Mississippi reported 64,000 job openings in June 2025, a decrease from 68,000 openings in May, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The job openings rate for the state was 5.1 percent in June, down from 5.4 percent the previous month. Nationally, the job openings rate stood at 4.4 percent in June and 4.6 percent in May.
Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee stated that the ratio of unemployed persons per job opening in Mississippi was 0.8 in June. Across the country, 25 states and the District of Columbia had ratios lower than the national measure of 0.9 unemployed persons per job opening; 18 states had higher ratios, and seven states matched the national figure.
In June, there were 41,000 hires and 40,000 separations recorded in Mississippi compared to May’s figures of 42,000 hires and 39,000 separations. Over the past year ending in June, monthly averages were reported as 44,000 hires and 43,000 separations.
Of those separating from jobs in Mississippi during June, quits accounted for 27,000 while layoffs and discharges totaled 11,000—slightly up from May’s numbers of 26,000 quits and 10,000 layoffs or discharges. For the year ending in June, quits averaged about 28,000 per month with a range between 24,000 and 32,000; layoffs and discharges averaged around 13,000 per month with a range between 10,000 and 18,000.
The next release of State Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates is scheduled for September.
The data are part of the Bureau’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), which provides insight into labor demand and turnover using model-based estimates that incorporate several sources including JOLTS sample data as well as employment statistics programs such as QCEW and CES.
Job openings refer to positions open on the last business day of each reference month if they meet specific conditions outlined by JOLTS methodology. The ratio measuring unemployed persons per job opening uses unemployment levels estimated nationally by CPS or modeled at state level by LAUS; a ratio below one indicates more available jobs than unemployed individuals.
Hires represent all payroll additions during a given month while separations include all departures from payroll within that period—broken down into quits (voluntary), layoffs/discharges (involuntary), or other types not published with state-level releases.
Further details about definitions or technical notes related to State JOLTS data can be found through official Bureau resources.
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