Houston's Job Market: Growth Slowing Despite 113,000 Open Positions

Houston's job market remains robust yet shows signs of cooling, with over 113,000 openings listed on Indeed as of March 2026. The employment landscape features steady demand in energy, healthcare, and manufacturing, though the Dallas Fed's Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey reports employment growth stalled in March, with the index near zero as 15 percent of firms hired and 16 percent laid off. Key statistics include expected wage growth of 3.1 percent over the next year per the Texas Business Outlook Surveys, alongside average top salaries reaching $87,327 annually according to ZipRecruiter. Trends indicate pessimism among workers despite low national unemployment, driven by a hiring slowdown as noted in a late March 2026 poll. Major industries encompass energy, healthcare led by Houston Methodist, and emerging clean tech, while top employers include Exxon Mobil, which announced redomestication to Texas in March 2026. Growing sectors feature clean tech, highlighted by 12 winners at the CERAWeek pitch competition, and stock exchanges like Nasdaq Texas launching listings. Recent developments include new stock exchanges boosting corporate activity and B2B networking events by the Greater Houston Partnership. Seasonal patterns show flat workweeks in early spring manufacturing, with uncertainty at a high per Dallas Fed data. Commuting trends tie into interconnected systems like transportation and workforce stability, amid 40 percent food insecurity in households per Rice University. Government initiatives support corporate growth via the Texas Business Court expansion. The market is evolving toward tech and energy innovation amid wage pressures and labor shortages in fields like architecture. Key findings highlight resilient job volume but rising uncertainty and slower hiring, with opportunities in healthcare and clean tech. Current openings include Monitor Technician at Houston Methodist Corporate, requiring EKG skills and BLS certification; Warehouse Associate positions across Houston on Indeed; and Data Governance Analyst roles in related Texas initiatives. Thank you for tuning in, listeners, and please subscribe for more updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.