Amid shifting work norms and economic pressures, over 3.1 million Americans quit their jobs in April 2025, according to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data. The sectors with the highest quit rates reveal where workforce churn is peaking. Here are the 12 industries seeing the most career transitions.
Leisure and Hospitality
Quit Level: 701,000
Quit Rate: 4.1%
More people are leaving jobs in leisure and hospitality than in most other industries. The main reasons? Long hours, low pay, and few growth opportunities. Many workers are now seeking jobs that offer greater stability, a clearer sense of purpose, and flexibility.
According to McKinsey, people also want to feel appreciated and like they truly belong—needs that are often missing in fast-paced service roles.
Accommodation and Food Services
Quit Level: 633,000
Quit Rate: 4.4% (highest across all industries)
The hospitality industry is struggling as many workers continue to quit their jobs. Wages haven’t kept up with rising living costs, staff shortages are causing burnout, and there aren’t many chances to grow in their careers.
Recent industry data indicate that many employees didn’t receive a raise or received only a negligible one in 2024. Nearly half of managers also report feeling burned out. With other jobs offering better pay and more flexibility, hospitality employers are feeling the pressure to find new ways to retain their workers.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities
Quit Level: 584,000
Quit Rate: 2.0%
The transportation and warehousing industry, once a big success story thanks to the e-commerce boom, is now struggling to retain workers. After a decade of rapid expansion, with employment climbing 47% between 2013 and 2023, the sector is now facing burnout, worker shortages, and an urgent need for upskilling.
While logistics roles are expected to grow another 28% by 2031, companies are struggling to fill physically demanding jobs in warehousing and last-mile delivery. An aging labor force and limited advancement opportunities are pushing many workers to seek more sustainable and stable careers elsewhere.
Private Education and Health Services
Quit Level: 544,000
Quit Rate: 2.0%
Private education and healthcare continue to experience elevated turnover as professionals seek more fulfilling and flexible careers. Teacher attrition remains above pre-pandemic levels, driven by low morale and limited support.
In healthcare, evolving roles, digital demands, and rising patient needs are straining an already overstretched workforce. The push for better work-life balance and meaningful recognition is prompting many to leave traditional roles behind.
Professional and Business Services
Quit Level: 529,000
Quit Rate: 2.3%
This sector is experiencing a significant number of job departures, particularly among office-based roles. Many workers are dissatisfied with rigid return-to-office mandates, limited career advancement opportunities, and outdated company cultures.
Increasingly, people are opting to work at flexible startups or take on freelance jobs that offer remote work and greater freedom. This trend indicates that workers are reevaluating what they want from their jobs—better balance, more independence, and work that feels meaningful—things that many traditional companies are still struggling to provide.
Health Care and Social Assistance
Quit Level: 497,000
Quit Rate: 2.1%
The U.S. healthcare and social assistance sector continues to face high voluntary turnover in 2025, reflecting a deep strain on the workforce. Total separations, which include quits, layoffs, and retirements, surged to 752,000 in April 2025.
This high turnover highlights the challenges faced by individuals in the field. Burnout, insufficient staff, and changing job demands are prompting many—especially nurses and support staff—to seek jobs that offer more flexibility and long-term stability.
Retail Trade
Quit Level: 393,000
Quit Rate: 2.5%
Retail workers are quitting in large numbers due to a combination of economic pressure, job instability, and evolving industry dynamics. Many are leaving for roles with less physical strain, better pay, and more predictable schedules.
Meanwhile, the rise of automation and e-commerce has reduced in-store staffing needs, leaving remaining employees overworked and under-supported. As a result, retail workers are increasingly transitioning to sectors that offer greater stability, flexibility, and long-term growth.
Manufacturing
Quit Level: 186,000
Quit Rate: 1.5%
The manufacturing industry is experiencing a steady outflow of workers in 2025, as skilled labor shortages, automation, and an aging workforce reshape the sector. According to the latest BLS data, the manufacturing industry had a quit rate of 1.5% in April 2025, up slightly from 1.4% in March.
While not the highest among industries, this rate reflects a growing trend of voluntary exits as workers reassess their future in a field that’s becoming more dependent on automation. Ongoing problems, such as global supply chain delays and worker burnout, are adding to the pressure.
As companies adopt AI and new technologies to address these challenges, some employees are opting to leave instead of acquiring new skills, seeking jobs that offer greater stability, faster growth, and a clearer path forward.
Other Services
Quit Level: 144,000
Quit Rate: 2.4%
The “Other Services” sector, which includes personal care, repair services, and nonprofit organizations, is experiencing notable workforce churn in 2025. With 144,000 quits and a quit rate of 2.4% in April alone, the sector reflects growing dissatisfaction tied to low wages and limited career advancement opportunities.
Many roles in this category offer essential but undervalued work, often with pay that fails to keep pace with inflation. As a result, workers are shifting to more stable, better-compensated opportunities in adjacent industries.
Construction
Quit Level: 147,000
Quit Rate: 1.8%
The U.S. construction industry is expected to face a severe worker shortage in 2025. Many workers are quitting, creating a significant problem for a sector that’s vital to building homes, roads, and disaster recovery projects.
The industry is expected to require an estimated 439,000 workers this year to meet demand. Yet, it faces mounting challenges, including an aging workforce, insufficient training pipelines, and physically demanding roles that deter younger entrants. Although wages are rising at an annual rate of 4.5%, automation and AI have yet to offset the skilled labor gap fully. Many workers are leaving for roles with safer conditions, more predictable hours, and clearer career paths.
Financial Activities
Quit Level: 127,000
Quit Rate: 1.4%
The finance and banking sector, once a symbol of career stability, is undergoing a wave of disruption in 2025. Major institutions, including Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America, have collectively cut thousands of jobs amid sluggish markets and declining trading volumes.
Entry-level roles are especially at risk as automation and AI replace traditional analyst and operations functions. This climate of uncertainty is prompting both early-career and seasoned professionals to pivot toward fintech, consulting, or entrepreneurial ventures.
Real Estate, Rental, And Leasing
Quit Level: 39,000
Quit Rate: 1.6%
The real estate, rental, and leasing industry is quietly experiencing elevated turnover in 2025, as shifting market dynamics and evolving job expectations drive career changes. The quit rate reflects growing discontent in roles often marked by commission-based pay, economic volatility, and limited flexibility.
The sector is also being reshaped by automation and digital platforms, which are streamlining transactions but reducing the need for traditional leasing agents and administrative staff. As housing markets cool and commercial leasing adapts to hybrid work trends, many professionals are transitioning to adjacent fields, such as proptech, consulting, or financial services, in search of more stable and scalable career paths.
