US job openings experienced a significant increase in September alongside a rise in workers quitting their positions, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report released Tuesday. The latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey also showed that hiring rose while layoffs declined during the month.
Job Openings Exceed Expectations
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that job openings reached 7.52 million, marking an increase of 333,000 from August and beating the Dow Jones consensus estimate of 7.15 million. The rate of job openings climbed to 4.5% of the total workforce, representing a 0.2 percentage point rise from the previous month. This leaves approximately 414,000 more job openings than unemployed workers, translating to about 1.05 openings for every available worker.
Sector-wise, openings increased in manufacturing by 54,000, state and local government by 108,000, and professional and business services by 106,000. Total employee quits jumped to 3.36 million, adding 321,000 from August to reach the highest level since March 2025. Economists view the quits rate as a key indicator of worker confidence in securing new employment after leaving a current job.
“There are more job openings than unemployed people in the United States right now. That doesn’t solve all problems, but it’s a big change from a year ago,” said Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. “It’s an encouraging sign that despite all the headwinds right now with high diesel and gas prices and ongoing inflation problems, companies are slowly increasing their hiring.”
Hiring Rises and Layoffs Decline
Total hires for the month grew by 131,000 to reach 5.4 million. Conversely, layoffs and discharges dropped by 127,000 down to 1.64 million, marking the lowest level recorded since March 2025.
This data precedes the upcoming October nonfarm payrolls report scheduled for release by the bureau on Friday. Wall Street consensus projections anticipate a job growth increase of 59,000, following a minimal gain of 29,000 in September, with the unemployment rate expected to remain steady at 4.2%.
In separate economic updates released Tuesday, factory orders for manufactured goods rose 1.8% in September, surpassing the predicted 1.3% forecast and rebounding from a 0.3% increase in August.
