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100+ Job Market Statistics for 2026: Hiring Trends Employers and Job Seekers Need to Know

  • Job Market Trends
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The job market in 2026 is not frozen, but it is more selective, slower moving, and more complex than it was a few years ago.

Employers are still hiring, but many are being more cautious about adding headcount. Job seekers are still finding opportunities, but they are also dealing with longer timelines, more competition, and higher expectations around skills, flexibility, and compensation.

For hiring managers, the data shows that recruiting in 2026 requires more than posting a job and waiting for applicants. Employers need to move quickly, communicate clearly, offer competitive compensation, and understand what candidates care about most.

For job seekers, the data shows that the most successful searches are strategic. Résumés need to be targeted, skills need to be clear, and candidates need to understand how hiring has changed.

Below are more than 100 verified job market statistics that employers, hiring managers, and job seekers should know in 2026.

Section 01

U.S. Labor Market Statistics for 2026

The U.S. labor market remained active in early 2026, but the pace of hiring was more measured. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 115,000 in April 2026, while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3%.

01 Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 115,000 jobs in April 2026.
02 The unemployment rate was 4.3% in April 2026.
03 The number of unemployed people was 7.4 million in April 2026.
04 The unemployment rate for adult men was 4.0%.
05 The unemployment rate for adult women was 3.9%.
06 The unemployment rate for teenagers was 14.4%.
07 The unemployment rate for White workers was 3.7%.
08 The unemployment rate for Black workers was 7.3%.
09 The unemployment rate for Asian workers was 3.3%.
10 The unemployment rate for Hispanic workers was 5.0%.
11 The number of people unemployed for less than five weeks increased by 358,000.
12 The total number of people unemployed for less than five weeks reached 2.5 million.
13 Long-term unemployed workers, those jobless for 27 weeks or more, totaled 1.8 million.
14 Long-term unemployed workers accounted for 25.3% of all unemployed people.
15 The labor force participation rate was 61.8%.
16 The employment-population ratio was 59.1%.
17 The number of people working part time for economic reasons increased by 445,000.
18 The total number of people working part time for economic reasons reached 4.9 million.
19 The number of people not in the labor force who wanted a job was 6.1 million.
20 The number of people marginally attached to the labor force was 1.8 million.
21 The number of discouraged workers was 475,000.
Section 02

Industry Hiring Statistics

Some industries added jobs in April 2026, while others declined or remained mostly unchanged. Health care, transportation and warehousing, retail, and social assistance posted gains, while federal government and information employment declined.

22 Health care added 37,000 jobs in April 2026.
23 Health care averaged 32,000 jobs added per month over the prior 12 months.
24 Nursing and residential care facilities added 15,000 jobs.
25 Home health care services added 11,000 jobs.
26 Transportation and warehousing added 30,000 jobs.
27 Couriers and messengers added 38,000 jobs.
28 Transportation and warehousing employment was down 105,000 jobs from its February 2025 peak.
29 Retail trade added 22,000 jobs.
30 Warehouse clubs, supercenters, and other general merchandise retailers added 18,000 jobs.
31 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers added 13,000 jobs.
32 Department stores lost 7,000 jobs.
33 Electronics and appliance retailers lost 2,000 jobs.
34 Social assistance added 17,000 jobs.
35 Individual and family services added 24,000 jobs.
36 Federal government employment declined by 9,000 jobs.
37 Federal government employment was down 348,000 jobs from its October 2024 peak.
38 Federal government employment was down 11.5% from that peak.
39 Information employment declined by 13,000 jobs.
40 Telecommunications lost 3,000 jobs.
41 Motion picture and sound recording industries lost 6,000 jobs.
42 Computing infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services lost 4,000 jobs.
43 Information employment was down 342,000 jobs from its November 2022 peak.
44 Information employment was down 11.0% from that peak.
Section 03

Wage and Workweek Statistics

Wage growth continued in April 2026, though at a moderate pace. Average hourly earnings rose by 0.2% for the month and 3.6% over the year.

45 Average hourly earnings for all private nonfarm employees rose to $37.41.
46 Average hourly earnings increased by 6 cents in April.
47 Average hourly earnings increased by 0.2% over the month.
48 Average hourly earnings increased by 3.6% over the year.
49 Average hourly earnings for private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees rose to $32.23.
50 Average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory employees increased by 0.3%.
51 The average workweek for all private nonfarm employees was 34.3 hours.
52 The average manufacturing workweek was 40.4 hours.
53 Manufacturing overtime was 3.0 hours.
54 The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees was 33.8 hours.
Section 04

Job Openings, Hires, and Turnover Statistics

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ March 2026 JOLTS report showed a labor market with millions of openings, but also signs of uneven movement across industries. Job openings were unchanged at 6.9 million, hires rose to 5.6 million, and total separations were little changed at 5.4 million.

55 The number of job openings was 6.9 million in March 2026.
56 The job openings rate was 4.1%.
57 The number of hires increased to 5.6 million.
58 Hires increased by 655,000 over the month.
59 The hires rate increased to 3.5%.
60 Total separations were 5.4 million.
61 The total separations rate was 3.4%.
62 Quits were 3.2 million.
63 The quits rate was 2.0%.
64 Layoffs and discharges were 1.9 million.
65 The layoffs and discharges rate was 1.2%.
66 Professional and business services job openings decreased by 318,000.
67 Finance and insurance job openings increased by 98,000.
68 Transportation, warehousing, and utilities hires increased by 108,000.
69 Professional and business services hires increased by 165,000.
70 Accommodation and food services hires increased by 124,000.
71 Federal government hires decreased by 7,000.
72 Quits decreased by 285,000 over the year.
73 Layoffs and discharges increased by 272,000 over the year.
74 Other separations increased to 339,000.

What this means for employers?

The job market is not as fast-moving as it was during the peak of the post-pandemic hiring boom, but employers still need to compete for qualified talent. Open roles, slow hiring decisions, and industry-specific shortages can still make recruiting difficult.

What this means for job seekers?

Job seekers should expect competition and longer timelines, but the market still has millions of openings. A targeted job search, a strong résumé, and early applications can help candidates stand out.

Section 05

College Hiring and Skills-Based Hiring Statistics

Employers are placing more emphasis on skills, competencies, and practical experience. NACE’s Job Outlook 2026 research found that employers projected a modest increase in hiring for the Class of 2026, while skills-based hiring continued to grow.

75 Employers initially projected a 1.6% increase in hiring for the Class of 2026.
76 45% of employers characterized the Class of 2026 job market as “fair.”
77 NACE’s Spring Update later reported a projected 5.6% increase in hiring for the Class of 2026.
78 Employers expected to hire 3.9% more interns in 2025-26 than in 2024-25.
79 70% of employers reported using skills-based hiring.
80 Skills-based hiring was up from 65% the prior year.
81 71% of employers using skills-based hiring use it at least half of the time.
82 87% of employers using skills-based hiring use it during interviews.
83 65% use skills-based hiring during screening.
84 In 2019, 73% of employers screened candidates by GPA.
85 In the 2026 report, only 42% of employers screened candidates by GPA.
86 73% of employers that do not screen by GPA consider demonstrated proficiency in key competencies when making hiring decisions.
87 67% of employers that do screen by GPA still consider demonstrated proficiency in key competencies.
88 81% of employers using skills-based hiring use it when creating job descriptions.
89 58% use skills-based hiring when creating interview rubrics.

What this means for employers?

Skills-based hiring can help employers widen their candidate pool and focus on whether someone can actually do the job. This is especially useful when hiring for roles where experience, adaptability, communication, and technical ability matter more than a specific degree or GPA.

What this means for job seekers?

Job seekers should make their skills easy to find. Instead of only listing job duties, candidates should include specific tools, measurable results, projects, certifications, and examples of how they used their skills.

Section 06

Remote and Hybrid Work Statistics for 2026

Remote work is still part of the labor market, but fully remote openings are limited. Robert Half’s Q1 2026 analysis found that most new job postings were fully on-site, while hybrid roles made up most flexible opportunities.

90 77% of new job postings analyzed by Robert Half in Q1 2026 were fully on-site.
91 19% of new job postings were hybrid.
92 4% of new job postings were fully remote.
93 Rhode Island had 19% hybrid roles.
94 Massachusetts had 20% hybrid roles.
95 New York had 20% hybrid roles.
96 New Hampshire had 19% hybrid roles.
97 Washington had 19% hybrid roles.
98 Boston had 22% hybrid roles.
99 Minneapolis had 22% hybrid roles.
100 San Francisco had 22% hybrid roles.
101 Austin had 21% hybrid roles.
102 New York City had 21% hybrid roles.
103 Seattle had 21% hybrid roles.
104 Atlanta had 20% hybrid roles.
105 Chicago had 20% hybrid roles.
106 Denver had 20% hybrid roles.
107 San Jose had 20% hybrid roles.
108 Phoenix had 18% hybrid roles.
109 Los Angeles had 18% hybrid roles.

What this means for employers?

Hybrid work remains a meaningful recruiting advantage, especially for employers competing for office-based professional talent. Even if a role cannot be fully remote, flexibility can still help attract candidates.

What this means for job seekers?

Fully remote jobs are still available, but they are limited and competitive. Job seekers who are open to hybrid roles may have more options than those searching only for fully remote positions.

Section 07

AI and Hiring Statistics

AI is becoming more visible in job postings and workplace skill requirements. Indeed Hiring Lab reported that job postings mentioning AI reached a new high at the end of 2025, especially in data, analytics, marketing, and HR roles.

110 The Indeed AI Tracker reached 4.2% of U.S. job postings in December 2025.
111 Nearly 45% of data and analytics postings included AI-related terms.
112 About 15% of marketing postings included AI-related terms.
113 About 9% of human resources postings included AI-related terms.
114 Indeed’s Job Postings Index was 6% above its February 1, 2020 baseline as of December 31, 2025.
115 Indeed reported that hiring activity remained subdued.
116 Indeed reported that job postings were flat or declining in many occupations.
117 Indeed reported that jobs mentioning AI were growing across many knowledge-work occupations.

What this means for employers?

AI skills are becoming relevant beyond technical roles. Employers should be specific about which AI tools or capabilities are actually needed instead of adding vague AI requirements to every job description.

What this means for job seekers?

Candidates should not just say they “use AI.” They should explain how they use AI to save time, improve quality, analyze data, automate tasks, or support better decision-making.

Section 08

Salary and Benefits Statistics for 2026

Compensation remains one of the most important hiring factors, especially for candidates with specialized skills. Robert Half’s 2026 Salary Guide found that many employers are willing to pay more for in-demand skills, while job seekers are also becoming more confident in salary negotiations.

118 84% of hiring managers said they will offer higher salaries to candidates with in-demand skills.
119 Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science roles are projected to see 4.1% starting salary gains.
120 Public accounting, tax, audit, and assurance roles are projected to see 3.7% starting salary gains.
121 Content strategy, digital project management, and marketing analytics roles are projected to see 3.3% starting salary gains.
122 Customer support and healthcare administration roles are projected to see 3.0% starting salary gains.
123 Legal contract management roles are projected to see 2.7% starting salary gains.
124 Compensation and benefits roles are projected to see 2.4% starting salary gains.
125 88% of professionals said they feel confident negotiating salary offers.
126 41% of professionals said they struggle to know what is negotiable.
127 36% said they struggle to justify salary requests.
128 29% said they struggle to determine their market value.
129 74% of employers are concerned about meeting candidates’ salary expectations.
130 50% of hiring managers expect adding new benefits and perks to be an effective recruiting strategy in 2026.
131 53% of workers said financial incentives would prompt them to switch employers, assuming base pay remained the same.
132 51% said work-life balance perks would prompt them to switch employers.
133 42% said retirement planning benefits would prompt them to switch employers.
134 39% said health and wellness offerings would prompt them to switch employers.
135 66% of candidates would agree to work fully in person for a higher salary.
136 Of those candidates, 60% would require a salary increase of 10% or more to work fully in person.

What this means for employers?

Employers should benchmark pay before posting a role, not after they are already losing candidates. For hard-to-fill roles, compensation, benefits, flexibility, and speed all matter.

What this means for job seekers?

Job seekers should research salary ranges before interviews and be prepared to explain their value with specific examples, results, tools, certifications, or experience.

Section 09

Employee Retention and Engagement Statistics

Retention remains one of the biggest workforce challenges in 2026. Paycor’s 2026 retention report, which summarizes research from Gallup, Mercer, iHire, Work Institute, and other sources, highlights how much turnover is tied to management, communication, recognition, onboarding, and workplace culture.

137 51% of U.S. employees are watching for or actively seeking a new job.
138 42% of voluntarily exiting employees said their manager or organization could have prevented their departure.
139 45% of departing employees had no manager conversation about their future in the final three months.
140 77% of voluntary leavers either left within three months of searching or did not actively search.
141 Replacing leaders and managers costs around 200% of their salary.
142 Replacing professionals in technical roles costs around 80% of their salary.
143 Replacing frontline employees costs around 40% of their salary.
144 The average voluntary turnover rate in the U.S. was 13% in Mercer’s 2025 Workforce Turnover Survey.
145 The average voluntary turnover rate was 13.5% in 2024.
146 The average voluntary turnover rate was 17.3% in 2023.
147 Retail and wholesale industries had turnover of 26.7%.
148 Voluntary quits declined from 43.3% in 2023 to 38.5% in 2024.
149 32.4% of employees who quit cited a toxic or negative work environment.
150 30.3% cited poor company leadership.
151 27.7% cited dissatisfaction with a manager or supervisor.
152 20.8% cited poor work-life balance.
153 20.5% cited unsatisfactory pay.
154 Nearly 70% of U.S. workers said they would quit their job over a bad manager.
155 Only 12% of employees strongly agree their organization does a great job onboarding new employees.
156 33% of turnover occurs within the first year.
Section 10

Employee Recognition and Engagement Statistics

Recognition and engagement are closely tied to retention. Gallup’s 2026 State of the Global Workplace report found that global engagement fell to 20% in 2025, while Gallup and Workhuman research found that recognition has a measurable effect on turnover and job searching.

157 Global employee engagement fell to 20% in 2025.
158 Global employee engagement reached its lowest level since 2020.
159 Global employee engagement peaked at 23% in 2022.
160 Gallup estimated that low engagement cost the world economy $10 trillion in lost productivity.
161 Gallup estimated that low engagement equaled about 9% of global GDP.
162 Each percentage point of global employee engagement represents about 21 million employees.
163 Manager engagement declined from 31% in 2022 to 22% in 2025.
164 Non-manager engagement declined from 20% to 19%.
165 Employee wellbeing, measured as the percentage thriving, increased from 33% to 34%.
166 Within best-practice organizations, 79% of managers were engaged at work.
167 Employees who received high-quality recognition were 45% less likely to have turned over after two years.
168 Employees receiving high-quality recognition were 65% less likely to be actively looking for or watching for another job.
169 Only 22% of employees said they receive the right amount of recognition.
170 Organizations with high engagement experienced 21% less turnover in high-turnover organizations.
171 Organizations with high engagement experienced 51% less turnover in low-turnover organizations.
172 69% of the reasons employees leave relate to engagement, culture, and work-life balance.

What this means for employers?

Retention starts before someone quits. Regular check-ins, strong onboarding, recognition, manager training, and clear growth paths can reduce preventable turnover.

What this means for job seekers?

When evaluating a job, candidates should look beyond salary. Management style, workload, onboarding, communication, and culture can have a major impact on whether a role is sustainable.

Section 11

Workplace Mental Health Statistics

Workplace mental health is now a major hiring and retention issue. Monster’s 2026 State of Workplace Mental Health Report found that many workers are dealing with burnout, stress, toxic workplaces, and fear of speaking openly about mental health at work.

173 71% of workers reported staying in a job they knew was toxic.
174 46% of workers said they feel burnout due to work-related stress.
175 59% said their job harms their mental health at least monthly.
176 70% said they feel pressure to appear “okay” at work.
177 37% said they cannot speak openly about mental health without consequences.
178 35% said they have faced negative consequences for speaking up about workplace issues.
179 44% said they do not believe leadership is held accountable for toxic behavior.
180 59% of employees experience stress on a weekly or daily basis.
181 10% said their job negatively affects their mental health daily.
182 22% said it happens a few times a week.
183 27% said it happens a few times a month.
184 39% experience anxiety or panic.
185 37% report trouble sleeping.
186 34% experience headaches or physical pain.
187 25% report symptoms of depression.
188 39% cite increased workload or understaffing as a driver of workplace mental health challenges.
189 33% cite poor management.
190 30% cite lack of work-life balance.
191 28% cite workplace conflict or drama.
192 26% cite stagnant pay.
193 21% cite fear of layoffs or job insecurity.
194 41% worry about being labeled “difficult” if they speak up.
195 24% fear retaliation.
196 27% fear impact on career growth.
197 27% fear losing their job.
198 51% said they have seen high-performing employees avoid consequences.

What this means for employers?

Mental health is not just a benefits issue. It is also a workload, management, communication, staffing, and culture issue. Employers that want to retain talent need to look at how work is structured day to day.

What this means for job seekers?

Job seekers should ask thoughtful questions during interviews about workload, expectations, training, team structure, communication, and how success is measured.

What Employers Should Take From These 2026 Job Market Statistics

The 2026 job market is more balanced than it was during the peak hiring years, but that does not mean hiring is easy.

Qualified candidates still care about pay, flexibility, communication, culture, and speed. Employers that move slowly or provide a poor candidate experience may lose strong applicants, even in a more cautious market.

The data also shows that retention deserves as much attention as recruitment. Turnover is expensive, and many employees leave because of preventable issues like weak management, poor communication, lack of recognition, poor onboarding, and burnout.

For employers, the biggest opportunities in 2026 are:

  • Make the hiring process faster and easier.
  • Be clear about pay, benefits, schedule, and expectations.
  • Use skills-based hiring to identify qualified candidates.
  • Offer flexibility where possible.
  • Train managers to communicate and retain employees.
  • Improve onboarding and recognition.
  • Monitor workload and burnout before employees leave.

If your organization is struggling to find qualified candidates or keep your hiring process moving, working with a staffing partner can help you source, screen, and connect with talent faster.

What Job Seekers Should Take From These 2026 Job Market Statistics

The 2026 job search can feel frustrating because the market is active but selective. There are still millions of openings, but candidates may face longer timelines, more competition, and higher expectations.

Job seekers should focus on quality, not just quantity.

That means tailoring each résumé, applying early, highlighting measurable accomplishments, showing relevant skills, and building relationships with recruiters, hiring managers, and professional contacts.

For job seekers, the biggest opportunities in 2026 are:

  • Apply early when roles are posted.
  • Customize your résumé for each job.
  • Make your skills easy to find.
  • Include measurable results when possible.
  • Build AI, digital, and industry-specific skills.
  • Use networking and referrals.
  • Research salary ranges before interviews.
  • Ask questions about workload, management, and culture.
  • Do not let a slow search make you assume you are unqualified.

The job market is more competitive, but preparation still makes a difference.

How City Personnel Can Help

City Personnel helps employers across Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts find qualified candidates for administrative, accounting, finance, human resources, legal, customer service, operations, and professional roles.

For employers, City Personnel can help save time, improve candidate quality, and keep your hiring process moving.

For job seekers, City Personnel can help connect your skills and experience with available opportunities in the local market.

Whether you are hiring or searching for your next role, understanding the 2026 job market can help you make smarter decisions.

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Gain a competitive advantage with our free 2026 Salary Guide

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