Openings
231K
Dec 2025
North Carolina Labor Market
JOLTS data - latest: Dec 2025
231K
Job Openings
161K
Hires
127K
Quits
52K
Layoffs
North Carolina Labor Market Overview
As of Dec 2025, North Carolina reported 231K job openings and 161K hires, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics JOLTS survey. Employers filled roughly 70% of available positions during this period, a middle-of-the-road read for hiring speed.
Voluntary quits reached 127K (2.5% rate), ahead of the 52K layoffs and discharges recorded over the same period -- a pattern usually associated with workers who feel they have other options.
Compared to a year ago, job openings in North Carolina declined by 17.8%, a meaningful year-over-year drop that often traces back to a specific sector pulling back.
North Carolina job openings over time
Monthly job openings in North Carolina from the BLS JOLTS survey, in thousands. The current openings rate is 4.3%.
Hires
161K
Dec 2025
Quits rate
2.5%
Voluntary turnover
Layoffs rate
—
Involuntary turnover
Monthly Trends
Openings Hires
Jan 2019 Dec 2025
How North Carolina Compares
North Carolina's JOLTS metrics ranked against all 51 states and DC, Dec 2025.
Other State Labor Markets
Frequently Asked Questions
How many job openings are there in North Carolina? ▼
North Carolina had 231K job openings as of Dec 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).
How many people were hired in North Carolina recently? ▼
North Carolina recorded 161K hires in Dec 2025, according to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. This tallies all payroll additions in the period, regardless of whether headcount grew overall.
What is the quits rate in North Carolina? ▼
127K workers voluntarily quit their jobs in North Carolina during Dec 2025. The quits rate was 2.5%. Economists treat the quits rate as a proxy for worker confidence in the job market, a rising rate usually means people feel secure enough to move on.
How many layoffs happened in North Carolina? ▼
There were 52K layoffs and discharges in North Carolina during Dec 2025. The count covers every employer-initiated separation in the period, both permanent layoffs and for-cause discharges.
What are total separations in North Carolina? ▼
Total separations in North Carolina reached 187K in Dec 2025. The figure covers every way a worker can leave a job in JOLTS accounting, quits, layoffs, discharges, retirements, and intra-firm transfers alike.
Understanding Labor Data
Data source
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).
PlainLabor is not affiliated with the BLS or any government agency.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, JOLTS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, state-level data · 2025-12 JOLTS measures job openings, hires, and total separations (quits + layoffs + other) by state. Data is monthly with about a 1-month publication lag.