Industries with the Most Reported Job Openings
National supersectors ranked by 3-month average reported job openings (BLS JOLTS, published in thousands). Reported vacancy volume, not a job-quality or wage ranking.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, Private education and health services leads national supersectors on 3-month average reported job openings at about 1.5M (5.0% openings rate) , against a cohort median of about 281K. These are employer-reported vacancy counts, not verified hires or job offers. Window ends Dec 2025.
Openings counts are published in thousands and averaged over three months. High volume reflects reported unfilled positions, not job quality, wages, or worker outcomes.
Private education and health services leads on 3-month average reported openings at about 1.5M, roughly 10% above #2 Health care and social assistance (1.3M) and about 420% above the 281K supersector median. Volume rank is not a job-quality score.
Bars show reported openings volume in JOLTS thousands (three-month average). They do not rank wages, worker outcomes, or hiring success.
What This Ranking Measures
BLS JOLTS publishes monthly job openings by national supersector. This page ranks those sectors by the 3-month trailing average of reported openings, the same window used on state rate rankings so a single volatile month does not crown #1.
Large sectors (health care, professional services, trade) often lead on absolute volume while smaller sectors can show higher openings rates. This page answers the volume question only; each linked industry profile carries rate, hires, and quits context.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), national supersector series. Values are 3-month averages of reported job openings (thousands).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this ranking measure?
This page ranks BLS JOLTS supersectors by their three-month average reported job openings, the count of unfilled positions employers reported in the survey, published in thousands. It answers which industries carry the largest reported vacancy volume nationally, not which industries are "best" for workers or pay the most.
Why rank by openings volume instead of openings rate?
Volume answers "where are the most reported vacancies?" - useful when readers search for industries with the most job openings. Openings rate (openings per 100 jobs plus openings) normalises for sector size; a large sector can lead on volume while a smaller sector leads on rate. See each industry detail page for both measures.
Does a high openings count mean strong hiring demand?
Not necessarily. High reported openings can reflect large sector employment, chronic turnover, or slow filling, the count alone does not distinguish those stories. Pair this ranking with hires and quits rates on the industry detail pages for fuller context.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), national supersector series · Dec 2025 3-month average reported job openings (thousands). Volume is not a job-quality ranking.
Every figure on PlainLabor is rendered from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS); no number is typed in by an editor. Ranking positions use reported JOLTS openings volume; they are not hiring recommendations or forecasts. See our editorial standards and corrections policy, methodology, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-17. JOLTS figures are employer-survey openings and turnover rates for a published reference month - not job-quality rankings, hiring recommendations, or real-time vacancy postings.