PROVIDENCE – A new report by Commodity.com ranked Rhode Island 21st in the country for job openings, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.
To determine its ranking, Commodity.com researchers calculated the average job openings rate for the fourth quarter of 2021. In the event of a tie, the state with the greater total number of job openings was ranked higher. Researchers also included statistics on hiring rates, total hires and total employment.
The analysis found Rhode Island’s average job openings rate in in the fourth quarter of 2021 was 7.33%, with an average of 38,333 openings per month. Average hire rate in the Ocean State in the fourth quarter of 2021 was 4.83%, with 23,333 monthly hires and average monthly employment of 482,759.
Nationally, the average job openings rate in in the fourth quarter of 2021 was 6.97%, with an average of 11,154,667 openings per month. Average hire rate across the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2021 was 4.40%, with 6,538,333 monthly hires and average monthly employment of 148,598,485.
The report noted that after falling to 3.5% amid COVID shutdowns in April 2020, the rate of U.S. job openings has doubled to 7% over the last two years. While the rate of hiring has been above 4% — higher than typical levels historically — every month since May 2020, this figure has not been sufficient to keep up with the explosion of open positions.
Researchers also stated many of the sectors with the highest job-opening rates nationally have been the most challenging to work in during the pandemic. Leisure and hospitality businesses have a job-openings rate of 10.57%. The health care and social-assistance industry has a job openings rate of 8.73%. Total nonfarm rate is 6.97%, and in fields such as construction and real estate, the rate is below 5%.
Alaska was ranked the top state in the nation for job openings. The average job-openings rate in in the fourth quarter of 2021 in that state was 9%, with an average of 31,000 openings per month. Average hire rate was 6.19%, with 19,333 monthly hires and average monthly employment of 313,514.
Hawaii, Montana, Georgia and New Hampshire rounded out the top five.
Washington was ranked the worst state in the nation for job openings. Average job openings rate in in the fourth quarter of 2021 in that state was 6.13%, with an average of 226,333 job openings per month. Average monthly hires was 133,667 and the average monthly employment was 3,456,897.
Across New England, Massachusetts was ranked 12th. Average job openings rate in the fourth quarter of 2021 in that state was 7.5%, with an average of 288,667 openings per month. Average hire rate was 3.7%, with 132,333 monthly hires and average monthly employment of 3,576,577.
Vermont was ranked ninth and Maine was 41st.
The full report can be found here.
