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Oregon Job Openings Fall to Five Year Low as Higher Wage Workers Take the Biggest Hit News By Diane Megaw On Feb 16, 2026 FILE - Oregon Employment Department New data for Oregon’s declining job market indicate that job openings declined to the lowest level in five years as unemployment surges, with workers earning over the median of $26.56/hour taking the hardest hit. Oregon Job Openings Plummet Amidst Rising Unemployment As the state faces unemployment levels of 5.2%, the highest since the 2020 pandemic and almost the worst in the nation, new data shows the number of open jobs in Oregon fell to the lowest number in more than five years last fall. Oregon employers reflected only 46,000 job openings last fall- the lowest number since the pandemic, after a historic surge of layoffs last year that saw factories shed the most jobs during a prolonged downturn in Oregon’s manufacturing sector. These figures suggest that for every job opening, Oregon now has 2.4 unemployed people after employment fell by 0.2% in 2025. In contrast, the number of open jobs is slightly higher than the number of unemployed workers nationally. Tidings Data Snapshot Oregon job openings snapshot / Fall 2025 46,300 Private employer job vacancies / Fall 2025 109,900 Unemployed Oregonians / Nov 2025 2.4 Unemployed per vacancy / Oregon Fall 2025 5.2% Oregon unemployment rate / Nov to Dec 2025 79% Vacancies that are full time 65% Vacancies requiring prior experience Source: Oregon Employment Department Job Vacancy Survey Fall 2025 and Employment in Oregon release Dailytidings.com But the unemployment rate has been flat for four months, sparking hope that the labor market is recovering. In addition, some sectors are showing growth. Health care added 13,000 jobs in 2025 and currently has nearly 15,000 vacancies. Earlier this month, state economists also told a legislative committee they are seeing signs of resilience in Oregon’s economy, after the state’s economic output grew faster than the nation’s average last summer. Despite some dire predictions, the trade war and unemployment claims didn’t escalate as high as anticipated, as employers found ways to adjust. Oregon business leaders are also now starting to show a more positive outlook. Oregon Job Openings in Higher-Paid Jobs Decline as Lower-Paid Job Openings Increase While the number of job openings has declined, it’s the workers at higher pay grades who are the worst affected. Oregon’s job vacancy survey shows the mismatch could be pay and requirements- not just a weak economy. Published data shows that the average posted starting wage was $26.56/hour- down 2% after inflation, while openings under $20/hour increased by 4% over the year. Tidings Data Snapshot Oregon job vacancies by wage range / Fall 2025 Counts are Fall 2025 vacancies / change is from Fall 2024. Less than $20/hour 16,954 vacancies / Up 11% $20 to $29.99/hour 15,882 vacancies / Up 5% $30/hour and up 9,716 vacancies / Up 15% Source: Oregon Employment Department Quarterly Job Vacancies Snapshots / Fall 2025 Dailytidings.com In addition, nearly two-thirds of vacancies required prior experience. Here is where Oregon added jobs and where it lost jobs last year: Sector 2025 change Year over year Total nonfarm Lost 3,300 jobs Down 0.2% Health care and social assistance Added 13,300 jobs Up 4.4% Government Added 3,300 jobs Up 1.0% Manufacturing Lost 6,900 jobs Down 3.7% Retail trade Lost 3,100 jobs Down 1.5% Wholesale trade Lost 2,200 jobs Down 2.8% Administrative and waste services Lost 2,100 jobs Down 2.1% Information Lost 2,000 jobs Down 5.6% Prior work experience is required for 65% of vacancies, according to the data, making it increasingly more difficult for school and college leavers to find employment in the state. Share Twitter Facebook ReddIt WhatsApp Pinterest Email