Attrition · Overall
Turnover Rate Benchmarks
Attrition · current reference
3.3%
Total separations rate · Total nonfarm, US
Evidence chain
Definition: annual separations / mean of 12 monthly employment levels (BLS annual avg rate)
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Benchmark Table
Total Separations Rate by Industry & Region
2025 annual average. BLS JOLTS Table 20, not seasonally adjusted.
| Segment | Value | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm, US | 3.3% | 2025 annual average |
| Manufacturing, US | 2.4% | 2025 annual average |
| Retail trade, US | 3.8% | 2025 annual average |
| Professional & business services, US | 4.6% | 2025 annual average |
| Leisure & hospitality, US | 5.6% | 2025 annual average |
| Financial activities, US | 2.3% | 2025 annual average |
| Health care & social assistance, US | 2.9% | 2025 annual average |
| Accommodation & food services, US | 5.5% | 2025 annual average |
| South region, US | 3.4% | 2025 annual average |
| Northeast region, US | 3% | 2025 annual average |
Denominator: annual separations / mean of 12 monthly employment levels (BLS annual avg rate)
Definition traps
Read this before you compare numbers
Fixed methodology boxes — see /methodology for the full policy.
F1 · Definition trap
"Annual average rate" ≠ annual turnover
BLS JOLTS reports an annual average rate: the mean of twelve monthly rates, each computed against that month's employment level. It is not the same as “what share of the workforce left over the year” — that would require summing separations against a rolling headcount. Treat JOLTS annual-average figures as a rate index, not a headcount-turnover percentage.
F2 · Definition trap
Quits ≠ voluntary turnover; separations ≠ turnover
“Separations” (JOLTS Table 20) includes quits, layoffs/discharges, and other separations (retirements, deaths, transfers) combined — it is not a clean “turnover” figure by itself. “Quits” (Table 22) is the closest published proxy for voluntary turnover, but includes some non-resignation exits reported as quits by employers. “Layoffs and discharges” (Table 24) is the closest proxy for involuntary turnover. None of the three are interchangeable.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good employee turnover rate?
There is no universal “good” number — it depends heavily on industry, region and role type. The reference point on this page is the BLS JOLTS 2025 annual average for total US nonfarm employment: 3.3%. Compare against your own industry and region in the table above, not against the headline figure alone.
Is turnover rate the same as attrition rate?
The terms are often used interchangeably in HR practice, but BLS “separations” (used here) bundles quits, layoffs/discharges and other exits together — it is not the same as a voluntary-attrition figure. See the voluntary turnover (quits) page for the closest published proxy to voluntary attrition.
How is the turnover rate on this page calculated?
Annual separations divided by the mean of twelve monthly employment levels — BLS's own annual-average-rate method (JOLTS Table 20). This is a rate index, not a headcount percentage — see definition trap F1 below.
Where does this data come from, and how current is it?
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, JOLTS Table 20, 2025 annual average. Sources are re-checked on a fixed cycle (April and October) or sooner if BLS publishes a new annual vintage — see /sources and /methodology.