2025 State of the Workforce

Introduction

The National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) is proud to present its 2025 State of the Workforce Report. Now in its fourth iteration, this publication brings together key innovations and data from the nation’s state workforce agencies into one cohesive report. NASWA appreciates the state contributions to this effort, as well as the data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics at the U.S. Department of Labor.

Each state profile includes:

• State workforce innovations
• Labor market information for residents 16 and older including:
  • Annual labor force participation rate  
  • Year-over-year change in employment (April 2024 - April 2025)  
  • Annual average unemployment rate  
  • Annual average labor force  
  • Unemployed persons per job opening 
  • Average hourly earnings (May 2024 - April 2025)
  • Year-over-year change in hourly earnings (April 2024 - April 2025)
• Programs within the state workforce agency
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) core programs and the administering agency for the state
• Number of workforce development regions and American Job Centers within the state
• Number of participants served
• Education levels for residents age 25 and older in the labor force
• Industries with the most jobs added and fastest growth rate
• Unemployment insurance data, including: 
  • Average number of weeks people receive unemployment insurance 
  • Percent of individuals receiving unemployment benefits who use all the eligible weeks without finding new employment.