National Hiring Hits Decade Low, But Iowa’s Fastest-Growing Jobs Show Bright Spots

Looking for a new job? As we head towards the final three months of 2025, it can be daunting to be unemployed.

The holiday season is looming, and it feels like many employers aren't hiring.

There is a reason why that is.

Hiring Slowdown Impacting Job Seekers Nationwide

The U.S. hiring rate has dropped to its lowest level in a decade, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

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The only exception was the sharp slowdown seen during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The Associated Press reports several factors behind the decline, including the eleven interest rate hikes in 2022 and 2023 and the recent tariffs.

Economists say the breakeven point for employment growth, the number of jobs needed each month to keep pace with population growth, is about 70,000 to 90,000.

But in August 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported just 22,000 new jobs were added nationwide.

June and July combined produced 87,000 jobs, also well below that threshold.

Still, not all of the news is negative.

Health care and social services continue to show strong growth, and average hourly earnings are up 3.7 percent over the past year.

The total number of hours worked per week has also edged downward, giving many employees more opportunities for work-life balance.

The Job Picture Nationwide Vs. Iowa

The job picture varies by region.

Utah, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Idaho are among the states with year-over-year job growth, while places like Washington, D.C., Iowa, and Kansas have seen job openings shrink.

In Iowa, the outlook is more nuanced.

Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to determine the fastest-growing jobs in the Hawkeye State, ranking occupations by their percentage increase in employment between 2023 and 2024.

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The analysis excluded jobs with fewer than 1,000 workers.

The results reveal where opportunities may be emerging in Iowa, even as the state overall faces a dip in job openings.

The Top 50 Jobs Hiring in Our State

These are the top 50 jobs currently hiring in Iowa.