The Alabama Department of Workforce released data this week, finding an increase of more than 5,000 active online job applications in April.
The data collected by the Department of Workforce’s Labor and Marketing Division found that in April 2026, there were 120,341 job ads posted in Alabama, representing a monthly increase of 5,250 ads, or a 4.6 percent spike since March. Compared to April 2025, job applications increased by 22.6 percent.
The five occupations with the most online job ads in April were registered nurses, customer service representatives, retail salespeople, general and operations managers, and fast food and counter workers. During the month, 10,188 ads were placed for those occupations.
In a statement released alongside the department’s report, Workforce Secretary Greg Reed celebrated the growth of state job listings.
“April’s job posting data reflects Alabama’s continued economic momentum, with more than 120,000 online job ads signaling strong employer demand across healthcare, retail, hospitality, and management occupations,” Reed said.
“As we enter the summer hiring season, the continued growth in advertised opportunities, combined with rising wages and a competitive labor market, demonstrates that Alabama employers are actively seeking skilled talent to meet workforce needs,” Reed continued. “These numbers reinforce the importance of strengthening workforce development efforts to connect Alabamians with the high-quality careers available across our state.”
The median advertised wage for April was $53,040 per year.
The top two employers posting the most online ads in February 2026 were Huntsville Hospital with 1,272 ads and Walmart with 918 active job ads.
The rest of the top 10 were McDonald’s with 786 ads; the University of Alabama at Birmingham with 674; Tacala LLC with 588; Baptist Health—Central Alabama with 483; O’Reilly Auto Parts with 475; UAB Health System with 474; Allied Universal with 374; and DCH Health System with 358 online job ads listed.
