Job openings in U.S. construction fell by 48,000 to 251,000 in August, though they were 38,000, or 17.8%, above the level a year earlier, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).
The construction job openings rate fell to 2.9% from 3.5% in July, compared with 2.5% a year earlier. Across all nonfarm industries, openings fell by 256,000 to 7.08 million and the rate eased to 4.3% from 4.4%. Over the year, construction openings grew faster than the national total (17.8% versus 2.3%), while the sector's openings rate stayed 1.4 percentage points below the economy-wide rate.
Construction hires fell to 308,000 from 358,000, moving the hires rate to 3.7% from 4.3%; for all industries the hires rate was 3.3%. Layoffs and discharges in construction fell to 99,000 from 157,000, the fewest since the series began in December 2000, a rate of 1.2% against 1.0% economy-wide. Quits totaled 152,000, a rate of 1.8% compared with 1.9% nationally.
Construction job openings and labor turnover, August 2026
| August 2026 | July 2026 | August 2025 | 1-month change | 12-month change | 12-month change, % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level | ||||||
| Job openings | 251,000 | 299,000 | 213,000 | -48,000 | +38,000 | +17.8% |
| Hires | 308,000 | 358,000 | 336,000 | -50,000 | -28,000 | -8.3% |
| Total separations | 272,000 | 315,000 | 351,000 | -43,000 | -79,000 | -22.5% |
| Layoffs and discharges | 99,000 | 157,000 | 182,000 | -58,000 | -83,000 | -45.6% |
| Quits | 152,000 | 149,000 | 150,000 | +3,000 | +2,000 | +1.3% |
| Other separations | 21,000 | 10,000 | 18,000 | +11,000 | +3,000 | +16.7% |
| Rate, % (changes in percentage points) | ||||||
| Job openings | 2.9% | 3.5% | 2.5% | -0.6 | +0.4 | |
| Hires | 3.7% | 4.3% | 4.1% | -0.6 | -0.4 | |
| Total separations | 3.2% | 3.8% | 4.3% | -0.6 | -1.1 | |
| Layoffs and discharges | 1.2% | 1.9% | 2.2% | -0.7 | -1.0 | |
| Quits | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Other separations | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | +0.1 | 0.0 | |
In durable goods manufacturing, which includes wood products, openings fell to 380,000 from 423,000 but were 50.8% higher than a year earlier, for an openings rate of 4.6%. In nondurable goods manufacturing, which includes paper, openings fell to 142,000 from 153,000 and were 13.9% lower than a year earlier, for an openings rate of 2.9%. Quits there jumped to 97,000 from 69,000. In mining and logging, openings rose to 25,000 from 24,000 and were 19.0% higher than a year earlier, for an openings rate of 4.0%.
Labor turnover rates by industry, August 2026, %
| Industry | Job openings | Job openings, August 2025 | Hires | Quits | Layoffs and discharges | Total separations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 4.3% | 4.2% | 3.3% | 1.9% | 1.0% | 3.2% |
| Total private | 4.5% | 4.4% | 3.6% | 2.1% | 1.2% | 3.5% |
| Construction | 2.9% | 2.5% | 3.7% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 3.2% |
| Manufacturing | 4.0% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 1.6% | 0.8% | 2.5% |
| Durable goods (incl. wood products) | 4.6% | 3.1% | 2.4% | 1.3% | 0.6% | 2.0% |
| Nondurable goods (incl. paper) | 2.9% | 3.3% | 3.0% | 2.0% | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| Mining and logging | 4.0% | 3.4% | 3.9% | 2.3% | 1.0% | 3.5% |