Special Report
Recruitment & Retention

How Many Job Openings Are There in Public Schools and Universities?

By Maya Riser-Kositsky — June 15, 2022 | Corrected: July 08, 2022 1 min read
Image of a 'Help Wanted' sign with education icons.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Corrected: An earlier version of this article did not state that the number of job openings in the Bureau of Labor Statistics data isn’t exclusive to the public K-12 sector and includes openings in public postsecondary institutions.

While teacher shortages have been reported in different regions and different teaching subjects on and off for years, a very large number of open positions in education jobs overall have been reported in recent months.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data on the state and local government education sector (which includes public elementary and secondary school systems and postsecondary institutions), in February 2022 there were 380,000 open jobs in schools and universities, the highest number of openings in the past decade.

Since April 2021, only two months (August and September 2021) had fewer than 300,000 open jobs. That’s compared with the period from 2012 to the end of 2019, when no month had over 300,000 open jobs.

See Also

Illustration of staff for a school.
Laura Baker/Education Week and treety and iStock/Getty
School & District Management Infographic School Staffing by the Numbers
Maya Riser-Kositsky, June 15, 2022
5 min read

Data Notes

The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies something as a job opening when it meets three conditions:

  1. A specific position exists and there is work available for that position.
  2. The job could start within 30 days.
  3. There is active recruiting for workers.

The Bureau counts job openings on the last business day of the month, rather than cumulatively throughout the month.

How to Cite This Article

Riser-Kositsky, M. (2021, June 15). How Many Job Openings Are There in Public Schools and Universities?. Education Week. Retrieved Month Day, Year from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/how-many-job-openings-are-there-in-public-schools/2022/06

This article was previously published with the title, “How Many Job Openings Are There in Public Schools?”

Events

Reading & Literacy K-12 Essentials Forum Reading Instruction Across Content Disciplines
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts implementing innovative strategies in reading across different subjects.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by Panorama Education
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM’s Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Recruitment & Retention Explainer 4 Things to Know About the Messy Landscape of Grow-Your-Own Teacher Prep
From residencies and apprenticeships to disparate grow-your-own programs, locally focused teacher preparation is in flux.
7 min read
Linear Style iconic illustration of mentoring and training in an abstract pattern.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty + Education Week
Recruitment & Retention Opinion Want to Retain Teachers? Here's What Districts and Schools Can Do
Severe teacher shortages persist. Educators suggest what schools and districts can do to fill those posts.
11 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Recruitment & Retention Schools Have Fewer Teacher Vacancies This Year. But Hiring Is Still Not Easy
Schools struggled less to fill teaching positions in the 2024-25 school year, but they still started the year with vacant teaching spots.
3 min read
Illustration on teacher staffing vacancies with spotlight on empty workspace in classroom.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Getty Images
Recruitment & Retention Q&A Schools Can't Find Enough Teachers. A New Federal Center Aims to Help
The U.S. Department of Education's research agency has launched a new center focused on improving teacher staffing and retention.
6 min read
Photograph of a diverse group of educators meeting in the hallway of an elementary school.
E+