Job openings decrease 14.9 percent for the year ended December 2019

On the last business day of December 2019, there were 5,892,000 job openings, a decrease of 14.9 percent from 6,921,000 job openings on the last business day of December 2018. For private industry, job openings on the last business day of December 2019 were 5,221,000, representing a 17.4-percent decrease from the 6,321,000 job openings on the last business day of December 2018.

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Chart Data 12-month percent change in job openings by industry, not seasonally adjusted, December 2018–December 2019 Industry 12-month percent change[p] 12-month net change[p] December 2018 December 2019[p] Total nonfarm -14.9% -1,029,000 6,921,000 5,892,000 Total private -17.4 -1,100,000 6,321,000 5,221,000 Mining and logging -51.7 -15,000 29,000 14,000 Construction -20.1 -60,000 299,000 239,000 Manufacturing -17.2 -75,000 435,000 360,000 Durable goods -24.8 -74,000 298,000 224,000 Nondurable goods -0.7 -1,000 137,000 136,000 Trade, transportation, and utilities -25.7 -347,000 1,350,000 1,003,000 Wholesale trade 2.5 4,000 163,000 167,000 Retail trade -30.5 -265,000 868,000 603,000 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities -26.7 -85,000 318,000 233,000 Information -8.1 -10,000 123,000 113,000 Financial activities -20.1 -75,000 373,000 298,000 Finance and insurance -25.5 -79,000 310,000 231,000 Real estate and rental and leasing 7.9 5,000 63,000 68,000 Professional and business services -18.2 -232,000 1,275,000 1,043,000 Education and health services -11.0 -142,000 1,294,000 1,152,000 Educational services 23.1 21,000 91,000 112,000 Health care and social assistance -13.7 -165,000 1,204,000 1,039,000 Leisure and hospitality -13.2 -118,000 893,000 775,000 Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6.9 7,000 102,000 109,000 Accommodation and food services -15.8 -125,000 791,000 666,000 Other services -10.0 -25,000 250,000 225,000 Government 11.7 70,000 600,000 670,000 Federal government -6.9 -6,000 87,000 81,000 State and local government 14.8 76,000 514,000 590,000

From the last business day of December 2018 to that of December 2019, job openings decreased for most industries, including mining and logging (−51.7 percent), retail trade (−30.5 percent), transportation, warehousing, and utilities (−26.7 percent), finance and insurance (−25.5 percent), and durable goods manufacturing (−24.8 percent).

In educational services, job openings increased 23.1 percent from 91,000 on the last business day of December 2018 to 112,000 on the last business day of December 2019. Over the same period, job openings increased 14.8 percent for state and local government.

These data are from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and are not seasonally adjusted. To learn more, see “Job Openings and Labor Turnover — December 2019.” We also have more charts on hires, separations, and job openings.

RELATED SUBJECTS Employment

Industry Studies