September 2025 Jobs Recap: Job Market Jitters Amid Economic Uncertainty

Key Takeaways:

• Slight decline in Job Openings: Active job listings saw a noticeable drop in September 2025, falling from 4,189,592 in August to 4,114,154, a decrease in 1.8%. New job listings dropped 3.8% month over month.

• Reports of Weakening consumer confidence in September highlight a key economic concern, The manufacturing sector showed signs of continued weakness, contributing to broader economic stagnation.

• Escalating tariffs on imports were another significant factor influencing hiring decisions in September. The heightened cost of goods and instability in supply chains created a challenging environment for businesses.

U.S. Job Listings by Month | September 2024 - September 2025

LinkUp 10,000

The LinkUp 10,000 is an analytic published daily and monthly that captures the total U.S. job openings from the 10,000 global employers in LinkUp’s jobs dataset with the most U.S. openings.

In September, the job market showed a slight drop, with the LinkUp 10,000 index showing a slight decline of 1.6% from the previous month. The current monthly job listings stand at 3,922,632, down from 3,987,796 in August. Compared to September last year, the index is 12.4% lower, suggesting potential challenges in the labor market as employers may be hesitant to hire amid economic uncertainties.

Monthly LinkUp 10,000 | September 2024 - September 2025

Jobs Data By Industry (NAICS)

Industries in September, with largest gains in:

• Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (+8.2k)

• Manufacturing Metal/Equipment/Furniture (+7.0k)

• Accommodation and Food Services (+4.2k)

Industries that experienced the largest drops in job openings last month:

• Public Administration (-28.1k)

• Health Care and Social Assistance (-12.7k)

• Education Services (-11.1k)

Job Listings by Industry (NAICS) | September 2025

This chart displays the change in job listings across various industries, categorized by NAICS codes.

Industry Spotlight: Public Administration

The Public Administration sector experienced the most significant month-over-month percentage drop in active jobs in September 2025, reflecting broader trends in government employment and funding. The current administration has made multiple announcements regarding mass layoffs and budget cuts across various departments. Since the beginning of the year, this contraction has been evident across various departments, including education, social services, office administration, healthcare, and Finance roles.

Several factors contribute to this decline. Firstly, the administration's focus on fiscal austerity has led to a reevaluation of budget allocations, resulting in reduced funding for essential public services. Departments that traditionally rely on government funding, such as education and social services, have faced significant cutbacks, leading to layoffs and hiring freezes. This has created a ripple effect, as reduced staffing levels hinder the ability of these departments to meet community needs, further exacerbating the demand for jobs in these areas.

Additionally, the ongoing push for efficiency and cost-cutting measures has prompted many government agencies to streamline operations, often at the expense of personnel.

Active Job Listings in Public Administration | September 2024 - September 2025

Jobs Data By Occupation (O*NET)

Occupations in September, with largest drops in:

• Sales and Related (-41.8k)

• Education Instruction and Library (-27.2k)

• Transportation and Material Moving (-9.1k)

Occupations that experienced the largest gains:

• Architecture and Engineering (+7.1k)

• Computer and Mathematical (+3.7k)

• Food Preparation and Serving (+3.5k)

Job Listings by Occupation (O*NET) | September 2025

This chart displays the change in job listings across various occupations, categorized by O*NET codes.

Occupation Spotlight: Transportation and Material Moving

The Transportation and Material Moving sector experienced a notable decline, with the monthly active job count decreasing by 3.1% from the previous month and a staggering 19.5% year-over-year. This downturn reflects broader challenges faced by the industry, which has been significantly impacted by various economic and operational factors. The top industries affected by this decline, in order of impact, include Transportation and Warehousing, Retail Trade, Manufacturing, and Wholesale Trade.

Active Job Listings for Transportation and Material Moving | September 2024 - September 2025

Active jobs for Trucking occupations | September 2024 - September 2025

U.S. containerized imports and imports from China saw a dramatic drop in September. The unpredictable nature of tariffs has caused businesses to reshape their supply chains, leading to significant implications for logistics jobs. Retailers and other importers attempted to get ahead of the tariffs earlier in the year by "front-loading" imports. This strategy pulled demand forward, resulting in a boom earlier in the year, followed by a bust in September.

Top companies in the U.S. hiring Transportation and Warehousing roles | September 2024 - September 2025

All of them show a similar downward trend from the beginning of the year.

Closed Duration

Closed duration, or the average number of days job listings remain live on company websites before removal, tracks hiring velocity across the U.S. economy. As the average duration increases, hiring velocity slows.

In September, the closed duration dropped to 48.5 days, from 45.5 days in August.

Time to Fill By Month | September 2024 - September 2025

Jobs Data By State

During the month of September, only 9.6% of the United States saw an increase in job listings from September. The states that saw the largest increases:

• North Dakota (+5.3%)

• Vermont (+3.6%)

• New Jersey (+2.7%)

The states with largest drops in labor demand in September were:

• Puerto Rico (-10.9%)

• Oregon (-7.1%)

• Utah (-6.8%)

Percent Change in Active Job Listings by State (Month-Over-Month) | September 2025

DATA DISCLAIMERS

LinkUp’s monthly data recaps incorporate revisions to previously-reported monthly data with the purpose of reporting the most accurate and up-to-date data points. For more information on what circumstances may impact data revisions, visit our Data Support Center.