Jobleads Study Finds Fully Remote Jobs Make Up Just 6% of U.S. Job Market While 39% of Job Seekers Want the Flexibility
Work mode distribution across the United States
Which states offer the most remote jobs?
The platform analyzed 5M+ jobs posted in the US and surveyed more than 426K American job seekers to find the mismatch in the market.
The narrative around remote work has shifted–it's no longer the norm many expected. Our study shows flexible work is now a premium benefit in select regions and sectors, despite strong worker demand.”
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. — Jan Hendrik von Ahlen, Managing Director
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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