Houston averages 41.2 applicants per job across 30,434 open positions from 5,082 employers.
Financial Analyst leads with 102 applicants per job—4.1× higher than the least competitive roles
Houston's most competitive positions are concentrated in tech and finance roles. Our analysis of 30,434 LinkedIn job postings shows Financial Analyst as the hardest role to land, with 102 applicants competing for each of just 70 openings. That's 4.1× more competitive than Shift Manager roles and 148% above Houston's average of 41.2 applicants per job.
Hardest to land — polish your resume
1,983+ openings across healthcare roles with just 25-26 applicants per job
Better odds — still need a great resume
Healthcare roles dominate Houston's least competitive job categories. Shift Manager positions have just 25 applicants per opening across 193 available jobs—4.1× easier to land than Financial Analyst roles and 39% below Houston's average competition of 41.2 applicants.
Nurse leads with 1,302 openings at 26 applicants per job | Financial Analyst is hardest to land at 102 applicants | Shift Manager easiest at 25
Our analysis of 30,434 LinkedIn job postings reveals significant variation in competition across Houston's 56 major job categories. Nurse offers the most opportunity with 1,302 open positions, but faces 26 applicants per role. Meanwhile, Financial Analyst is the hardest role to land in Houston with 102 applicants competing for just 70 openings.
Of all 56 job titles analyzed, 8 roles are highly competitive (70+ applicants) accounting for 821 jobs, while 27 roles have below-average competition (under 40 applicants) with 6,376 combined openings. The competition gap in Houston is stark: Financial Analyst averages 102 applicants while Shift Manager sees just 25—a 4.1× difference.
Houston Methodist leads with 1,113 jobs (3.7% of market) | Kiewit hardest at 94 applicants | Domino's easiest at 25
Houston Methodist dominates Houston's job market with 1,113 open positions—3.7% of all jobs in the metro area—at 37 applicants per role. Deloitte follows with 449 positions at 33 applicants each. The top 10 employers alone account for 3,705 jobs—12% of Houston's market.
Competition varies dramatically by employer. Kiewit is the hardest place to get hired in Houston with 94 applicants per job, while Domino's offers better odds at just 25 applicants. Of 56 major employers analyzed, 4 have high competition (70+ applicants) and 42 have below-average competition (under 40 applicants).
Browse 8 industries hiring across the Houston metro area
Data compiled by ResumeTarget.com from 30,434 LinkedIn job postings in the Houston metro area. Updated Dec 2, 2025.
Houston Methodist, HCA Houston Healthcare, and 8 other employers with 5,250 open positions
The Healthcare sector in Houston currently has 5,250 open positions across 10 employers in Houston. With an average of 32 applicants per job, this industry is less competitive compared to Houston's overall market average of 41.2.
Domino's, Jerry, and 8 other employers with 2,322 open positions
The Technology sector in Houston currently has 2,322 open positions across 10 employers in Houston. With an average of 48 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to Houston's overall market average of 41.2.
Honeywell, Westlake, and 8 other employers with 1,989 open positions
The Manufacturing sector in Houston currently has 1,989 open positions across 10 employers in Houston. With an average of 49 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to Houston's overall market average of 41.2.
Koch Engineered Solutions, Boardwalk Pipelines, and 8 other employers with 1,976 open positions
The Energy sector in Houston currently has 1,976 open positions across 10 employers in Houston. With an average of 66 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to Houston's overall market average of 41.2.
Kiewit, Burns & McDonnell, and 8 other employers with 1,802 open positions
The Construction sector in Houston currently has 1,802 open positions across 10 employers in Houston. With an average of 49 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to Houston's overall market average of 41.2.
Fiesta Mart, Inc., Ross Stores, Inc., and 8 other employers with 1,702 open positions
The Retail sector in Houston currently has 1,702 open positions across 10 employers in Houston. With an average of 33 applicants per job, this industry is less competitive compared to Houston's overall market average of 41.2.
KPMG US, Corebridge Financial, and 8 other employers with 1,469 open positions
The Banking & Finance sector in Houston currently has 1,469 open positions across 10 employers in Houston. With an average of 51 applicants per job, this industry is moderately competitive compared to Houston's overall market average of 41.2.
McDonald's, Panda Restaurant Group, and 8 other employers with 1,415 open positions
The Hospitality sector in Houston currently has 1,415 open positions across 10 employers in Houston. With an average of 35 applicants per job, this industry is less competitive compared to Houston's overall market average of 41.2.
Management and Manufacturing leads with 4,452 jobs (15% of market) at 38 applicants | Sales, General Business, and Education easiest to break into at 26 applicants
Management and Manufacturing dominates Houston's job market with 4,452 open positions—15% of all jobs—at 38 applicants per role. Health Care Provider follows with 4,244 positions at 27 applicants each. The top 3 functions account for 11,366 jobs—37% of Houston's entire job market.
Competition varies significantly by function. Finance is the most competitive category in Houston with 69 applicants per job, while Sales, General Business, and Education offers the best odds at just 26 applicants—a 44-applicant difference. Of 31 functions analyzed, 0 are highly competitive (70+ applicants) and 14 have below-average competition (under 40 applicants).
How does Houston's job competition compare to Texas rivals?
Head-to-head job market comparison
Houston has 4% less competition overall than Dallas. Dallas has easier competition for key roles.
See full Dallas job market data →Ranked by competition level (lower = easier)
Houston ranks #2 of 5 for easiest job market in Texas.
Competition changes from other cities
Competition data based on 30,434 active job postings in Houston.
Houston averages 41.2 applicants per job across 30,434 open positions. Financial Analyst is hardest at 102 applicants; Shift Manager is easiest at 25.
Financial Analyst (102 applicants per job), Business Analyst (93), and Chemical Engineer (80). These roles see 4.1× more competition than healthcare positions.
Shift Manager (25 applicants per job, 193 openings), Speech Therapist (25), and Physical Therapist (25).
Houston Methodist leads with 1113 jobs, followed by Deloitte (449) and HCA Houston Healthcare (331). 5,082 companies are actively hiring.
30,434 open positions across 5,082 employers. Data from LinkedIn, updated Dec 2, 2025.
Healthcare (5,250 jobs), Technology (2,322), and Manufacturing (1,989).
ResumeTarget.com compiled and analyzed 30,434 full-time job postings from LinkedIn across the Houston-metro area to calculate competition levels by job title, industry, employer, and job function.
Competition is measured by the average number of applicants per job posting. Roles with 70+ applicants are classified as highly competitive, 40-69 as moderately competitive, and under 40 as less competitive.
With 41.2 applicants per job, you need a resume that immediately proves you're the top candidate. Our writers conduct 1-on-1 interviews to uncover your unique achievements and create ATS-optimized resumes that get noticed.
