October 10, 2025
Michigan’s job openings rate increased in July according to the latest data release of the state Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). Both the hires rate and labor turnover rate increased as well. Conversely, the separations rate, quits rate, and unemployed persons to job openings ratio fell during this period, while layoffs/discharges stagnated.
Michigan recorded approximately 253,000 job openings in July, an increase of 10,000 from June (243,000). As a result, the job openings rate, a measure of job openings as a percentage of employment, rose to 5.3 percent (+0.2 percentage points). Notably, this was Michigan’s highest recorded openings rate since January 2024 (5.4 percent). Michigan was above the national rate (4.3 percent) and third highest among other states.
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Source: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The unemployed persons to job openings ratio fell to 1.07 in July. A ratio greater than one indicates that individuals available to work exceeded the number of job openings during this time in Michigan. Although this ratio remained above one in July, this was the lowest recorded ratio since April 2024 (0.96). Michigan was greater than the national ratio (1.00) and 12th highest among other states.
Source: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Michigan’s labor turnover rate, a combination of the hires and separations rates, rose to 7.6 percent (+0.3 percentage points). This was driven by a significant increase in hires over the month. Michigan recorded the 11th highest rate among other states and was substantially higher than the national rate (6.6 percent).
The hires rate, a measure of hires as a percentage of employment, increased to 4.1 percent (+0.6 percentage points). This was due to roughly 30,000 more individuals hired in July (187,000) than in June (157,000). Despite this large increase, Michigan was only 25th among other states in hires yet remained above the national rate (3.3 percent).
Approximately 155,000 individuals separated from their jobs in July, a decline of roughly 19,000 from the month prior (174,000). This translated into 0.4 percentage point decline in the separations rate, a measure of separations as a percentage of employment, to 3.4 percent. Michigan was above the national separations rate (3.3 percent) and 25th among other states.
The main driver in the decline of separations was a fall in the quits rate, a measure of voluntary separations and quits as a percentage of employment. The quits rate fell to 1.9 percent in July (-0.5 percentage points). This was the result of approximately 21,000 fewer individuals quitting their jobs in July (88,000) than June (109,000). Conversely, the layoffs/discharges rate, a measure of involuntary separations, stagnated at 1.3 percent in July.
