so they can afford to be picky. Quality over quantity in your applications.

12-Month Labor Market Trends

Job openings, hires, and voluntary quits over the past year (in millions).

Mar 2025Apr 2025May 2025Jun 2025Jul 2025Aug 2025Sep 2025Oct 2025Nov 2025Dec 2025Jan 2026Feb 202602M4M6M8M
  • Job Openings
  • Hires
  • Quits

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), seasonally adjusted

Job Openings by Sector

Where the most open positions are right now — use this to target your search.

0350K700K1M1MProfessionalHealthcareLeisureRetailGovernmentConstructionInformation
📊 Professional & Business1.4M
🏥 Healthcare & Social Asst.1.3M
🍽️ Leisure & Hospitality906K
🛍️ Retail Trade701K
🏛️ Government701K
🏗️ Construction202K
💻 Information Technology91K

BLS Glossary — Decoded

The government uses specific terms. Here's what they actually mean for you.

JOLTS

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey

A monthly BLS survey of ~21,000 businesses that counts open positions, new hires, and people who left jobs. It's the gold standard for understanding the real state of hiring.

Job Openings

Unfilled positions on the last business day of the month

Any position that exists, is available to start within 30 days, and for which the employer is actively recruiting. This is NOT the same as job postings — many postings are ghost jobs.

Hires

All new additions to payroll during the month

Every person who started a new job — full-time, part-time, or temporary. A high hires number means employers are actively bringing people on board.

Quits Rate

Voluntary separations as % of total employment

Often called the 'Great Resignation' metric. When it's high, workers feel confident enough to leave without another job lined up. When it's low, people are playing it safe.

Layoffs & Discharges

Involuntary separations initiated by the employer

Firings, layoffs, and reductions in force. Watch this number — if it spikes in your sector, it's a signal to update your resume and network now, not later.

Labor Force Participation Rate

% of working-age adults who are employed or actively job seeking

People who are retired, in school, or have given up looking are NOT counted as unemployed. A low participation rate means the real labor market is tighter than the unemployment rate suggests.

Ready to act on this data?

Elevate gives you the tools to turn market insights into job offers — ATS-optimized resumes, ghost job detection, AI coaching, and more.

Get started free Try Ghost Job Detector

All data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via the BLS Public Data API. Data is cached and refreshed every 3 hours. BLS data is published monthly with a ~6-week lag.