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Job openings reach high of 8.1 million in March 2021

May 14, 2021

From February 2021 to March 2021, the number of job openings was up 597,000 to 8.1 million, the highest level since we started tracking job openings in December 2000.

Job openings, hires, and separations levels, seasonally adjusted
Month Total nonfarm job openings Total nonfarm hires Total nonfarm separations Total private job openings Total private hires Total private separations Government job openings Government hires Government separations

Mar 2011

3,261,000 4,430,000 4,142,000 2,939,000 4,179,000 3,868,000 323,000 251,000 274,000

Apr 2011

3,259,000 4,296,000 3,991,000 2,917,000 4,028,000 3,697,000 341,000 268,000 294,000

May 2011

3,179,000 4,261,000 4,189,000 2,880,000 4,022,000 3,887,000 298,000 239,000 302,000

Jun 2011

3,455,000 4,366,000 4,173,000 3,095,000 4,075,000 3,903,000 359,000 291,000 270,000

Jul 2011

3,623,000 4,261,000 4,153,000 3,291,000 4,020,000 3,839,000 332,000 242,000 314,000

Aug 2011

3,329,000 4,298,000 4,173,000 3,000,000 4,057,000 3,881,000 329,000 241,000 293,000

Sep 2011

3,774,000 4,429,000 4,208,000 3,377,000 4,159,000 3,922,000 397,000 270,000 286,000

Oct 2011

3,619,000 4,370,000 4,150,000 3,252,000 4,101,000 3,889,000 367,000 269,000 260,000

Nov 2011

3,565,000 4,365,000 4,267,000 3,208,000 4,093,000 3,962,000 357,000 272,000 305,000

Dec 2011

3,768,000 4,356,000 4,084,000 3,404,000 4,062,000 3,764,000 364,000 294,000 320,000

Jan 2012

3,909,000 4,457,000 4,158,000 3,561,000 4,172,000 3,864,000 349,000 285,000 294,000

Feb 2012

3,616,000 4,560,000 4,349,000 3,221,000 4,260,000 4,044,000 395,000 300,000 305,000

Mar 2012

3,979,000 4,575,000 4,277,000 3,582,000 4,279,000 3,968,000 396,000 296,000 310,000

Apr 2012

3,793,000 4,389,000 4,333,000 3,426,000 4,098,000 4,017,000 367,000 291,000 316,000

May 2012

3,835,000 4,533,000 4,437,000 3,438,000 4,228,000 4,107,000 397,000 306,000 331,000

Jun 2012

3,911,000 4,440,000 4,382,000 3,524,000 4,121,000 4,085,000 387,000 319,000 297,000

Jul 2012

3,735,000 4,327,000 4,151,000 3,356,000 4,032,000 3,853,000 379,000 295,000 298,000

Aug 2012

3,809,000 4,450,000 4,318,000 3,389,000 4,136,000 4,014,000 420,000 315,000 304,000

Sep 2012

3,882,000 4,302,000 4,092,000 3,500,000 4,022,000 3,826,000 383,000 280,000 266,000

Oct 2012

3,775,000 4,389,000 4,261,000 3,394,000 4,120,000 3,960,000 380,000 269,000 302,000

Nov 2012

3,878,000 4,489,000 4,347,000 3,513,000 4,213,000 4,054,000 364,000 276,000 292,000

Dec 2012

3,970,000 4,452,000 4,118,000 3,563,000 4,162,000 3,829,000 408,000 290,000 290,000

Jan 2013

3,923,000 4,487,000 4,347,000 3,467,000 4,204,000 4,048,000 456,000 283,000 298,000

Feb 2013

4,004,000 4,571,000 4,293,000 3,584,000 4,275,000 4,002,000 421,000 296,000 291,000

Mar 2013

4,076,000 4,369,000 4,241,000 3,681,000 4,100,000 3,944,000 395,000 270,000 296,000

Apr 2013

3,988,000 4,572,000 4,422,000 3,566,000 4,282,000 4,125,000 421,000 290,000 297,000

May 2013

4,145,000 4,663,000 4,442,000 3,736,000 4,376,000 4,145,000 410,000 288,000 297,000

Jun 2013

4,150,000 4,440,000 4,307,000 3,749,000 4,196,000 4,020,000 400,000 244,000 287,000

Jul 2013

3,885,000 4,561,000 4,421,000 3,509,000 4,291,000 4,130,000 376,000 270,000 291,000

Aug 2013

4,085,000 4,730,000 4,493,000 3,692,000 4,430,000 4,220,000 393,000 299,000 273,000

Sep 2013

4,128,000 4,726,000 4,519,000 3,732,000 4,433,000 4,234,000 396,000 293,000 285,000

Oct 2013

4,222,000 4,518,000 4,350,000 3,827,000 4,237,000 4,057,000 395,000 281,000 294,000

Nov 2013

4,119,000 4,622,000 4,367,000 3,714,000 4,326,000 4,084,000 405,000 296,000 283,000

Dec 2013

4,121,000 4,614,000 4,392,000 3,775,000 4,333,000 4,093,000 347,000 280,000 299,000

Jan 2014

4,127,000 4,626,000 4,435,000 3,738,000 4,336,000 4,143,000 389,000 289,000 292,000

Feb 2014

4,373,000 4,696,000 4,549,000 3,971,000 4,405,000 4,261,000 402,000 291,000 288,000

Mar 2014

4,388,000 4,763,000 4,518,000 3,962,000 4,456,000 4,213,000 425,000 307,000 305,000

Apr 2014

4,566,000 4,880,000 4,597,000 4,131,000 4,582,000 4,317,000 435,000 298,000 280,000

May 2014

4,747,000 4,808,000 4,572,000 4,307,000 4,522,000 4,273,000 441,000 285,000 298,000

Jun 2014

4,982,000 4,925,000 4,612,000 4,468,000 4,600,000 4,340,000 514,000 326,000 272,000

Jul 2014

4,846,000 5,008,000 4,748,000 4,371,000 4,721,000 4,469,000 475,000 287,000 280,000

Aug 2014

5,349,000 4,810,000 4,623,000 4,911,000 4,542,000 4,318,000 438,000 267,000 305,000

Sep 2014

4,914,000 5,149,000 4,855,000 4,446,000 4,815,000 4,558,000 468,000 334,000 298,000

Oct 2014

5,012,000 5,111,000 4,937,000 4,577,000 4,806,000 4,639,000 435,000 306,000 298,000

Nov 2014

4,843,000 4,978,000 4,682,000 4,372,000 4,682,000 4,402,000 472,000 296,000 280,000

Dec 2014

5,130,000 5,192,000 4,827,000 4,626,000 4,874,000 4,517,000 505,000 318,000 310,000

Jan 2015

5,344,000 5,061,000 4,886,000 4,818,000 4,744,000 4,577,000 526,000 316,000 309,000

Feb 2015

5,466,000 5,127,000 4,869,000 4,950,000 4,807,000 4,557,000 515,000 320,000 312,000

Mar 2015

5,210,000 5,126,000 5,102,000 4,709,000 4,797,000 4,765,000 501,000 328,000 337,000

Apr 2015

5,598,000 5,196,000 4,944,000 5,077,000 4,847,000 4,626,000 521,000 349,000 318,000

May 2015

5,563,000 5,142,000 4,825,000 5,040,000 4,819,000 4,504,000 523,000 323,000 321,000

Jun 2015

5,248,000 5,125,000 4,978,000 4,778,000 4,789,000 4,635,000 471,000 336,000 343,000

Jul 2015

6,056,000 5,150,000 4,848,000 5,507,000 4,798,000 4,531,000 548,000 352,000 317,000

Aug 2015

5,467,000 5,163,000 5,032,000 4,973,000 4,822,000 4,708,000 494,000 341,000 324,000

Sep 2015

5,488,000 5,287,000 5,110,000 5,018,000 4,964,000 4,774,000 470,000 323,000 335,000

Oct 2015

5,773,000 5,338,000 5,032,000 5,246,000 4,978,000 4,688,000 527,000 360,000 344,000

Nov 2015

5,708,000 5,358,000 5,089,000 5,185,000 5,007,000 4,759,000 523,000 352,000 331,000

Dec 2015

5,845,000 5,540,000 5,225,000 5,304,000 5,168,000 4,878,000 541,000 371,000 347,000

Jan 2016

6,012,000 5,220,000 5,099,000 5,497,000 4,867,000 4,762,000 515,000 353,000 337,000

Feb 2016

5,770,000 5,470,000 5,265,000 5,282,000 5,126,000 4,940,000 488,000 344,000 325,000

Mar 2016

6,129,000 5,359,000 5,133,000 5,633,000 4,995,000 4,807,000 496,000 364,000 326,000

Apr 2016

5,803,000 5,294,000 5,110,000 5,301,000 4,952,000 4,777,000 502,000 342,000 333,000

May 2016

5,777,000 5,197,000 5,176,000 5,239,000 4,838,000 4,826,000 538,000 359,000 350,000

Jun 2016

5,742,000 5,281,000 5,118,000 5,262,000 4,929,000 4,714,000 479,000 353,000 404,000

Jul 2016

5,962,000 5,426,000 5,065,000 5,375,000 5,021,000 4,783,000 587,000 405,000 283,000

Aug 2016

5,677,000 5,327,000 5,204,000 5,166,000 4,977,000 4,816,000 511,000 351,000 388,000

Sep 2016

5,868,000 5,306,000 4,985,000 5,340,000 4,912,000 4,645,000 527,000 395,000 340,000

Oct 2016

5,591,000 5,210,000 5,125,000 5,107,000 4,895,000 4,783,000 484,000 315,000 342,000

Nov 2016

5,971,000 5,308,000 5,139,000 5,394,000 4,976,000 4,803,000 577,000 332,000 335,000

Dec 2016

5,964,000 5,343,000 5,071,000 5,404,000 5,011,000 4,768,000 560,000 332,000 303,000

Jan 2017

5,646,000 5,497,000 5,291,000 5,146,000 5,155,000 4,952,000 499,000 341,000 339,000

Feb 2017

5,931,000 5,345,000 5,170,000 5,420,000 4,996,000 4,833,000 511,000 349,000 337,000

Mar 2017

5,813,000 5,394,000 5,271,000 5,304,000 5,055,000 4,937,000 509,000 339,000 334,000

Apr 2017

6,103,000 5,309,000 5,086,000 5,558,000 4,968,000 4,756,000 546,000 341,000 329,000

May 2017

5,810,000 5,477,000 5,297,000 5,264,000 5,130,000 4,961,000 545,000 347,000 335,000

Jun 2017

6,334,000 5,664,000 5,440,000 5,762,000 5,312,000 5,120,000 571,000 352,000 320,000

Jul 2017

6,203,000 5,508,000 5,297,000 5,665,000 5,169,000 4,966,000 538,000 339,000 331,000

Aug 2017

6,300,000 5,571,000 5,393,000 5,761,000 5,220,000 5,033,000 539,000 352,000 360,000

Sep 2017

6,279,000 5,409,000 5,413,000 5,718,000 5,057,000 5,066,000 561,000 352,000 347,000

Oct 2017

6,380,000 5,605,000 5,356,000 5,842,000 5,270,000 5,022,000 538,000 335,000 334,000

Nov 2017

6,282,000 5,463,000 5,259,000 5,743,000 5,098,000 4,918,000 539,000 365,000 341,000

Dec 2017

6,359,000 5,424,000 5,165,000 5,776,000 5,072,000 4,818,000 583,000 352,000 347,000

Jan 2018

6,601,000 5,459,000 5,369,000 6,025,000 5,150,000 5,031,000 576,000 310,000 338,000

Feb 2018

6,586,000 5,633,000 5,289,000 5,999,000 5,282,000 4,961,000 587,000 351,000 327,000

Mar 2018

6,833,000 5,636,000 5,468,000 6,202,000 5,292,000 5,130,000 631,000 345,000 339,000

Apr 2018

6,910,000 5,610,000 5,442,000 6,319,000 5,252,000 5,103,000 591,000 358,000 339,000

May 2018

6,987,000 5,865,000 5,502,000 6,386,000 5,508,000 5,168,000 602,000 357,000 334,000

Jun 2018

7,271,000 5,777,000 5,553,000 6,621,000 5,400,000 5,194,000 650,000 377,000 359,000

Jul 2018

7,209,000 5,707,000 5,578,000 6,524,000 5,344,000 5,206,000 686,000 363,000 371,000

Aug 2018

7,204,000 5,863,000 5,635,000 6,485,000 5,444,000 5,255,000 719,000 419,000 380,000

Sep 2018

7,352,000 5,616,000 5,539,000 6,733,000 5,263,000 5,207,000 619,000 352,000 333,000

Oct 2018

7,295,000 5,876,000 5,613,000 6,669,000 5,520,000 5,271,000 627,000 356,000 342,000

Nov 2018

7,574,000 5,815,000 5,683,000 6,903,000 5,449,000 5,338,000 671,000 366,000 345,000

Dec 2018

7,436,000 5,709,000 5,515,000 6,774,000 5,350,000 5,186,000 662,000 359,000 329,000

Jan 2019

7,478,000 5,741,000 5,511,000 6,780,000 5,373,000 5,145,000 698,000 368,000 366,000

Feb 2019

7,058,000 5,668,000 5,664,000 6,377,000 5,323,000 5,312,000 682,000 345,000 352,000

Mar 2019

7,332,000 5,684,000 5,575,000 6,616,000 5,334,000 5,238,000 715,000 350,000 337,000

Apr 2019

7,257,000 6,051,000 5,761,000 6,535,000 5,678,000 5,418,000 722,000 373,000 343,000

May 2019

7,279,000 5,719,000 5,571,000 6,589,000 5,378,000 5,224,000 690,000 341,000 347,000

Jun 2019

7,165,000 5,776,000 5,613,000 6,463,000 5,441,000 5,258,000 702,000 335,000 355,000

Jul 2019

7,137,000 5,987,000 5,797,000 6,416,000 5,610,000 5,456,000 721,000 377,000 341,000

Aug 2019

7,150,000 5,907,000 5,722,000 6,412,000 5,471,000 5,352,000 738,000 436,000 369,000

Sep 2019

7,100,000 5,970,000 5,777,000 6,358,000 5,595,000 5,431,000 742,000 374,000 346,000

Oct 2019

7,340,000 5,799,000 5,566,000 6,548,000 5,426,000 5,200,000 792,000 373,000 366,000

Nov 2019

6,915,000 5,842,000 5,644,000 6,151,000 5,452,000 5,300,000 764,000 391,000 344,000

Dec 2019

6,730,000 5,882,000 5,793,000 5,976,000 5,525,000 5,450,000 754,000 357,000 343,000

Jan 2020

7,154,000 5,974,000 5,714,000 6,336,000 5,584,000 5,374,000 819,000 390,000 340,000

Feb 2020

7,012,000 5,979,000 5,715,000 6,241,000 5,592,000 5,366,000 771,000 387,000 349,000

Mar 2020

5,769,000 5,132,000 16,308,000 5,061,000 4,751,000 15,763,000 708,000 381,000 545,000

Apr 2020

4,630,000 3,942,000 11,782,000 3,996,000 3,718,000 11,255,000 634,000 225,000 527,000

May 2020

5,447,000 8,272,000 4,618,000 4,813,000 8,015,000 4,160,000 634,000 256,000 459,000

Jun 2020

6,112,000 7,697,000 5,180,000 5,436,000 7,435,000 4,718,000 676,000 262,000 462,000

Jul 2020

6,717,000 6,237,000 5,392,000 5,915,000 5,893,000 4,949,000 803,000 344,000 443,000

Aug 2020

6,451,000 6,431,000 4,901,000 5,751,000 5,847,000 4,504,000 700,000 584,000 397,000

Sep 2020

6,611,000 5,932,000 5,235,000 5,903,000 5,607,000 4,804,000 708,000 325,000 430,000

Oct 2020

6,873,000 6,035,000 5,427,000 6,173,000 5,696,000 4,878,000 700,000 339,000 549,000

Nov 2020

6,766,000 6,019,000 5,744,000 6,078,000 5,649,000 5,305,000 688,000 370,000 439,000

Dec 2020

6,752,000 5,411,000 5,582,000 6,094,000 5,072,000 5,236,000 659,000 339,000 346,000

Jan 2021

7,099,000 5,465,000 5,323,000 6,380,000 5,102,000 5,007,000 719,000 363,000 316,000

Feb 2021

7,526,000 5,794,000 5,429,000 6,868,000 5,490,000 5,078,000 658,000 304,000 351,000

Mar 2021

8,123,000 6,009,000 5,322,000 7,290,000 5,632,000 4,998,000 833,000 377,000 324,000

Job openings increased in a number of industries with the largest increases in accommodation and food services (+185,000); state and local government education (+155,000); and arts, entertainment, and recreation (+81,000). The number of job openings decreased in health care and social assistance (−218,000).

In March, the number and rate of hires changed little at 6.0 million and 4.2 percent, respectively. Hires increased in state and local government education (+62,000); educational services (+31,000); and mining and logging (+17,000).

In March, the number and rate of total separations were little changed at 5.3 million and 3.7 percent, respectively. The total separations level decreased in construction (−82,000) and in state and local government education (−25,000).

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 — March 2021." Also see more charts on job openings, hires, and separations.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Job openings reach high of 8.1 million in March 2021 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/job-openings-reach-high-of-8-1-million-in-march-2021.htm (visited March 28, 2024).

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