Alabama reported 115,000 job openings in June 2025, a decrease from 123,000 in May, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s job openings rate was 4.9 percent in June, down from 5.3 percent the previous month. Nationally, the job openings rate was 4.4 percent in June and 4.6 percent in May.
Victoria G. Lee, Regional Commissioner for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, highlighted these figures: “The job openings rate in Alabama was 4.9 percent in June and 5.3 percent in the previous month.”
The ratio of unemployed persons per job opening stood at 0.7 for Alabama during June, indicating a tighter labor market compared to the national ratio of 0.9 unemployed persons per opening. In comparison across the country, twenty-five states and the District of Columbia had ratios below the national average; eighteen states had higher ratios; seven matched it.
Alabama recorded 73,000 hires and 66,000 separations in June—hires remained steady with May’s figure while separations fell from last month’s total of 77,000. Over the past year ending in June, monthly averages were approximately 77,000 hires and 73,000 separations.
Of those separating from jobs in Alabama during June, there were 40,000 quits and 21,000 layoffs or discharges; this compares to May’s figures of 54,000 quits and 19,000 layoffs or discharges. On average over the year ending in June, monthly quits ranged between 40,000 and 54,000 while layoffs and discharges ranged between 19,000 and 27,000.
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) is used to compile these estimates by incorporating sample data along with information from other employment surveys such as the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) and Current Employment Statistics (CES). State-level unemployment estimates are modeled using Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
“Job openings include all positions that are open on the last business day of the reference month,” according to definitions provided by JOLTS.
“A ratio of 1.0 means there is a job available for every unemployed person,” explains guidance from BLS materials about interpreting labor market tightness.
“Hires include all additions to the payroll during the entire reference month.”
“Separations include all separations from the payroll during the entire reference month and is reported by type of separation: quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations.”
Additional technical notes about how state JOLTS data are compiled can be found through BLS resources online.
The next release for July’s state-level Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates is scheduled for September 17 at 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time.
