LinkedIn Workforce Report | United States | June 2026
With over 252 million LinkedIn members in the United States, we have unique insight into the real-time dynamics of Americans starting new jobs and moving to new cities. This month’s LinkedIn Workforce Report looks at our latest national data on hiring and migration trends through May 2026. Whether you’re a worker, an employer, a new grad, or a policymaker, we hope you’ll use these insights to better understand and navigate the dynamics of today’s economy.
For more insight into localized employment trends in 20 of the largest U.S. metro areas, check out this month’s reports for: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland-Akron, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.
Key Insights:
Across all industries, U.S. hiring rose 7.8% in May 2026 after a commensurate drop in April. Year-over-year, hiring was 4.8% lower in May 2026 compared to May 2025. Hiring continues to trend nearly 22% lower compared to pre-pandemic hiring rates (February 2020), pointing to a labor market that continues to lack any real momentum.
From April to May, hiring rebounded in 19 of 20 industries, led by energy-sensitive sectors: Oil, Gas, and Mining (+22.9%); Manufacturing (13.7%); and Utilities (12.5%). Hiring slowed mildly in Technology, Information, and Media (–2.1%) over the past year, however, it remains upwards of 30% slower relative to its pre‑pandemic (February 2020) pace.
Hiring rebounded in all major metros tracked, led by Texas metros: Houston (14.4%), Austin (12.5%), Dallas-Fort Worth (11.7%). Compared to May 2025, hiring is up in Houston (+2.4%) and virtually unchanged in the tech hubs San Francisco Bay Area (+0.1%) and Austin (–0.3%).
Hiring in the U.S.
The LinkedIn hiring rate is a measure of hires divided by LinkedIn membership. Nationally, across all industries, hiring in the U.S. was 7.8% higher in May 2026 compared to last month April 2026. National hiring was 4.8% lower in May 2026 compared to last year May 2025.
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED HIRING
The industries with the most notable hiring shifts month-to-month in May 2026 were Oil, Gas, and Mining (22.9% higher); Manufacturing (13.7% higher); and Utilities (12.5% higher).
Table 1: Hiring on LinkedIn, by Industry, through May 2026
Industry | May-25 | ··· | Feb-26 | Mar-26 | Apr-26 | May-26 | MoM% Change | YoY% Change
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Accommodation and Food Services | 0.93 | ··· | 0.91 | 0.86 | 0.81 | 0.91 | +12.3 | -2.3 | |
Administrative and Support Services | 0.80 | ··· | 0.77 | 0.77 | 0.73 | 0.80 | +9.4 | +0.1 | |
Construction | 1.28 | ··· | 1.17 | 1.18 | 1.12 | 1.25 | +12.3 | -1.8 | |
Consumer Services | 1.11 | ··· | 1.09 | 1.08 | 1.04 | 1.06 | +1.9 | -4.2 | |
Education | 1.13 | ··· | 1.05 | 1.05 | 1.00 | 1.06 | +6.1 | -6 | |
Entertainment Providers | 0.92 | ··· | 0.86 | 0.88 | 0.83 | 0.89 | +7 | -3.9 | |
Farming, Ranching, Forestry | 1.14 | ··· | 0.86 | 0.90 | 0.94 | 0.96 | +2.1 | -15.9 | |
Financial Services | 1.02 | ··· | 1.01 | 0.95 | 0.94 | 0.98 | +4.1 | -4.7 | |
Government Administration | 1.00 | ··· | 0.87 | 0.88 | 0.84 | 0.91 | +8.1 | -8.4 | |
Holding Companies | 0.81 | ··· | 0.69 | 0.77 | 0.79 | 0.78 | -0.9 | -4 | |
Hospitals and Health Care | 1.13 | ··· | 1.01 | 1.00 | 0.96 | 1.03 | +7.5 | -8.5 | |
Manufacturing | 0.87 | ··· | 0.81 | 0.83 | 0.78 | 0.89 | +13.7 | +1.8 | |
Oil, Gas, and Mining | 0.89 | ··· | 0.77 | 0.77 | 0.70 | 0.87 | +22.9 | -2.5 | |
Professional Services | 0.87 | ··· | 0.83 | 0.82 | 0.79 | 0.83 | +4.6 | -4.8 | |
Real Estate and Equipment Rental Services | 0.92 | ··· | 0.84 | 0.80 | 0.77 | 0.84 | +9 | -8.6 | |
Retail | 0.78 | ··· | 0.77 | 0.75 | 0.70 | 0.77 | +10.8 | -0.8 | |
Technology, Information and Media | 0.90 | ··· | 0.89 | 0.87 | 0.82 | 0.88 | +7 | -2.1 | |
Transportation, Logistics, Supply Chain and Storage | 0.99 | ··· | 0.96 | 0.94 | 0.89 | 1.00 | +12.4 | +1.5 | |
Utilities | 1.25 | ··· | 1.06 | 1.09 | 1.03 | 1.15 | +12.5 | -7.9 | |
Wholesale | 0.75 | ··· | 0.74 | 0.78 | 0.73 | 0.78 | +6.2 | +3.5 |
Methodology: “Hiring Rate” is the count of hires (LinkedIn members in each industry who added a new employer to their profile in the same month the new job began), divided by the total number of LinkedIn members in the U.S. By only analyzing the timeliest data, we can make accurate month-to-month comparisons and account for any potential lags in members updating their profiles. This number is indexed to the average month in 2016 for each industry; for example, an index of 1.05 indicates a hiring rate that is 5% higher than the average month in 2016.