As Americans actively search for good employment options, it turns out their geographical locations heavily influence their employment opportunities.
A study analyzed job openings across all 50 American states and found few states are bursting with employment opportunities while others have fewer opportunities to offer. Let’s explore five American states with the highest and lowest job openings so you can look for jobs in the right place.
5 States with Lowest Job Openings
California
California had the lowest job openings compared to all other American states. Its average monthly job openings rate was 4.50% from April 2023 and April 2024. The state’s Regional Commissioner reported that California’s job opening rate was 3% in September 2024, much lower than the national job opening rate of 4.5% for the same month, highlighting the lack of enough opportunities for its citizens.
Washington
Washington ranks second-to-last as the state with the lowest job opening rate. The state reported an average monthly job opening rate of 4.57. Washington’s Regional Commissioner noted that the state’s job opening rates were much lower than the national average. For instance, the national job opening rate was 4.8% in April 2024 and 4.9% in May 2024, whereas the same was 3.4% and 4.4% respectively for Washington.
New York
New York has an average monthly job opening rate of 4.58%, placing it in the third-last position for offering the lowest job opportunities to its citizens. According to New York’s Regional Commissioner, the state reported a job opening rate of 4.6% in May 2024, slightly lower than the national job opening rate of 4.9%. New York also witnessed a reduction of 2,900 private-sector job opportunities in September 2024.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the fourth-last state with the lowest job opening rate of 4.62%. The state has been witnessing a decline in job openings, placing it in the bottom five states known for providing the least opportunities. Hawaii had 27,000 job openings in September 2024, and it reduced in October 2024 to 26,000 job openings. The state’s Regional Commissioner also reported that Hawaii’s job opening rate was 3.9% in October 2024, much lower than the national 4.6%.
New Jersey
New Jersey has an average monthly job opening rate of 4.86%, earning it the fifth-last position in the list of states with the lowest job openings. The state’s Regional Commissioner reported that New Jersey’s job opening rate was lower than the national rate. For instance, New Jersey’s job opening rate was 4.5% in July 2024, while the national rate was 4.6% in July 2024. The openings in July also witnessed a decline of 20,000 jobs.
5 States with Highest Job Openings
Alaska
Alaska tops the list with an average job opening rate of 7.35%. While the number of job openings was high throughout the year, August 2023 reported the highest job opening rate of 8.9%, the highest of any other American state. According to Alaska’s Regional Commissioner, the job opening rate in Alaska was 6.9% in September 2024, whereas the national job opening rate stood at 4.5% for the same timeframe.
West Virginia
West Virginia ranked second for offering the highest job openings to its citizens. The average monthly job openings rate in West Virginia from April 2023 to April 2024 was 6.72%. The state witnessed the highest job opening rate of 7.4% in May 2023. Its lowest job opening rate was 5.6% in February 2024, which is still higher than most American state’s average job opening rate.
South Carolina
Third on the list is South Carolina, which has an average job opening rate of 6.69%. South Carolina reported its highest job openings in May 2023 at 7.2%, whereas its lowest was marked at 6.2% in April 2024. Surprisingly, the lowest job opening rate of South Carolina also placed the state in the top ten list of states with the highest job openings.
Colorado
Colorado is the fourth American state with the highest job opening rate, averaging 6.53%. The state reported its highest opening rate of 8.2% in April 2023. Even its lowest of 5.9% in June 2023 was significantly higher than the average job opening rates of many American states. The state’s Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations highlighted that Colorado’s job opening rate in June 2024 was 5.9%, whereas the national job opening rate was 4.9%.
Montana
Montana secured the fifth spot with an average monthly job opening rate of 6.43%. The state reported its highest job opening rate of 7.3% in April 2023, while the lowest was at 5.9% in March and April. Montana’s Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations reported that the state had a job opening rate of 5.5% in October 2024, whereas the national job opening rate was 4.6%.
