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Data Updated December 2, 2025

USA Job Market Competition Data 2026

The average US job posting receives 45 applicants. Our analysis of 480,231+ LinkedIn job postings across 26 major cities reveals significant variation in competition by location, industry, and role.

45 Avg. Applicants Per Job
480,231+ Jobs Analyzed
80,155+ Companies Hiring
26 Cities Covered

Top Industries by Job Volume

  • Technology 49 avg
  • Healthcare 33 avg
  • Banking & Finance 61 avg
  • Hospitality 39 avg
  • Retail 43 avg

Most Competitive Roles

  • Graphic Designer 126 avg
  • Backend Developer 115 avg
  • Full Stack Developer 113 avg
  • Frontend Developer 111 avg
  • Product Designer 106 avg

Least Competitive Roles

  • Licensed Practical Nurse 25 avg
  • Certified Nursing Assistant 25 avg
  • Speech Therapist 25 avg
  • Shift Manager 25 avg
  • Mechanic 26 avg
70+ applicants — Highly Competitive
40-69 applicants — Competitive
Under 40 — Less Competitive

Job Competition by State at a Glance

Arizona

34
Avg Applicants
17,975 jobs

California

54
Avg Applicants
57,397 jobs

Colorado

39
Avg Applicants
15,752 jobs

District of Columbia

45
Avg Applicants
15,542 jobs

Florida

37
Avg Applicants
39,806 jobs

Georgia

45
Avg Applicants
26,908 jobs

Illinois

51
Avg Applicants
30,952 jobs

Massachusetts

46
Avg Applicants
23,011 jobs

Nevada

32
Avg Applicants
10,884 jobs

New York

55
Avg Applicants
80,489 jobs

North Carolina

38
Avg Applicants
17,289 jobs

Oregon

33
Avg Applicants
9,013 jobs

Pennsylvania

37
Avg Applicants
13,767 jobs

Texas

41
Avg Applicants
95,673 jobs

Virginia

31
Avg Applicants
10,280 jobs

Washington

49
Avg Applicants
15,493 jobs

What Are the Most Competitive Jobs in America in 2026?

Key Findings: US Job Competition by Title

  • Hardest job to get: Graphic Designer with 126 applicants per opening
  • Easiest job to get: Licensed Practical Nurse with only 25 applicants per opening
  • Highly competitive roles (70+ applicants): 22 job titles
  • Moderate competition (40-69): 19 job titles
  • Lower competition (under 40): 38 job titles

Our analysis of 480,231+ job postings reveals which roles are hardest and easiest to land in America. Technology and data roles face the stiffest competition, while healthcare and skilled trades offer better odds.

Top 5 Hardest Jobs to Get in America (2026)

  1. Graphic Designer — 126 applicants per job (87 positions)
  2. Backend Developer — 115 applicants per job (141 positions)
  3. Full Stack Developer — 113 applicants per job (93 positions)
  4. Frontend Developer — 111 applicants per job (62 positions)
  5. Product Designer — 106 applicants per job (560 positions)

Top 5 Easiest Jobs to Get in America (2026)

  1. Licensed Practical Nurse — 25 applicants per job (1,225 positions)
  2. Certified Nursing Assistant — 25 applicants per job (191 positions)
  3. Speech Therapist — 25 applicants per job (207 positions)
  4. Shift Manager — 25 applicants per job (1,555 positions)
  5. Mechanic — 26 applicants per job (1,325 positions)

Complete US Job Competition Data by Title

Job TitleOpen PositionsAvg. Applicants
Graphic Designer 87 jobs 126
Backend Developer 141 jobs 115
Full Stack Developer 93 jobs 113
Frontend Developer 62 jobs 111
Product Designer 560 jobs 106
Marketing Coordinator 101 jobs 103
Data Engineer 1,096 jobs 103
Financial Analyst 1,083 jobs 99
Data Analyst 747 jobs 94
Data Scientist 2,776 jobs 93
DevOps Engineer 816 jobs 92
Customer Success Manager 548 jobs 89
Executive Assistant 1,166 jobs 86
Business Analyst 837 jobs 83
Software Engineer 9,232 jobs 82
QA Engineer 561 jobs 80
Business Development Representative 997 jobs 80
Chemical Engineer 86 jobs 80
Product Manager 3,853 jobs 78
Product Owner 72 jobs 76
Marketing Manager 1,970 jobs 75
Recruiter 1,120 jobs 74
IT Support Specialist 497 jobs 69
Office Manager 105 jobs 68
Program Manager 2,635 jobs 66
Administrative Assistant 1,522 jobs 65
UX Designer 59 jobs 62
Account Executive 5,254 jobs 56
Operations Manager 2,421 jobs 56
System Administrator 126 jobs 55
Industrial Engineer 53 jobs 55
Auditor 201 jobs 53
Controller 708 jobs 51
Mechanical Engineer 1,445 jobs 50
Account Manager 4,342 jobs 48
Accountant 2,661 jobs 48
Project Manager 7,770 jobs 47
Paralegal 1,783 jobs 44
Business Development Manager 1,154 jobs 41
Sales Manager 3,066 jobs 41
Sales Representative 3,238 jobs 40
Consultant 10,581 jobs 39
Server 197 jobs 38
Welder 53 jobs 37
Electrical Engineer 1,275 jobs 36
Receptionist 1,046 jobs 35
Superintendent 1,794 jobs 34
General Manager 1,941 jobs 34
Security Officer 1,473 jobs 34
Pediatrician 152 jobs 33
Retail Sales Associate 1,693 jobs 33
Warehouse Associate 171 jobs 33
Customer Service Representative 2,363 jobs 32
Restaurant Manager 63 jobs 32
Civil Engineer 1,047 jobs 32
Store Manager 1,914 jobs 32
Pharmacy Technician 195 jobs 31
Crew Member 1,667 jobs 30
Chef 727 jobs 30
Attorney 4,257 jobs 29
Occupational Therapist 495 jobs 28
Assistant Manager 3,539 jobs 28
Maintenance Technician 3,407 jobs 27
Tax Accountant 3,924 jobs 27
Psychiatrist 207 jobs 27
Cook 1,345 jobs 27
Pharmacist 249 jobs 27
Nurse 17,859 jobs 26
Cashier 56 jobs 26
Truck Driver 1,239 jobs 26
Medical Assistant 1,898 jobs 26
Caregiver 302 jobs 26
Physician 6,593 jobs 26
Physical Therapist 2,288 jobs 26
Mechanic 1,325 jobs 26
Shift Manager 1,555 jobs 25
Speech Therapist 207 jobs 25
Certified Nursing Assistant 191 jobs 25
Licensed Practical Nurse 1,225 jobs 25

US Job Market Competition by Career Field in 2026

Key Findings: US Job Competition by Career Field

  • Most competitive field: Business Development with 97 avg applicants
  • Least competitive field: Marketing and Product Management with 25 avg applicants
  • Total career fields analyzed: 45

Job functions show broader competition patterns across the US job market. Understanding which career paths face more competition helps job seekers make strategic decisions.

Complete US Job Competition Data by Career Field

Job FunctionOpen PositionsAvg. Applicants
Management and Manufacturing 56,480 jobs 36
Health Care Provider 54,822 jobs 27
Engineering and Information Technology 42,130 jobs 56
Other 41,649 jobs 41
Sales and Business Development 32,115 jobs 43
Information Technology 30,296 jobs 52
Education and Training 26,551 jobs 28
Finance and Sales 18,307 jobs 53
Accounting/Auditing and Finance 13,646 jobs 37
Business Development and Sales 12,561 jobs 55
Legal 11,113 jobs 40
Project Management and Information Technology 10,127 jobs 51
Marketing and Sales 8,744 jobs 68
Administrative 8,545 jobs 54
Research, Analyst, and Information Technology 8,401 jobs 58
Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology 8,271 jobs 55
Human Resources 7,647 jobs 68
General Business 4,748 jobs 30
Product Management and Marketing 4,585 jobs 75
Sales 4,415 jobs 54
Engineering 4,053 jobs 62
Marketing, Public Relations, and Writing/Editing 3,955 jobs 71
Other, Information Technology, and Management 3,811 jobs 38
Sales and Management 2,919 jobs 37
Consulting, Information Technology, and Sales 2,599 jobs 46
Quality Assurance 1,688 jobs 53
Accounting/Auditing 1,682 jobs 43
Finance 1,525 jobs 71
Consulting 639 jobs 43
Purchasing and Supply Chain 387 jobs 71
Marketing 336 jobs 97
Information Technology, Consulting, and Engineering 334 jobs 76
Education 312 jobs 32
Science, Information Technology, and Engineering 281 jobs 31
Sales, General Business, and Education 270 jobs 40
Purchasing 270 jobs 26
Customer Service 255 jobs 49
Finance and Accounting/Auditing 245 jobs 49
Management, Consulting, and Engineering 219 jobs 32
Research, Science, and Engineering 207 jobs 42
Project Management, Information Technology, and Product Management 180 jobs 41
Marketing and Product Management 155 jobs 25
Management 152 jobs 54
Information Technology and Engineering 132 jobs 92
Business Development 119 jobs 97

Job Market Competition by State in 2026

Competition varies across US states. New York leads with 55 avg applicants, while Virginia offers better odds at 31 applicants.

Arizona

34 avg

California

54 avg

Colorado

39 avg

District of Columbia

45 avg

Florida

37 avg

Georgia

45 avg

Illinois

51 avg

Massachusetts

46 avg

Nevada

32 avg

New York

55 avg

North Carolina

38 avg

Oregon

33 avg

Pennsylvania

37 avg

Texas

41 avg

Virginia

31 avg

Washington

49 avg

Frequently Asked Questions About US Job Market Competition

How many applicants per job in the USA in 2026?

Based on our analysis of 480,231+ LinkedIn job postings across 26 major US cities, the average job receives 45 applicants. When you apply to 20 jobs, you're competing against approximately 900 other candidates total.

What is the hardest job to get in America right now?

Graphic Designer is the hardest job to get with 126 applicants per opening. Other competitive roles include Backend Developer (115) and Full Stack Developer (113).

What are the easiest jobs to get in America in 2026?

Licensed Practical Nurse positions are easiest to land with only 25 applicants per job. Healthcare, skilled trades, and service roles have the lowest competition.

Which states have the most competitive job markets?

New York has the most competition with 55 avg applicants. Virginia offers the least competition at 31 applicants per job.

Is the US job market more competitive than Canada?

The US averages 45 applicants per job, compared to approximately 50 in Canada. Major US metros like New York and San Francisco see particularly high competition, often exceeding 60-70 applicants per job for tech roles.

How is this job market data calculated?

We analyze 480,231+ LinkedIn job postings from 80,155+ employers across 26 US cities. Competition levels: Highly Competitive (70+), Competitive (40-69), Less Competitive (under 40). Data refreshed quarterly.

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How We Calculate These Numbers

Our data is derived from direct analysis of LinkedIn job postings, capturing applicant counts for each active listing. We aggregate by city, state, industry, job title, and function.

Data scope: 480,231+ postings from 80,155+ employers across 26 US cities.

Data compiled by Resume Target. Last updated December 2, 2025.