The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today that 3 million jobs were open as of the last business day of July. The job openings rate increased in July to 2.3 percent. The hires and separations rates remained the same, at 3.3 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively.

The number of July job openings changed little from June. But the number of job openings has grown by 704,000, or 30 percent, since July 2009. When the recession began in December 2007, there were 4.4 million job openings.

Construction, arts and entertainment, and leisure and hospitality had the highest number of job openings by percent.