During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Americans lost their jobs and experienced financial difficulties due to unemployment. Now, for many employers, the shoe is on the other foot. Lots of businesses are struggling to hire enough workers, which has sometimes led to delays in services and reduced business hours. In fact, the labor force participation rate has experienced the slowest recovery of any recession since World War II. Some businesses aren’t even able to keep the employees they already have – as Americans are quitting their jobs at record rates in what’s been dubbed the “Great Resignation.”
In order to see where employers are struggling the most in hiring, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on the rate of job openings for both the latest month and the last 12 months.
Main Findings
States Where Employers Are Struggling the Most in Hiring
| Rank | State | Job Openings Rate (Latest Month) | Job Openings Rate (Last 12 Months) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 9.40% | 8.48% |
| 2 | Georgia | 8.60% | 7.87% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 7.50% | 7.78% |
| 4 | South Carolina | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| 5 | West Virginia | 7.50% | 7.64% |
| 6 | Montana | 7.20% | 7.69% |
| 7 | Idaho | 7.40% | 7.25% |
| 8 | Kentucky | 7.20% | 7.55% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 7.30% | 7.24% |
| 10 | Nevada | 6.90% | 7.85% |
| 11 | North Carolina | 7.30% | 7.08% |
| 12 | Vermont | 7.10% | 7.40% |
| 13 | Tennessee | 7.30% | 6.79% |
| 14 | Oregon | 7.10% | 7.13% |
| 15 | Louisiana | 7.30% | 6.66% |
| 16 | Michigan | 6.60% | 7.84% |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 7.10% | 6.96% |
| 18 | Arizona | 7.10% | 6.95% |
| 19 | Wyoming | 7.00% | 7.10% |
| 20 | Virginia | 7.10% | 6.88% |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 7.00% | 6.90% |
| 22 | Maryland | 6.70% | 7.30% |
| 23 | Maine | 6.80% | 7.07% |
| 23 | New Mexico | 6.80% | 7.07% |
| 25 | Mississippi | 6.90% | 6.83% |
| 26 | Colorado | 6.60% | 7.20% |
| 27 | Missouri | 6.90% | 6.63% |
| 28 | Florida | 6.90% | 6.57% |
| 29 | Hawaii | 6.80% | 6.73% |
| 30 | Minnesota | 6.90% | 6.54% |
| 31 | Ohio | 6.90% | 6.43% |
| 32 | Alabama | 6.80% | 6.54% |
| 33 | Illinois | 6.80% | 6.43% |
| 34 | North Dakota | 6.50% | 6.62% |
| 35 | Indiana | 6.30% | 6.95% |
| 36 | Utah | 6.40% | 6.76% |
| 37 | New Jersey | 6.30% | 6.80% |
| 38 | California | 6.60% | 6.10% |
| 39 | Texas | 6.40% | 6.36% |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | 6.00% | 6.99% |
| 41 | Oklahoma | 6.20% | 6.57% |
| 42 | South Dakota | 6.20% | 6.43% |
| 43 | Iowa | 6.20% | 6.40% |
| 44 | Washington | 6.40% | 5.94% |
| 45 | New York | 6.30% | 5.95% |
| 46 | Nebraska | 6.00% | 6.36% |
| 47 | Arkansas | 5.90% | 6.48% |
| 48 | Delaware | 5.80% | 6.59% |
| 49 | Connecticut | 6.00% | 6.13% |
| 50 | Kansas | 5.70% | 5.96% |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 5.40% | 5.03% |
Ask the Experts
In order to get more insight on the current labor shortage, WalletHub turned to a panel of experts. You can click on the pictures of the experts below to read their bios and responses to the following key questions.
- Why do employers have difficulties in filing employment positions?
- What are the main factors that are influencing the high turnover rates in the labor market?
- What will be the economic impact, if any, of this trend?
- How can employers attract and retain employees during this troubling period?
- In your opinion, will this imbalance in the labor market continue to be an issue throughout all of 2022 or will it get solved faster?
Ask the Experts
Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Global Leadership and Management, College of Business – Florida International University
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Assistant Professor of Human Resource Management, School of Labor and Employment Relations – Pennsylvania State University
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Ed.D. – Assistant Professor of Instruction, Academic Director of the Business Management BBA Program, Department of Management, Fox School of Business – Temple University
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Associate Professor of Organization Theory and Management, Program Chair, MS Management and Leadership, Graziadio Business School – Pepperdine University
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Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Human Resource Management, School of Labor and Employment Relations – The Pennsylvania State University
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Ph.D., SPHR, SHRM-SCP – Associate Professor of Management, Faculty Advisor EMU SHRM Chapter – Eastern Michigan University, College of Business
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Methodology
WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on two metrics, the rate of job openings for the latest month and for the last 12 month. These metrics are listed below with their corresponding weights. WalletHub then used these metrics to rank-order the states and the District from those that struggle the most with hiring to those that struggle the least.
- Job Openings Rate (Latest Month): Double Weight (~66.67 Points)
- Job Openings Rate (Last 12 Months): Full Weight (~33.33 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.