U.S. employers posted far more job openings in September, a possible sign that hiring is recovering, even as many voters headed into Tuesday’s election frustrated by the cost of living.
Job openings rose to 7.5 million from a revised 7.19 million in August, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. That is the highest level since May and well above a recent low of 6.9 million in March. Openings now outnumber unemployed Americans, a reversal from a year ago, when more people were out of work than there were jobs available.
The department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey also showed gross hiring rose and layoffs fell. Layoffs dropped to 1.64 million, the fewest since March 2025. The number of workers quitting climbed to 3.37 million from 3.04 million, the highest in about 18 months. Quits usually rise when workers are confident they can land new jobs.
Openings grew most in professional and business services, a category that includes engineering and accounting positions along with temporary staffing. Manufacturers, shipping companies, and state and local governments also advertised for more workers.
Hiring has been sluggish for nearly three years, however, and one month of gains does not make a trend. Low layoffs have kept those with jobs secure, but job seekers face a harder-than-usual search.
Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, called the numbers encouraging given high diesel and gas prices and ongoing inflation. Nicole Bachaud, a labor economist at ZipRecruiter, was more cautious. With inflation elevated and interest rates higher than in the summer, she said businesses face rising operating and expansion costs, which will likely weigh on hiring until inflation cools.
The October jobs report is due this Friday. FactSet forecasts 65,000 new jobs, up from 29,000 in September, with unemployment holding at 4.2%. Job gains that small would normally signal weakness, but retiring baby boomers and sharply reduced immigration mean the economy needs fewer new jobs to keep unemployment low.
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