
Signing bonuses remain a notable recruiting tool despite a cooling labor market, appearing in about 3% of U.S. job postings in December 2025—down from a 5.6% peak in 2022 but still above the 2019 average of 1.8%. Wage growth in posted ads has slowed sharply to 2.1% year‑over‑year, while bonus usage has declined more modestly, indicating employers favor one‑time incentives over permanent pay raises. Healthcare occupations drive the bulk of bonus activity, with physicians and surgeons at 10.6% and nursing at 8.4% of listings. The resilience of bonuses suggests persistent competition for critical health‑care talent even as broader hiring eases.

Indeed Hiring Lab’s Q4 2025 vertical report shows mixed labor‑market signals across five U.S. sectors. Transportation and retail posted year‑over‑year declines in job openings, while wages in both categories rose faster than the aggregate market. Business‑to‑business and healthcare remained above pre‑pandemic...