The platform analyzed 5M+ jobs posted in the US and surveyed more than 426K American job seekers to find the mismatch in the market.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, January 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — JobLeads, the global career platform that serves millions of professionals worldwide recently published a study revealing a shift in work-mode availability across the United States. The company researched 5 million job postings and surveyed over 426 thousands U.S. applicants to find the state of work modes in America.
The findings reveal that remote work opportunities are at a historic low despite the strong worker preference. In fact, only 6% of newly posted jobs in the U.S. are fully remote and 7% offer hybrid arrangements. However, as many as 23% of job seekers prefer fully remote work and another 16% want the flexibility of either remote or hybrid.
The report also highlights geographic and industry variations in work-mode trends:
– Oregon leads in the fully remote category with 10% of roles being advertised as fully remote, while District of Columbia leads the hybrid mode with 11%
– On the other hand, Mississippi, West Virginia, and South Carolina have an overwhelming 94% of in-office positions out of all jobs advertised
– Overall, blue states offer around 7% hybrid roles which is almost double what the red states offer at an average of 4%
– Consulting roles are nearly three times more likely to offer flexible working than the national average, while management & operations remain heavily in-office with 9 out of 10 positions requiring physical presence
– Flexible work is a mid-career privilege with remote roles peaking at 9% in the $125k to $150k band and dropping to 4% for salaries of over $250k
The 2026 study uncovers a developing mismatch–employers are increasingly returning to traditional office-based work, but many professionals still seek flexibility.
The year 2025 has been the year of tightening RTO rules. Over 70% of US employers offered hybrid options in 2023, compared to only 7% of newly opened positions marketed as hybrid in 2025. We’re facing a shift that workers need to prepare for especially with the surging layoffs that exceeded 1 million in 2025 alone.
About JobLeads
Founded in 2007 in Hamburg, Germany, JobLeads is a global career platform that helps professionals to find the right careers and access high-quality opportunities. Leveraging proprietary data insights and a user-focused approach, JobLeads supports millions of members in over 40 countries to make informed career decisions. For more information, visit jobleads.com.
Maryia Fokina
JobLeads
press@jobleads.com
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