DENVER (Oct. 2, 2025) – NFIB’s September jobs report found that 32% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in September, unchanged from August. The last time unfilled job openings fell below 32% was in July 2020. Twenty-eight percent have openings for skilled workers (unchanged), and 13% have openings for unskilled labor (unchanged).

“Main Street job openings remain above their historical average, with owners reporting few qualified applicants,” said Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “While a recession appears unlikely, small business owners continue to experience economic uncertainty as many owners continue to grapple with labor imbalances.”

“Our members want to hire, but they are having a hard time finding qualified applicants,” NFIB State Director Michael Smith said. “That’s contributing to some uncertainty on Main Street.”

A seasonally adjusted net 16% of owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months, up 1 point from August and the fourth consecutive monthly increase. Hiring plans are at their highest level since January.

Overall, 58% of small business owners reported hiring or trying to hire in September, up 5 points from August. Fifty percent (88% of those hiring or trying to hire) of owners reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill, up 7 points. Twenty-nine percent of owners reported few qualified applicants for their open positions and 21% reported none.

In September, 18% of small business owners cited labor quality as their single most important problem, down 3 points from August. Labor costs reported as the single most important problem for business owners rose 3 points from August to 11%.

Seasonally adjusted, a net 31% of small business owners reported raising compensation in September, up 2 points from August. A net 19% (seasonally adjusted) plan to raise compensation in the next three months, down 1 point from August.

Click here to view the entire NFIB Jobs Report.