Career decisions, reference page

U.S. job change statistics.

Five clear facts about hiring, voluntary quits, job tenure and employment growth. Each figure links to its original public source, so you can check the context before you cite it.

Last reviewed October 2, 2026United StatesSources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

At a glance

Career decisions happen in a moving market.

These figures offer useful national context, not a prediction for any one role, industry or person. Use them to frame a conversation, a story or a decision, then look closely at the job, location and terms in front of you.

7.8 million

average job openings in 2024

The national job-openings rate averaged 4.7% that year. An opening is a position available on the last business day of a month.

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65.3 million

hires recorded in 2024

That is the annual total across the nonfarm sector, a useful reminder that the labor market keeps moving even when a personal job search feels slow.

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39.2 million

voluntary quits in 2024

Quits accounted for 62.0% of all separations that year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines quits as voluntary separations initiated by employees.

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3.9 years

median time with a current employer

This was the median tenure for wage and salary workers in January 2024, the lowest reported since January 2002.

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5.2 million

jobs projected to be added by 2034

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects total U.S. employment to grow 3.1% from 2024 to 2034, reaching 175.2 million jobs.

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How to read the numbers

Start broad, then make the decision personal.

National figures can show the scale of change, but they cannot tell you whether a specific offer is a good fit. When you are comparing options, weigh the details that shape your actual week: pay, benefits, manager, growth, flexibility and the work itself.

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Method and sources

How this page is maintained.

This page uses public U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases. Each statistic above links directly to the release it came from. Figures are presented as reported, with the source date shown in the source list. We review this page regularly and update it when a newer official release changes a cited figure.

Cite this page

Site Blueprint Co. (2026, October 2). U.S. Job Change Statistics. Retrieved from https://siteblueprintco.com/career-change-statistics/