Job Gaps by State
If I were looking for a job somewhere in the US, I’d go where the pay is the best and the competition for those jobs is the lowest.
Of course, I’d also consider the overall desirability of the area and whether or not I am willing to relocate, but I’ll leave those other factors up to you to consider; I’m more interested in regional job gaps, the industries involved, and their implications for training.
The table below shows the percent of job openings that pay at least a living wage or higher for a single adult, and the number of job seekers for those jobs.
A low job gap ratio, with 3 to 1 being the lowest, indicates that employers receive fewer applicants for good-paying jobs.
More than likely, these good-paying jobs require specialized skills for which applicants need advanced education or training.
At least one reason for the ratios being relatively low is that much of the labor pool does not possess the required skills for the available jobs.
It’s interesting to note that the percentage of job openings that provide a good wage is generally highest for those states with the lowest job gap ratio; 50% is the average for the half of states with the lowest job gap ratio while 45% is the average for the half of states with the highest job gap ratio.
If you apply basic supply and demand principles, low job gap ratios indicate that the supply side of the equation (job seekers) is low relative to the demand side of the equation (job openings), which drives up the wages for those jobs.
Ojt.Com Provides an Analysis of the Industrial Makeup of Each of the 50 States
Click this link (OJT States)This information can help job seekers find the skills and jobs they are looking for. It also provides information to training providers on where their services may be needed most.
Living Wages, Job Openings, and Job Seekers by State | |||||
Geography | Single Adult Living Wage | Total Job Seekers | Total Openings | Percent of Openings Greater than Living Wage | Job Gap Ratio (Seekers to Living Wage Openings) |
District of Columbia | $21.92 | 20,570 | 38,000 | 63% | 3 to 1 |
North Dakota | $14.98 | 15,360 | 24,000 | 55% | 3 to 1 |
Utah | $16.06 | 67,890 | 116,000 | 50% | 3 to 1 |
Colorado | $17.48 | 123,900 | 254,000 | 52% | 4 to 1 |
Iowa | $15.10 | 57,950 | 106,000 | 52% | 4 to 1 |
Kentucky | $15.03 | 83,060 | 183,000 | 52% | 4 to 1 |
Nebraska | $15.03 | 34,680 | 66,000 | 51% | 4 to 1 |
Texas | $15.91 | 543,510 | 1,068,000 | 48% | 4 to 1 |
Minnesota | $16.52 | 85,820 | 240,000 | 53% | 5 to 1 |
Washington | $17.59 | 144,770 | 358,000 | 54% | 5 to 1 |
Wisconsin | $15.69 | 95,200 | 249,000 | 50% | 5 to 1 |
Arkansas | $14.58 | 43,250 | 130,000 | 47% | 6 to 1 |
Delaware | $18.33 | 13,950 | 40,000 | 44% | 6 to 1 |
Idaho | $14.90 | 17,527 | 62,000 | 57% | 6 to 1 |
Indiana | $15.46 | 106,320 | 313,000 | 47% | 6 to 1 |
Kansas | $15.23 | 42,120 | 124,000 | 47% | 6 to 1 |
Maryland | $20.40 | 110,190 | 361,000 | 52% | 6 to 1 |
New Hampshire | $17.68 | 20,940 | 58,000 | 43% | 6 to 1 |
Oklahoma | $14.96 | 57,090 | 177,000 | 50% | 6 to 1 |
Oregon | $16.49 | 68,140 | 204,000 | 49% | 6 to 1 |
South Dakota | $14.50 | 13,970 | 38,000 | 44% | 6 to 1 |
Tennessee | $15.27 | 101,520 | 275,000 | 49% | 6 to 1 |
Vermont | $17.89 | 9,530 | 28,000 | 45% | 6 to 1 |
Wyoming | $15.05 | 8,350 | 28,000 | 55% | 6 to 1 |
Massachusetts | $19.98 | 106,120 | 354,000 | 50% | 7 to 1 |
Michigan | $15.78 | 139,490 | 503,000 | 49% | 7 to 1 |
Missouri | $15.39 | 86,630 | 306,000 | 48% | 7 to 1 |
New York | $20.42 | 357,430 | 1,060,000 | 43% | 7 to 1 |
Virginia | $18.95 | 128,070 | 405,000 | 44% | 7 to 1 |
Alaska | $17.92 | 10,060 | 43,000 | 53% | 8 to 1 |
Arizona | $16.18 | 118,850 | 442,000 | 48% | 8 to 1 |
Florida | $17.29 | 356,970 | 1,127,000 | 38% | 8 to 1 |
Hawaii | $21.73 | 20,030 | 54,000 | 34% | 8 to 1 |
Montana | $14.93 | 14,050 | 48,000 | 44% | 8 to 1 |
North Carolina | $15.88 | 158,540 | 549,000 | 46% | 8 to 1 |
Ohio | $14.96 | 168,300 | 705,000 | 51% | 8 to 1 |
Pennsylvania | $16.73 | 183,190 | 689,000 | 47% | 8 to 1 |
Rhode Island | $17.33 | 15,180 | 60,000 | 49% | 8 to 1 |
Alabama | $15.49 | 65,780 | 284,000 | 48% | 9 to 1 |
California | $19.90 | 651,030 | 2,526,000 | 42% | 9 to 1 |
Georgia | $16.48 | 148,370 | 589,000 | 43% | 9 to 1 |
Illinois | $17.57 | 187,470 | 754,000 | 46% | 9 to 1 |
Louisiana | $15.87 | 65,950 | 270,000 | 48% | 9 to 1 |
Nevada | $16.62 | 61,960 | 217,000 | 38% | 9 to 1 |
New Mexico | $15.60 | 26,170 | 96,000 | 42% | 9 to 1 |
Connecticut | $19.57 | 54,300 | 290,000 | 51% | 10 to 1 |
Maine | $16.27 | 17,200 | 72,000 | 44% | 10 to 1 |
South Carolina | $15.79 | 66,160 | 278,000 | 42% | 10 to 1 |
New Jersey | $20.08 | 129,380 | 613,000 | 44% | 11 to 1 |
Mississippi | $15.18 | 35,910 | 173,000 | 40% | 12 to 1 |
West Virginia | $15.00 | 20,220 | 104,000 | 40% | 13 to 1 |
Data from thejobgap.org |