Jobs

May has strongest month for hiring in nearly 2 years, according to a LinkedIn study

Key Points
  • LinkedIn says May had the strongest month for hiring since June 2015.
  • Hiring in May was 6.2 percent higher than in April.
  • Hiring in May was 2.4 percent higher than a year ago.
May hiring up 2.4% YOY: LinkedIn report
VIDEO3:3503:35
May hiring up 2.4% YOY: LinkedIn report

U.S. employers hired significantly more people in May, making it the strongest month for hiring since June 2015, according to a LinkedIn study.

The data released Thursday said seasonally adjusted hiring in May was 6.2 percent higher than in April, and hiring across the U.S. was 2.4 percent higher than a year ago.

The architecture and engineering, manufacturing and industrial, and aerospace, automotive and transportation sectors experienced the biggest increase in month-over-month hiring.

The San Francisco Bay Area continues to be one of the areas that pull in the most talent, but the region has seen a decrease in the number of workers by 17 percent since February, likely due to the cost of living, the report said. It found that workers are instead moving to areas like Portland, Oregon, Denver, Austin, Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina, where the cost of living is lower.

LinkedIn said health-care degrees are hotter than ever. Health-care management skills are needed especially in at least a dozen cities, including New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington.

LinkedIn's data come from more than 100 million user profiles in the U.S., thousands of company profiles and at least 3 million monthly job postings.

The Labor Department releases its closely watched monthly employment report on Friday.