U.S. employers posted 7.52 million job openings in September, a 333,000 increase from August, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The job openings rate rose to 4.5% from 4.3% the prior month, marking the highest level since May 2026. The gains were concentrated in state and local government (108,000), manufacturing (54,000), and professional and business services (106,000).
Hiring and layoffs remained stable, with 5.4 million hires recorded—a 131,000 increase from August—and layoffs and discharges holding at 1.6 million, the lowest level since March 2025. Meanwhile, 3.4 million workers quit their jobs, a 321,000 rise from the previous month, pushing the quits rate to 2.1%, the highest since March 2025. Economists note that while the labor market shows signs of strength, hiring activity has been sluggish for nearly three years, with low churn indicating high job security but limited opportunities for job seekers.
Government and Manufacturing Drive the Increase
State and local government job openings accounted for one-third of the nationwide gain, rising by 108,000 in September. Federal job openings remained lower than during the Biden administration, following efforts by the Trump administration to reduce federal positions. Manufacturing openings reached 584,000, the highest since December 2023, with durable goods accounting for 403,000 of those vacancies. The rise in manufacturing jobs coincides with the implementation of higher tariffs on imported goods, which began in April 2025.
Professional and business services saw 106,000 new openings, while construction added 36,000 and wholesale trade 21,000. The accommodation and food services sector recorded the largest increase in worker quits, with 197,000 employees leaving their jobs, while arts, entertainment, and recreation saw fewer resignations.
Labor Market Stability Masks Uneven Opportunities
Despite the rise in job openings, hiring activity has shown little momentum, with the number of new hires remaining flat at 5.4 million. The labor market’s stability—characterized by low layoffs and high job security—has created a paradox: while employed workers face minimal risk of losing their jobs, job seekers struggle to find opportunities. Cory Stahle, an economist at Indeed Hiring Lab, noted that "stability can have its advantages, but quiet isn’t the same as healthy."
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data, released Tuesday, precedes the October nonfarm payrolls report, which economists expect to show a 59,000 increase in jobs after September’s gain of just 29,000. The unemployment rate is projected to hold at 4.2%. Factory orders for manufactured goods also surged in September, rising 1.8%—well above the estimated 1.3%—after a 0.3% increase in August.
Expert Reactions: Mixed Signals on Economic Health
Wall Street analysts described the labor market as "stuck in neutral," with demand for workers strengthening but hiring failing to accelerate. One economist warned that while the data suggests a positive trend, the labor market’s sluggishness could persist without sustained improvements in hiring. Meanwhile, some labor advocates argue that the rise in job openings, particularly in government and manufacturing, reflects targeted economic policies rather than broad-based growth.
The quits rate, often seen as a barometer of worker confidence, reached a one-year high of 2.1%, indicating that employees feel increasingly emboldened to seek better positions. However, the overall hiring rate edged up only slightly to 3.4% from 3.3% in August, suggesting that employers are maintaining existing workforce levels rather than expanding aggressively.
Long-Term Implications and Policy Context
The September JOLTS report follows a period of economic uncertainty, with voters expressing concerns over inflation and job availability ahead of elections. The data provides a mixed picture: while job openings have rebounded, the labor market’s slow churn rate suggests limited mobility for workers. Policymakers may need to address structural barriers to hiring, such as skills mismatches or regional disparities, to translate rising openings into broader economic gains.
Manufacturing’s recovery, in particular, has been tied to trade policies enacted in early 2025, which aimed to bolster domestic production. The sustained increase in manufacturing job openings could signal the early stages of a sectoral rebound, though its long-term impact on employment remains uncertain.