JOLTS
Job openings levels and unemployment levels, 2000–2024
| date | Openings | Unemployment, two-month average |
|---|---|---|
| 2000-12-01 | 5,088 | 5,634 |
| 2001-01-01 | 5,234 | 6,023 |
| 2001-02-01 | 5,097 | 6,089 |
| 2001-03-01 | 4,762 | 6,141 |
| 2001-04-01 | 4,615 | 6,271 |
| 2001-05-01 | 4,425 | 6,226 |
| 2001-06-01 | 4,361 | 6,484 |
| 2001-07-01 | 4,447 | 6,583 |
| 2001-08-01 | 4,024 | 7,042 |
| 2001-09-01 | 4,071 | 7,142 |
| 2001-10-01 | 3,707 | 7,694 |
| 2001-11-01 | 3,775 | 8,003 |
| 2001-12-01 | 3,677 | 8,258 |
| 2002-01-01 | 3,699 | 8,182 |
| 2002-02-01 | 3,436 | 8,215 |
| 2002-03-01 | 3,612 | 8,304 |
| 2002-04-01 | 3,471 | 8,599 |
| 2002-05-01 | 3,457 | 8,399 |
| 2002-06-01 | 3,412 | 8,393 |
| 2002-07-01 | 3,367 | 8,390 |
| 2002-08-01 | 3,517 | 8,304 |
| 2002-09-01 | 3,301 | 8,251 |
| 2002-10-01 | 3,479 | 8,307 |
| 2002-11-01 | 3,514 | 8,520 |
| 2002-12-01 | 3,169 | 8,640 |
| 2003-01-01 | 3,441 | 8,520 |
| 2003-02-01 | 3,229 | 8,618 |
| 2003-03-01 | 3,099 | 8,588 |
| 2003-04-01 | 3,108 | 8,842 |
| 2003-05-01 | 3,289 | 8,957 |
| 2003-06-01 | 3,390 | 9,266 |
| 2003-07-01 | 2,981 | 9,011 |
| 2003-08-01 | 3,190 | 8,896 |
| 2003-09-01 | 3,091 | 8,921 |
| 2003-10-01 | 3,305 | 8,732 |
| 2003-11-01 | 3,324 | 8,576 |
| 2003-12-01 | 3,414 | 8,317 |
| 2004-01-01 | 3,424 | 8,370 |
| 2004-02-01 | 3,532 | 8,167 |
| 2004-03-01 | 3,525 | 8,491 |
| 2004-04-01 | 3,511 | 8,170 |
| 2004-05-01 | 3,710 | 8,212 |
| 2004-06-01 | 3,337 | 8,286 |
| 2004-07-01 | 3,814 | 8,136 |
| 2004-08-01 | 3,541 | 7,990 |
| 2004-09-01 | 3,821 | 7,927 |
| 2004-10-01 | 3,943 | 8,061 |
| 2004-11-01 | 3,472 | 7,932 |
| 2004-12-01 | 4,074 | 7,934 |
| 2005-01-01 | 3,804 | 7,784 |
| 2005-02-01 | 3,965 | 7,980 |
| 2005-03-01 | 4,044 | 7,737 |
| 2005-04-01 | 4,159 | 7,672 |
| 2005-05-01 | 3,797 | 7,651 |
| 2005-06-01 | 4,062 | 7,524 |
| 2005-07-01 | 4,256 | 7,406 |
| 2005-08-01 | 4,142 | 7,345 |
| 2005-09-01 | 4,352 | 7,553 |
| 2005-10-01 | 4,184 | 7,453 |
| 2005-11-01 | 4,248 | 7,566 |
| 2005-12-01 | 4,282 | 7,279 |
| 2006-01-01 | 4,397 | 7,064 |
| 2006-02-01 | 4,325 | 7,184 |
| 2006-03-01 | 4,732 | 7,072 |
| 2006-04-01 | 4,790 | 7,120 |
| 2006-05-01 | 4,463 | 6,980 |
| 2006-06-01 | 4,614 | 7,001 |
| 2006-07-01 | 4,394 | 7,175 |
| 2006-08-01 | 4,710 | 7,091 |
| 2006-09-01 | 4,737 | 6,847 |
| 2006-10-01 | 4,591 | 6,727 |
| 2006-11-01 | 4,645 | 6,872 |
| 2006-12-01 | 4,620 | 6,762 |
| 2007-01-01 | 4,763 | 7,116 |
| 2007-02-01 | 4,699 | 6,927 |
| 2007-03-01 | 4,962 | 6,731 |
| 2007-04-01 | 4,689 | 6,850 |
| 2007-05-01 | 4,657 | 6,766 |
| 2007-06-01 | 4,859 | 6,979 |
| 2007-07-01 | 4,598 | 7,149 |
| 2007-08-01 | 4,546 | 7,067 |
| 2007-09-01 | 4,652 | 7,170 |
| 2007-10-01 | 4,636 | 7,237 |
| 2007-11-01 | 4,646 | 7,240 |
| 2007-12-01 | 4,545 | 7,645 |
| 2008-01-01 | 4,624 | 7,685 |
| 2008-02-01 | 4,279 | 7,497 |
| 2008-03-01 | 4,225 | 7,822 |
| 2008-04-01 | 4,035 | 7,637 |
| 2008-05-01 | 4,194 | 8,395 |
| 2008-06-01 | 3,830 | 8,575 |
| 2008-07-01 | 3,749 | 8,937 |
| 2008-08-01 | 3,674 | 9,438 |
| 2008-09-01 | 3,222 | 9,494 |
| 2008-10-01 | 3,377 | 10,074 |
| 2008-11-01 | 3,231 | 10,538 |
| 2008-12-01 | 3,146 | 11,286 |
| 2009-01-01 | 2,738 | 12,058 |
| 2009-02-01 | 2,864 | 12,898 |
| 2009-03-01 | 2,534 | 13,426 |
| 2009-04-01 | 2,295 | 13,853 |
| 2009-05-01 | 2,549 | 14,499 |
| 2009-06-01 | 2,503 | 14,707 |
| 2009-07-01 | 2,232 | 14,601 |
| 2009-08-01 | 2,338 | 14,814 |
| 2009-09-01 | 2,487 | 15,009 |
| 2009-10-01 | 2,406 | 15,352 |
| 2009-11-01 | 2,503 | 15,219 |
| 2009-12-01 | 2,568 | 15,098 |
| 2010-01-01 | 2,837 | 15,046 |
| 2010-02-01 | 2,666 | 15,113 |
| 2010-03-01 | 2,679 | 15,202 |
| 2010-04-01 | 3,153 | 15,325 |
| 2010-05-01 | 2,988 | 14,849 |
| 2010-06-01 | 2,801 | 14,474 |
| 2010-07-01 | 3,082 | 14,512 |
| 2010-08-01 | 2,999 | 14,648 |
| 2010-09-01 | 2,918 | 14,579 |
| 2010-10-01 | 3,235 | 14,516 |
| 2010-11-01 | 3,211 | 15,081 |
| 2010-12-01 | 3,058 | 14,348 |
| 2011-01-01 | 3,104 | 14,013 |
| 2011-02-01 | 3,226 | 13,820 |
| 2011-03-01 | 3,261 | 13,737 |
| 2011-04-01 | 3,259 | 13,957 |
| 2011-05-01 | 3,179 | 13,855 |
| 2011-06-01 | 3,455 | 13,962 |
| 2011-07-01 | 3,623 | 13,763 |
| 2011-08-01 | 3,329 | 13,818 |
| 2011-09-01 | 3,774 | 13,948 |
| 2011-10-01 | 3,619 | 13,594 |
| 2011-11-01 | 3,565 | 13,302 |
| 2011-12-01 | 3,768 | 13,093 |
| 2012-01-01 | 3,909 | 12,797 |
| 2012-02-01 | 3,616 | 12,813 |
| 2012-03-01 | 3,979 | 12,713 |
| 2012-04-01 | 3,793 | 12,646 |
| 2012-05-01 | 3,835 | 12,660 |
| 2012-06-01 | 3,911 | 12,692 |
| 2012-07-01 | 3,735 | 12,656 |
| 2012-08-01 | 3,809 | 12,471 |
| 2012-09-01 | 3,882 | 12,115 |
| 2012-10-01 | 3,775 | 12,124 |
| 2012-11-01 | 3,878 | 12,005 |
| 2012-12-01 | 3,970 | 12,298 |
| 2013-01-01 | 3,923 | 12,471 |
| 2013-02-01 | 4,004 | 11,950 |
| 2013-03-01 | 4,076 | 11,689 |
| 2013-04-01 | 3,988 | 11,760 |
| 2013-05-01 | 4,145 | 11,654 |
| 2013-06-01 | 4,150 | 11,751 |
| 2013-07-01 | 3,885 | 11,335 |
| 2013-08-01 | 4,085 | 11,279 |
| 2013-09-01 | 4,128 | 11,270 |
| 2013-10-01 | 4,222 | 11,136 |
| 2013-11-01 | 4,119 | 10,787 |
| 2013-12-01 | 4,121 | 10,404 |
| 2014-01-01 | 4,127 | 10,202 |
| 2014-02-01 | 4,373 | 10,349 |
| 2014-03-01 | 4,388 | 10,380 |
| 2014-04-01 | 4,566 | 9,702 |
| 2014-05-01 | 4,747 | 9,859 |
| 2014-06-01 | 4,982 | 9,460 |
| 2014-07-01 | 4,846 | 9,608 |
| 2014-08-01 | 5,349 | 9,599 |
| 2014-09-01 | 4,914 | 9,262 |
| 2014-10-01 | 5,012 | 8,990 |
| 2014-11-01 | 4,843 | 9,090 |
| 2014-12-01 | 5,130 | 8,717 |
| 2015-01-01 | 5,344 | 8,885 |
| 2015-02-01 | 5,466 | 8,599 |
| 2015-03-01 | 5,210 | 8,515 |
| 2015-04-01 | 5,598 | 8,550 |
| 2015-05-01 | 5,563 | 8,834 |
| 2015-06-01 | 5,248 | 8,247 |
| 2015-07-01 | 6,056 | 8,167 |
| 2015-08-01 | 5,467 | 7,992 |
| 2015-09-01 | 5,488 | 7,907 |
| 2015-10-01 | 5,773 | 7,922 |
| 2015-11-01 | 5,708 | 8,000 |
| 2015-12-01 | 5,845 | 7,907 |
| 2016-01-01 | 6,012 | 7,627 |
| 2016-02-01 | 5,770 | 7,702 |
| 2016-03-01 | 6,129 | 7,961 |
| 2016-04-01 | 5,803 | 8,067 |
| 2016-05-01 | 5,777 | 7,652 |
| 2016-06-01 | 5,742 | 7,744 |
| 2016-07-01 | 5,962 | 7,641 |
| 2016-08-01 | 5,677 | 7,784 |
| 2016-09-01 | 5,868 | 7,953 |
| 2016-10-01 | 5,591 | 7,811 |
| 2016-11-01 | 5,971 | 7,553 |
| 2016-12-01 | 5,964 | 7,521 |
| 2017-01-01 | 5,617 | 7,468 |
| 2017-02-01 | 5,923 | 7,379 |
| 2017-03-01 | 5,811 | 7,073 |
| 2017-04-01 | 6,091 | 7,089 |
| 2017-05-01 | 5,826 | 7,000 |
| 2017-06-01 | 6,305 | 6,873 |
| 2017-07-01 | 6,238 | 6,892 |
| 2017-08-01 | 6,276 | 7,082 |
| 2017-09-01 | 6,320 | 6,854 |
| 2017-10-01 | 6,408 | 6,700 |
| 2017-11-01 | 6,271 | 6,774 |
| 2017-12-01 | 6,336 | 6,632 |
| 2018-01-01 | 6,621 | 6,489 |
| 2018-02-01 | 6,552 | 6,581 |
| 2018-03-01 | 6,818 | 6,472 |
| 2018-04-01 | 6,877 | 6,459 |
| 2018-05-01 | 7,016 | 6,196 |
| 2018-06-01 | 7,230 | 6,447 |
| 2018-07-01 | 7,190 | 6,195 |
| 2018-08-01 | 7,208 | 6,156 |
| 2018-09-01 | 7,411 | 6,073 |
| 2018-10-01 | 7,304 | 6,211 |
| 2018-11-01 | 7,594 | 6,115 |
| 2018-12-01 | 7,489 | 6,389 |
| 2019-01-01 | 7,517 | 6,439 |
| 2019-02-01 | 7,072 | 6,115 |
| 2019-03-01 | 7,337 | 6,182 |
| 2019-04-01 | 7,191 | 5,911 |
| 2019-05-01 | 7,311 | 5,941 |
| 2019-06-01 | 7,139 | 5,909 |
| 2019-07-01 | 7,051 | 6,008 |
| 2019-08-01 | 7,172 | 5,981 |
| 2019-09-01 | 7,160 | 5,775 |
| 2019-10-01 | 7,325 | 5,957 |
| 2019-11-01 | 6,919 | 5,911 |
| 2019-12-01 | 6,709 | 5,870 |
| 2020-01-01 | 7,184 | 5,804 |
| 2020-02-01 | 6,995 | 5,708 |
| 2020-03-01 | 5,794 | 7,184 |
| 2020-04-01 | 4,686 | 23,050 |
| 2020-05-01 | 5,581 | 20,939 |
| 2020-06-01 | 6,119 | 17,624 |
| 2020-07-01 | 6,514 | 16,324 |
| 2020-08-01 | 6,360 | 13,521 |
| 2020-09-01 | 6,512 | 12,599 |
| 2020-10-01 | 6,820 | 11,090 |
| 2020-11-01 | 6,875 | 10,760 |
| 2020-12-01 | 6,854 | 10,795 |
| 2021-01-01 | 7,175 | 10,155 |
| 2021-02-01 | 7,760 | 9,982 |
| 2021-03-01 | 8,399 | 9,712 |
| 2021-04-01 | 9,288 | 9,737 |
| 2021-05-01 | 9,840 | 9,257 |
| 2021-06-01 | 10,069 | 9,508 |
| 2021-07-01 | 10,882 | 8,704 |
| 2021-08-01 | 10,960 | 8,324 |
| 2021-09-01 | 10,882 | 7,677 |
| 2021-10-01 | 11,368 | 7,345 |
| 2021-11-01 | 11,232 | 6,780 |
| 2021-12-01 | 11,826 | 6,329 |
| 2022-01-01 | 11,487 | 6,511 |
| 2022-02-01 | 11,601 | 6,272 |
| 2022-03-01 | 12,027 | 5,972 |
| 2022-04-01 | 11,755 | 5,968 |
| 2022-05-01 | 11,443 | 5,979 |
| 2022-06-01 | 10,961 | 5,945 |
| 2022-07-01 | 11,380 | 5,718 |
| 2022-08-01 | 10,198 | 6,021 |
| 2022-09-01 | 10,854 | 5,770 |
| 2022-10-01 | 10,471 | 6,053 |
| 2022-11-01 | 10,746 | 6,000 |
| 2022-12-01 | 11,234 | 5,722 |
| 2023-01-01 | 10,425 | 5,719 |
| 2023-02-01 | 9,849 | 5,962 |
| 2023-03-01 | 9,623 | 5,866 |
| 2023-04-01 | 9,904 | 5,715 |
| 2023-05-01 | 9,311 | 6,117 |
| 2023-06-01 | 9,125 | 5,997 |
| 2023-07-01 | 8,805 | 5,904 |
| 2023-08-01 | 9,358 | 6,340 |
| 2023-09-01 | 9,307 | 6,347 |
| 2023-10-01 | 8,685 | 6,443 |
| 2023-11-01 | 8,931 | 6,262 |
| 2023-12-01 | 8,889 | 6,268 |
| 2024-01-01 | 8,748 | 6,124 |
| 2024-02-01 | 8,756 | 6,458 |
Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Unemployment levels represent the average of the unemployment level for the current month and the subsequent month in the Current Population Survey to better line up with the job openings data from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.
Source: EPI analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and Current Population Survey. Unemployment levels represent the average of the unemployment level for the current month and the subsequent month to better line up with the job openings data.
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