US Job Search & Hiring Statistics (2025-2026)
The latest BLS data shows 6.946 million job openings in January 2026 and a 4.4% unemployment rate in February 2026. Indeed Hiring Lab still expects unemployment to land between 4.1% and 4.8% across 2026, so job seekers should plan for a cooler but still active labor market.
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Quick answer
The latest BLS data shows 6.946 million job openings in January 2026 and a 4.4% unemployment rate in February 2026. Indeed Hiring Lab still expects unemployment to land between 4.1% and 4.8% across 2026, so job seekers should plan for a cooler but still active labor market.
Job openings (Jan 2026)
6.946 million
BLS JOLTS
Job openings rate (Jan 2026)
4.2%
BLS JOLTS
Hires rate (Jan 2026)
3.3%
BLS JOLTS
At-a-glance benchmarks
Key metrics curated for quick citation and sharing.
| Metric | Benchmark | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Job openings (Jan 2026) | 6.946 million | BLS JOLTS |
| Job openings rate (Jan 2026) | 4.2% | BLS JOLTS |
| Hires rate (Jan 2026) | 3.3% | BLS JOLTS |
| Quits rate (Jan 2026) | 2.0% | BLS JOLTS |
| Layoffs and discharges rate (Jan 2026) | 1.0% | BLS JOLTS |
| Unemployment rate (Feb 2026) | 4.4% | BLS Employment Situation |
| Unemployed people (Feb 2026) | 7.571 million | BLS Employment Situation |
| Labor force participation (Feb 2026) | 62.0% | BLS Employment Situation |
| Employment-population ratio (Feb 2026) | 59.3% | BLS Employment Situation |
| 2026 unemployment forecast range | 4.1% to 4.8% | Indeed Hiring Lab |
| 2026 job postings forecast range | 6.8 to 7.4 million | Indeed Hiring Lab |
| Indeed Job Postings Index (2025) | 111.7 to 101.7 | Indeed Hiring Lab |
| Indeed Wage Tracker (Sep 2025) | 2.5% YoY (down from 3.4%) | Indeed Hiring Lab |
| 2026 GDP growth consensus | 1.8% | Indeed Hiring Lab |
Frequently asked questions
Sources and methodology
Figures reflect the most recent published releases from the sources below. Use the original reports for definitions and methodology details.
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