U.S. employers had 7.1 million job openings at the end of August 2026, down 256,000 from July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on September 29. The openings rate slipped to 4.3%. Hiring, quits, and layoffs held roughly steady, so labor demand is cooling without a rise in job losses.
Key Takeaways
- Businesses with 1 to 9 employees cut openings from 1.39 million in July to 1.05 million in August, a drop of 335,000. That is larger than the entire private-sector decline of 214,000.
- Hires rose slightly to 5.19 million, and the hires rate edged up to 3.3%.
- Layoffs and discharges fell to 1.64 million, a 1.0% rate, down from 1.83 million and a 1.2% rate in August 2025.
- Quits held at 3.1 million, with the quits rate unchanged at 1.9%.
- Openings in the West fell by 243,000 to 1.59 million, while the South added 71,000 to reach 2.81 million.
- Openings are still 160,000 higher than a year earlier, when the August 2025 total was 6.92 million.
Small Businesses Drove The August Decline
The headline figure hides a clear pattern. Almost all of August’s drop in job openings came from the smallest employers. Businesses with 1 to 9 workers cut their openings by nearly a quarter in one month, and their job openings rate fell from 6.0% to 4.3%. Openings at businesses with 10 to 4,999 employees were essentially flat, and businesses with 5,000 or more employees added openings, reaching 243,000.
Small businesses usually respond first when costs rise or customer demand softens, because they have less room to carry open positions. The August data shows the pullback in listings, not in the workforce. Hiring and layoff rates at the smallest firms changed little over the month. In practice, small employers are filling fewer new roles, but they are not cutting staff.
Where Openings Rose And Fell By Industry
The bureau said openings changed little across individual industries. Still, the detailed tables show where employer demand is moving.
Industries With Fewer Openings
Professional and business services had the largest drop, down 119,000 to 1.19 million. Health care and social assistance fell by 115,000 to 1.36 million. Construction openings dropped by 48,000 to 251,000, and the construction openings rate fell from 3.5% to 2.9%. Openings in real estate and rental and leasing nearly halved, from 95,000 to 50,000.
Industries With More Openings
Some sectors moved the other way. Leisure and hospitality added 61,000 openings. Retail trade rose by 54,000 to 761,000, and its openings rate climbed to 4.7%, which may reflect early hiring for the holiday season. Finance and insurance openings increased by 49,000 to 353,000, and information added 45,000. Federal government openings rose by 16,000 to 113,000.
What The Data Means For Job Seekers
For people looking for work, the August report is mixed. With fewer openings, applicants have fewer listings to compete for, especially at small local businesses, which often hire quickly and informally. Someone job hunting in professional services, health care, or construction is dealing with a smaller pool of openings than in July.
Other indicators are steadier. Employers made 5.19 million hires in August, slightly more than in July, and the hires rate was unchanged from a year earlier. The layoffs rate held at 1.0%, below its August 2025 level. The job market is moving slowly, but it is still hiring.
The quits rate adds context. The quits level held at 3.1 million, and the rate stayed at 1.9%. The bureau treats quits as a measure of how willing or able workers are to leave their jobs. A steady rate below levels seen in stronger hiring periods suggests that many workers are staying put rather than chasing new offers.
What The Data Means For Small Employers
For small business owners, the August figures show they are not alone in slowing recruitment. The sharp drop in small-firm openings, alongside steady hiring and low layoffs, fits the pattern of an employer filling only critical roles and holding off on expansion hires.
There may also be an opportunity. With fewer small businesses competing for the same local candidates, the employers that are still hiring could find it somewhat easier to fill positions, especially in sectors where larger companies are also posting fewer jobs.
Regional Differences Stand Out
The West had the largest regional drop, with openings falling from 1.83 million to 1.59 million and the regional openings rate falling from 4.7% to 4.1%. The Northeast declined by 78,000. The South moved the other way, adding 71,000 openings, and it has the highest regional openings rate at 4.5%. The Midwest was essentially unchanged.
What Comes Next
July’s openings were revised up by 64,000 to 7.3 million, a reminder that the monthly JOLTS figures often change as more employer reports come in. The upcoming September employment report will show whether the cooling in August openings is turning into slower payroll growth. The bureau will publish September JOLTS data on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
FAQs
How Many Job Openings Were There In August 2026?
There were about 7.1 million job openings in the United States on the last business day of August 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is down 256,000 from July’s revised 7.3 million.
What Is The JOLTS Report?
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey is a monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics report on job openings, hires, quits, and layoffs. It is based on a sample of about 21,000 business and government establishments.
Did Layoffs Increase In August 2026?
No. Layoffs and discharges were essentially unchanged at 1.6 million, a 1.0% rate. That is down from a 1.2% rate in August 2025.
Which Businesses Cut Job Openings The Most In August?
Businesses with 1 to 9 employees cut openings the most. Their openings fell by 335,000 to about 1.05 million, and their openings rate dropped from 6.0% to 4.3%.
When Is The Next JOLTS Report?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release September 2026 JOLTS data on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
