NextChapter

Washington jobs and job market: layoffs, colleges and workforce help

Washington’s unemployment rate is 4.8%. 9,874 open professional jobs are listed here. Employers filed 137 layoff notices in the last 12 months. Choose a county or city for the same picture closer to home.

Independent page. Not from or affiliated with the State of Washington.

Looking for work in Washington? See where you stand.

Not sure you match what employers here are hiring for? Get a free read on your fit, the jobs open near you and a plan for the weeks ahead.

Show me jobs near me

Washington economy

  • 4.8%

    unemployment, Sep 2026

    4.7% the month before

  • 4,045,430

    in the labor force

    Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics

  • 7,740,984

    people in Washington

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau

  • $94,952

    median household income

    Source: Census ACS

  • 45%

    of workers in white-collar occupations

    Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS

Washington outlook: Building

Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.

  • Private-sector jobs up 0.3% from 2022 to 2025
  • Population up 3.5% from 2020 to 2025
  • Unemployment 4.3%, down 0.2 points from a year ago
  • Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+38,417 jobs), hotels & food (+9,343 jobs)
  • Sectors losing the most jobs: information (−16,242 jobs), construction (−12,300 jobs)

Local job-market news

Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in Washington. Each link goes to the publisher.

Learn and get funded in Washington

Washington layoffs

  • 137

    Layoff notices, last 12 months

  • 19,344

    workers named

    A floor: states may leave out counts

  • 107

    employers

Layoff notices filed in Washington, newest first
Notice dateEmployerCity or countyWorkersTypeSource
Seattle Marriott RedmondTakes effect Jan 5, 2027Redmond91Closure - PermanentState record
AmazonTakes effect Dec 7, 2026Amazon95Layoff - PermanentState record
Alaska AirlinesTakes effect Dec 31, 2026Alaska Airlines121Layoff - PermanentState record
ComcastTakes effect Dec 31, 2026Comcast159Layoff - PermanentState record
Double M OrchardsTakes effect Dec 18, 2026Quincy220Layoff - TemporaryState record
NIC Global Manufacturing SolutionsTakes effect Jan 18, 2027Woodinville103Closure - PermanentState record
Henry Bosma OrchardsTakes effect Nov 30, 2026Granger90Closure - PermanentState record
StarbucksTakes effect Dec 31, 2026Starbucks135ClosureState record
HMS HostTakes effect Dec 31, 2026HMS Host135Closure - PermanentState record
DSquared Hospitality Company dba Sidekicks PubTakes effect Dec 20, 2026Bellevue83ClosureState record

All layoff notices in the state

Get an email when a new notice is filed for Washington

One email a day at most, only when there is something new. No account needed.

Employers hiring most in Washington

Employers with the most open professional roles on our job board right now.

  1. Amazon3,128 open roles
  2. SpaceX335 open roles
  3. Microsoft197 open roles
  4. Shield AI135 open roles
  5. Swiftkey111 open roles
  6. CoreWeave97 open roles
  7. McKinstry81 open roles
  8. TerraPower74 open roles
  9. Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories65 open roles
  10. Paccar64 open roles
  11. Puget Sound Energy51 open roles
  12. Oracle50 open roles

Largest employers headquartered in Washington

  • Starbucksabout 383,000 employees (2021)
  • Microsoftabout 228,000 employees (2024)
  • World Vision Internationalabout 33,000 employees (2023)
  • Paccar20,001–100,000 employees
  • F55,001–20,000 employees
  • Swedish Health Services5,001–20,000 employees
  • Zillow5,001–20,000 employees
  • Seattle University1,001–5,000 employees

Employee counts with a year are published figures (Wikidata). Other sizes are estimates from our company directory, not payroll counts.

Higher education in Washington

  • 37

    public and private non-profit colleges

    Source: IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education

  • about 331,500

    students enrolled

    Estimated from size bands

Largest colleges in Washington

Largest colleges in Washington
CollegeCityTypeStudents
University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattlePublic 4-year20,000+
Washington State UniversityPullmanPublic 4-year20,000+
Bellevue CollegeBellevuePublic 4-year10,000–19,999
Central Washington UniversityEllensburgPublic 4-year10,000–19,999
Eastern Washington UniversityCheneyPublic 4-year10,000–19,999
Western Washington UniversityBellinghamPublic 4-year10,000–19,999
Columbia Basin CollegePascoPublic 4-year5,000–9,999
Gonzaga UniversitySpokanePrivate non-profit 4-year5,000–9,999
Green River CollegeAuburnPublic 4-year5,000–9,999
North Seattle CollegeSeattlePublic 4-year5,000–9,999
Seattle UniversitySeattlePrivate non-profit 4-year5,000–9,999
University of Washington-Bothell CampusBothellPublic 4-year5,000–9,999

All 37 Washington colleges

Workforce development and job centers

The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Washington. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.

Laid off in Washington? How to file for unemployment in Washington (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).

39 American Job Centers in Washington

Job fairs and business events in Washington

Hiring events, career workshops, small-business counseling and startup events from chambers, job centers, workforce boards, colleges and economic-development groups in Washington.

Conferences in Washington

Industry conferences and trade shows held in Washington, the ones worth a trip for hiring managers and job seekers. 33 with dates announced.

  • PASS Data Community Summit (PASS Summit West)

    Nov 9 to Nov 11, 2026 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Prices on Tickets page, not read.

  • AMP Annual Meeting & Expo

    Nov 10 to Nov 14, 2026 · Seattle, WA

    Ticket $415 to $935. In-person: regular member $545 advance, $685 standard, $745 on-site (from Oct 21); regular nonmember…

  • ABRCMS (Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists)

    Nov 18 to Nov 21, 2026 · Seattle, WA

    Ticket $595 to $700. Undergrad/postbac $595; graduate/postdoc $625; non-students $700; virtual $100 student / $125 non-student;…

    Open call for speakers

  • WSSDA Annual Conference

    Nov 19 to Nov 21, 2026 · Spokane, WA

    Ticket $580 to $655. Full conference regular $580 through Sept 25, $655 from Sept 26; guest/non-member $1,700 then $2,260.…

    Open call for speakers

  • Pacific Marine Expo

    Nov 19 to Nov 21, 2026 · Seattle, WA

    Free. Trade press reports advance registration free and $55 on site; the official page only links to registration.

  • AAC&U Annual Meeting

    Jan 20 to Jan 22, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Ticket $760 to $1,100. Member $760 early / $810 regular; nonmember $1,050 / $1,100; ends Nov 13 for early bird.

    Open call for speakers

  • Acumatica Summit

    Jan 24 to Jan 27, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Ticket $1,695 to $1,995. Summit pass $1,695; $1,995 after December 4 (page labels are ambiguous, confirm at registration).

  • NALP Newer Professionals' Forum

    Feb 3 to Feb 5, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Registration typically opens in October; prices not read; members get discounted pricing.

  • LMA Annual Conference

    Mar 22 to Mar 24, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Ticket $1,785 to $2,925. Full conference: LMA member $1,785 super early bird (first 100), $1,985 early (to Feb 8), $2,185…

    Open call for speakers

  • SHRM Washington State Annual Conference

    Mar 25, 2027 · Bellevue, WA

    Ticket $499 to $649. Early bird to 1/31/2027: $499 member, $599 non-member; after: $549 / $649.

  • PAA Annual Meeting

    Mar 31 to Apr 3, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Registration fees not stated on the page; member discounts may apply.

  • ATLIS Annual Conference

    Apr 11 to Apr 14, 2027 · Spokane, WA

    Paid ticket. Registration opens early 2027; pricing not captured.

    Open call for speakers

  • SREcon Americas

    Apr 12 to Apr 14, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket, price not listed

  • IREM PropertyCon

    Apr 13 to Apr 15, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Registration opens Fall 2026.

  • NALP Annual Education Conference

    Apr 13 to Apr 16, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Registration listed as coming soon; pricing not posted.

    Open call for speakers · deadline Jul 1, 2026

  • SSA Annual Meeting

    Apr 20 to Apr 24, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Registration fees not stated on the page; member discounts may apply.

  • NFBPA FORUM

    Apr 21 to Apr 25, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Registration rate not shown (a flash sale was advertised); members get discounted registration.

    Open call for speakers

  • MGMA Operations Conference

    May 2 to May 4, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Registration not open; pricing not published yet.

  • ULI Spring Meeting

    May 11 to May 13, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Registration opens January 2027.

  • Zendesk Relate

    May 24 to May 26, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Ticket $895 to $1,495. Early bird $895, advanced $1,195, standard $1,495, plus 10.55% WA sales tax.

  • AI Con USA

    Jun 6 to Jun 11, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Hyatt Regency Seattle; pricing not open for 2027. Group discounts up to 20%.

    Open call for speakers

  • ASHP Pharmacy Futures

    Jun 12 to Jun 16, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket, price not listed

  • CASE Transformational Gifts

    Jun 14 to Jun 16, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Fee not shown on the page.

  • Product Marketing Summit Seattle

    Jun 17 to Jun 18, 2027 · Seattle, WA

    Paid ticket. Prices not listed on the events page (brochure on request).

    Open call for speakers

Showing 24 of 44 conferences, 33 with dates announced.

All conferences

Washington counties

Each county page has its own unemployment, layoffs, job openings, employers, colleges and job centers.

Show all 39

Washington cities

Cities with open jobs, layoff notices, a job center or a college.

Show all 117

Laid off or looking for work in Washington?

See what to do first, what Washington unemployment benefits pay, and the jobs open near you.

See your options after a layoff

Sources: Census Bureau and BLS for population, income and unemployment; layoff notices from Washington’s published record; job counts from our live job board, taken from employers’ own career sites; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. Washington unemployment benefits and severance rules.

Applying and hearing nothing back?

Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.

Already a member? Log in

Get my Market Reality Assessment

Job seekers in Washington looking to you for help, or openings you cannot fill?

Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers in Washington.

See how organizations use it