The number of jobs in higher education edged down 0.4 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period a year ago, dropping about 6,500 jobs, according the higher education employment report from job search site HigherEdJobs. The number of jobs in higher education has now declined slightly for two consecutive quarters after several quarters of consecutive growth, the report found.

Three areas experienced declines in job postings: The East South Central dropped 16.9 percent, New England decreased by 6.0 percent, and the East North Central declined by 0.6 percent.

The West region experienced the greatest increase in the number of higher education job postings in Q1 2013 due to relatively strong growth in its Pacific area that experienced a 24.2 percent increase in advertised job postings.

The report analyzes job-posting data from more than 700 colleges and universities that have continuously subscribed to the company’s unlimited posting plan for four years, as well as data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.