Tulsa unemployment has climbed to 4.1%, up from 3.5% a year ago. More people are looking, so employers who respond fast and screen well can fill roles quicker.
Tulsa's unemployment rate sits at 4.1%, up from 3.5% a year earlier and now close to the national rate of 4.2%. Total nonfarm jobs still grew +0.3% over the year. That mix means more job seekers in the pool while employers keep hiring, which shifts the challenge from finding applicants to sorting and reaching them quickly.
The metro labor force is 530,850, with 482,300 nonfarm jobs. Growth is uneven. Private education and health services expanded +3.1%, while Leisure and hospitality pulled back −4.1%. Workers moving out of shrinking sectors are a sourcing opportunity for employers in growing ones.
Below you will find the labor snapshot, local wages against national medians, the industry mix and the hiring rules that apply in Tulsa. Each section ends with what it means for your recruiting plan.
Unemployment rose over the year while jobs grew slightly, so expect larger applicant volumes per opening. Speed of first contact and clean screening matter more than raw ad spend in this kind of market.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, CES). "Preliminary" figures may be revised. Retrieved October 29, 2026.
| Occupation | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales representatives of services | $13.81 | $26.44 | $49.09 | 2,870 |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing | $14.18 | $29.73 | $58.94 | 4,420 |
| Telemarketers | $12.60 | $12.60 | $14.92 | — |
| Customer service representatives | $14.20 | $18.54 | $28.75 | 9,800 |
| Retail salespersons | $11.26 | $14.33 | $21.92 | 12,110 |
| Cashiers | $10.91 | $14.03 | $17.40 | 9,770 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers | $13.90 | $17.78 | $23.13 | 9,990 |
| Fast food and counter workers | $9.91 | $12.72 | $16.55 | 12,760 |
| Janitors and cleaners | $11.71 | $15.47 | $20.52 | 5,140 |
| Sales managers | $34.28 | $67.33 | $143.52 | 1,050 |
Every role in the table has a Tulsa median below the national median, such as customer service reps at $18.54 against $21.53 nationally. Use local medians, not national figures, to set offers, and note how tight some ranges are, like telemarketers spanning $12.60 to $14.92.
86,500 jobs · 17.9% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Trade, transportation, and utilities dipped −0.5% but still holds 17.9% of jobs, so warehouse, driver and retail hiring stays steady and replacement-driven rather than expansion-driven.
85,400 jobs · 17.7% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Private education and health services grew +3.1%, so expect more competition for aides, medical assistants and childcare staff, and plan to move candidates from apply to interview within days.
64,700 jobs · 13.4% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Professional and business services grew +2.9%, which keeps demand up for contact-center, sales and admin roles that can draw on workers leaving retail and hospitality.
53,900 jobs · 11.2% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Manufacturing slipped −0.7%, so production and machine operator candidates may be easier to find, and some may be open to warehouse or shipping roles.
46,600 jobs · 9.7% of nonfarm employment · August 2026
Leisure and hospitality fell −4.1%, freeing servers, cooks and front-desk staff whose customer skills transfer well to retail, health care support and contact centers.
Trade, transportation, and utilities is the largest sector at 17.9%, but Private education and health services is nearly as large at 17.7% and growing. Hospitality and manufacturing are contracting, which frees up workers with shift and production experience.
The table summarizes state and local rules on background checks, minimum wage, non-competes and pay transparency as found in the sources reviewed. This is general information, not legal advice, so confirm current requirements with the relevant agency or your employment counsel before acting.
Oklahoma bars employers from requiring applicants to disclose information in sealed or expunged criminal records; no state credit-check ban or consumer-report statute was found.
Source: Oklahoma Legislature, Oklahoma Statutes Title 22 (section 19, sealing and expungement of records) · checked October 15, 2026No statewide ban-the-box / fair chance requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
Source: Oklahoma State Courts Network (Oklahoma Statutes, Title 40 Labor) · checked October 15, 2026Oklahoma's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, tied by state law to the federal rate; cities are barred from setting their own.
Source: Oklahoma Department of Labor, Wage and Hour FAQs; Oklahoma Statutes Title 40; U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 15, 2026Oklahoma law lets a former employee work for a competitor and permits only a ban on directly soliciting the former employer's established customers.
Source: Oklahoma Legislature, Oklahoma Statutes Title 15 (sections 217 to 219B) · checked October 15, 2026No statewide pay transparency requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
Source: Oklahoma State Courts Network (Oklahoma Statutes, Title 40 Labor) · checked October 15, 2026No local local ordinances requirement was identified in the sources we reviewed.
Tulsa cannot set its own minimum wage or require paid or unpaid vacation or sick leave; state law occupies the field and voids local rules.
Full detail on the state rules is on the Oklahoma hiring page.
General information, not legal advice.
Employment rules change and have exceptions that depend on employer size, industry and facts. This summary reflects the sources shown as of the dates shown (legal sources checked October 15, 2026). Confirm requirements with the relevant agency or qualified counsel before acting.
With unemployment up to 4.1%, more people apply per opening, and many apply to several jobs at once. The employer who replies first often gets the interview. Text new applicants promptly with a link to book a time, and set an automated reply for after-hours applications.
Leisure and hospitality shrank −4.1% and Manufacturing shrank −0.7%. Write job posts that name the transferable skills you want, such as shift reliability, customer handling or line work. Build a segment of past applicants with that background and reach out to them directly.
Services sales representatives in Tulsa range from $13.81 to $49.09 an hour, a spread driven by commission and performance pay. Post the base and a realistic earnings range separately so candidates can judge the offer. Vague pay invites drop-off at the offer stage.
Tulsa medians trail national ones across the board, such as retail salespersons at $14.33 against $17.03 nationally. Benchmarking to national data can lead you to overpay or confuse candidates. Use the local percentiles to decide whether you want to hire at the median or above it to move faster.
Larger applicant pools mean more unqualified applications for warehouse, cashier and food service roles. Use a short set of knockout questions or a phone screen on availability, shifts and transportation before booking interviews. Hiring managers spend their time on candidates who can actually start.
Tulsa employers are dealing with bigger applicant pools and competition for health care and service workers, so the work is sorting and responding fast. AI-Powered Candidate Ranking parses resumes and builds shortlists on your own criteria. AI phone screening lets voice agents screen applicants and write the outcome, summary and recording back to the profile. Two-way SMS with automations keeps every candidate conversation in one inbox and triggers replies on status, time or action, so no applicant waits for a first message.
Start with the local wage table, not national data. For example, laborers and freight movers have a Tulsa median of $17.78 against $19.35 nationally, and fast food and counter workers have a median of $12.72. Paying near or above the local median usually helps you fill faster.
Unemployment rose from 3.5% to 4.1%, so there are more job seekers. Competition still exists in growing sectors like Private education and health services. Expect more applicants, and plan for faster screening and follow-up to win the good ones.
Oklahoma's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, tied by state law to the federal rate. Tulsa cannot set its own minimum wage. This is general information, so confirm current rates with the state labor agency or your counsel.
Yes, many employers do, but get clear opt-in consent before sending recruiting texts and honor STOP or opt-out requests right away. Keep a record of when and how consent was given. Check the specific requirements with your counsel.
No statewide pay transparency requirement was identified in the sources reviewed. Many employers post pay anyway because it reduces drop-off and filters applicants early. Confirm with counsel if you hire across multiple states.
Use knockout questions, an automated first text and self-service interview booking so candidates move without manual back-and-forth. Group applicants by role and location so you can message and move them in batches. Review the shortlist daily during heavy hiring periods.
Sources and data currency
Labor data as of August 2026; wage data May 2025; rules checked October 15, 2026. Next scheduled review: January 27, 2027. This page is educational market information for employers.
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