Job growth statistics for the US in 2026 show slow hiring: employers added 29,000 jobs in September 2026 and the unemployment rate was 4.2%, while payrolls grew a combined 612,000 from January through September, an average of 68,000 a month. Job openings were 7.1 million in August, 2025 job growth has been revised down to just 116,000, and the October jobs report is due November 6, 2026.
Job Growth in US 2026 – Introduction
Job growth has cooled sharply in 2026. The US added only 29,000 jobs in September, well below the roughly 90,000 forecasters expected. Monthly gains have swung from +214,000 in March to losses in February and July. The unemployment rate has stayed in a narrow band of 4.1% to 4.3% since March, which means the economy is neither shedding workers quickly nor hiring many.
Slow hiring and low layoffs are the main pattern. Employers cut few jobs, but they also add few. Revisions have lowered earlier estimates, so each new report arrives with caveats. This report covers the job growth statistics that matter most in 2026: monthly payroll changes, unemployment by group, industry gains and losses, wages, job openings, state results and data revisions.
Interesting Facts about Job Growth in US 2026
US UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, SELECTED MONTHS (each █ = 0.1 percentage point)
November 2025 | █████████████████████████████████████████████ 4.5%
February 2026 | ████████████████████████████████████████████ 4.4%
April 2026 | ███████████████████████████████████████████ 4.3%
June 2026 | ██████████████████████████████████████████ 4.2%
August 2026 | █████████████████████████████████████████ 4.1%
September 2026| ██████████████████████████████████████████ 4.2%
| Fact | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| September payroll change | +29,000 |
| September unemployment rate | 4.2% |
| Payroll gain, January to September | +612,000 |
| Average monthly gain, January to September | 68,000 |
| Average monthly gain, prior 12 months | 45,000 |
| Job openings, August | 7.1 million |
| Average hourly earnings, 12-month change | +3.0% |
| Next jobs report | November 6, 2026 |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation, September 2026 (released October 2, 2026), and JOLTS, August 2026. The January to September totals are our calculation from current-vintage monthly figures.
The September report showed 29,000 new jobs, and the unemployment rate rose from 4.1% to 4.2%. The actual increase was only about 0.03 percentage points, according to the Fiscal Lab, enough to round up. Over January to September, payrolls rose 612,000, or 68,000 a month. That is above the 45,000 average of the prior 12 months, a period that includes the weak second half of 2025.
Hiring is thin, but layoffs are low. August job openings were 7.1 million, and layoffs fell to their lowest level since March 2025. Average hourly earnings rose 3.0% over 12 months, which trails consumer price inflation. The next report, for October, arrives on November 6, 2026, and BLS may revise the figures here when it does. Treat each figure here as provisional until BLS finalizes it.
Monthly Job Growth in US 2026
MONTHLY CHANGE IN NONFARM PAYROLLS, 2026 (thousands; each █ = 10,000 jobs)
January | ████████████████ +160
February | -████████████████ -156
March | █████████████████████ +214
April | ███████████████ +148
May | ██████ +63
June | ███ +31
July | -█ -10
August | █████████████ +133
September | ███ +29
| Month (2026) | Payroll Change |
|---|---|
| January | +160,000 |
| February | -156,000 |
| March | +214,000 |
| April | +148,000 |
| May | +63,000 |
| June | +31,000 |
| July | -10,000 |
| August | +133,000 |
| September | +29,000 |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, current-vintage monthly estimates through the September 2026 release. Monthly figures are revised for months after first publication.
Hiring peaked in March at +214,000 and faded through the spring. April added 148,000, May 63,000 and June 31,000. July showed a loss of 10,000 after revisions, and February lost 156,000. Those two months are the only declines of the year. August rebounded to 133,000, but September fell back to 29,000. The nine monthly numbers sum to 612,000, an average of 68,000, by our calculation.
Revisions matter here. The first estimate for July was a loss of 23,000, which BLS revised to a gain of 21,000 and then to a loss of 10,000. August was first reported at 162,000 and cut to 133,000. BLS said July and August combined were 60,000 lower than previously reported. Forecasters had expected roughly 90,000 jobs in September, and one survey put the figure at 84,000, so the first estimate came in well short.
Unemployment Rate by Group in US 2026
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BY GROUP, SEPTEMBER 2026 (each █ = 0.25 percentage point)
Teenagers | ██████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ 14.5%
Black workers | ████████████████████████████ 7.0%
Hispanic workers | ███████████████████ 4.7%
All workers | █████████████████ 4.2%
Adult men | ████████████████ 3.9%
Adult women | ██████████████ 3.6%
White workers | ██████████████ 3.6%
Asian workers | ████████████ 2.9%
| Group | September 2026 Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| All workers | 4.2% |
| Adult men | 3.9% |
| Adult women | 3.6% |
| Teenagers | 14.5% |
| White workers | 3.6% |
| Black workers | 7.0% |
| Asian workers | 2.9% |
| Hispanic workers | 4.7% |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation, September 2026, Tables A-1 to A-3.
The overall rate of 4.2% hides wide gaps. Teenagers have the highest rate at 14.5%. Black workers follow at 7.0%, and that rate rose in September while most other groups changed little. Hispanic workers are at 4.7%, adult men at 3.9%, adult women and White workers at 3.6%, and Asian workers at 2.9%, the lowest. Black unemployment is about 2.4 times the Asian rate, by our calculation.
The headline numbers are stable. The rate has stayed between 4.1% and 4.3% since March, below the 4.5% high of November 2025. About 7.1 million people were unemployed in September, and 1.9 million, or 27.1%, had been out of work for 27 weeks or more. Labor force participation was 61.8% and the employment-population ratio was 59.2%, both little changed since January.
Job Growth by Industry in US 2026
JOB CHANGE BY INDUSTRY, SEPTEMBER 2026 (thousands; each █ = 1,000 jobs)
Health care | █████████████████ +17
Construction | ███████████ +11
Manufacturing | █████████ +9
Financial activities | -███████ -7
| Industry | September 2026 Change | Longer Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Health care | +17,000 | Average of +33,000 a month over 12 months |
| Construction | +11,000 | Average of +10,000 a month over 12 months |
| Manufacturing | +9,000 | Up 72,000 since December 2025 |
| Financial activities | -7,000 | Down 129,000 since May 2025 |
| Total nonfarm | +29,000 | Average of +45,000 a month over 12 months |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation, September 2026, Table B-1 and summary text.
Health care remains the main engine, but it slowed. It added 17,000 jobs in September, about half its 33,000 monthly average over the prior year. Ambulatory care added 13,000 and hospitals 12,000, while nursing and residential care facilities lost 9,000. Construction added 11,000, in line with its 10,000 average, led by nonresidential specialty contractors. Manufacturing added 9,000 and has regained 72,000 jobs since its December 2025 low.
Financial activities is the weak spot. It lost 7,000 jobs in September and is down 129,000 since May 2025, with insurance carriers and related activities accounting for 90,000 of the drop. Most other major industries changed little in September, including retail, transportation, information, professional services and government. Total payrolls rose just 29,000, below the 45,000 average of the prior 12 months.
Wages and Hours in US 2026
WAGE GROWTH VS INFLATION, SEPTEMBER 2026
Average hourly earnings | ████████████████████ 3.0%
Consumer prices (CPI) | ██████████████████████████ 3.7%
| Measure | September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Average hourly earnings, all employees | $37.81 |
| Monthly change | +5 cents, or +0.1% |
| 12-month change | +3.0% |
| Production and nonsupervisory hourly earnings | $32.60, up 7 cents or 0.2% |
| Average workweek, all employees | 34.4 hours |
| Average workweek, production workers | 33.8 hours |
| Manufacturing workweek and overtime | 40.6 hours and 3.0 hours |
| Real earnings, 12-month change | About -0.7% |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation, September 2026, Tables B-2, B-3, B-7 and B-8; BLS Consumer Price Index, September 2026. The real earnings figure is our calculation.
Average hourly earnings for all private employees rose 5 cents, or 0.1%, to $37.81 in September. Over 12 months they are up 3.0%. Production and nonsupervisory workers earned $32.60, up 7 cents, or 0.2%, in the month. The average workweek held at 34.4 hours for all employees and 33.8 hours for production workers. Manufacturers kept a 40.6-hour week with 3.0 hours of overtime.
Pay growth has not kept up with prices. The consumer price index rose 3.7% over the 12 months to September, driven by energy costs. By our calculation, real hourly earnings fell about 0.7% over the year. Slower hiring weakens workers’ bargaining power, which can hold down raises. Wage growth of 3.0% is still positive in dollar terms, but it buys less than it did a year ago.
Labor Force Participation and Underemployment in US 2026
SELECTED LABOR MARKET MEASURES, SEPTEMBER 2026 (millions; each █ = 0.25 million)
Not in labor force, want a job | ███████████████████████ 5.8
Unemployed | ████████████████████████████ 7.1
Part time for economic reasons | ██████████████████ 4.5
Long-term unemployed | ████████ 1.9
Marginally attached | ██████ 1.5
| Measure | September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Labor force participation rate | 61.8% |
| Employment-population ratio | 59.2% |
| Unemployed people | 7.1 million |
| Long-term unemployed (27 weeks or more) | 1.9 million, or 27.1% of unemployed |
| Part time for economic reasons | 4.5 million |
| Not in labor force but want a job | 5.8 million |
| Marginally attached to labor force | 1.5 million, down 236,000 |
| Discouraged workers | 414,000 |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation, September 2026, Tables A-1, A-8, A-12 and Summary Table A.
Participation was 61.8% and the employment-population ratio 59.2%, both little changed in September and since January. About 7.1 million people were unemployed, and 1.9 million of them, or 27.1%, had been jobless for 27 weeks or longer. Another 4.5 million people worked part time because their hours were cut or they could not find full-time jobs. That group does not appear in the headline unemployment rate.
A further 5.8 million people were outside the labor force but said they wanted a job. Among them, the number marginally attached fell by 236,000 to 1.5 million. These people wanted and could take work and had looked in the past 12 months but not in the past 4 weeks. Discouraged workers, who believed no jobs were available, numbered 414,000. Together these measures show slack beyond the 4.2% headline rate.
Job Openings, Hires and Layoffs in US 2026
JOLTS RATES, AUGUST 2026 (each █ = 0.1 percentage point)
Job openings rate | ███████████████████ 4.3%
Hires rate | ██████████████ 3.3%
Quits rate | ██████ 1.9%
Layoffs & discharges rate | ███ 1.0%
| Measure | August 2026 Level | Rate | Change from July |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job openings | 7.08 million | 4.3% | Down from 7.33 million |
| Hires | 5.2 million | 3.3% | Rate up from 3.2% |
| Quits | Little changed | 1.9% | Unchanged |
| Layoffs and discharges | 1.64 million | 1.0% | Down from 1.70 million |
| Initial jobless claims | 197,000 | Not applicable | Lowest since mid-July |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, August 2026 (released September 29, 2026); US Department of Labor weekly claims report, October 1, 2026.
The JOLTS survey shows a labor market with few openings and few exits. Job openings fell to 7.08 million, a rate of 4.3%, the lowest in five months and down about 3.5% from July by our calculation. Hires held at 5.2 million, a rate of 3.3%. The quits rate stayed at 1.9%, which means workers are not moving between jobs quickly. A low quits rate suggests less confidence in finding something better.
Layoffs are the bright spot. Layoffs and discharges fell to 1.64 million, a rate of 1.0%, the lowest since March 2025. Weekly jobless claims fell to 197,000, and claims have stayed mostly below 220,000 this year, which is historically low. One analyst described firms as unwilling to hire quickly but also unwilling to let current workers go. That fits a slow job growth pattern with a stable unemployment rate.
Job Growth by State in US 2026
OVER-THE-YEAR PAYROLL CHANGE BY STATE, SEPTEMBER 2025 TO SEPTEMBER 2026 (thousands; each █ = 10,000 jobs)
Texas | ███████████████ +154.3
California | █████████████ +129.3
North Carolina | ███████ +67.0
South Carolina | ██████ +55.2
Minnesota | ████ +36.8
Louisiana | ████ +36.0
Utah | ███ +26.3
Washington, DC | -███ -25.8
| State | 12-Month Job Change | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | +154,300 | +1.1% |
| California | +129,300 | +0.7% |
| North Carolina | +67,000 | +1.3% |
| South Carolina | +55,200 | +2.3% |
| Minnesota | +36,800 | +1.2% |
| Louisiana | +36,000 | +1.8% |
| Utah | +26,300 | +1.5% |
| District of Columbia | -25,800 | -3.5% |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, State Employment and Unemployment, September 2026 (released October 20, 2026), Table E. Only states with statistically significant changes are shown.
Only seven states and the District of Columbia had a statistically significant change in payroll jobs over the year. Texas led in raw numbers with 154,300 new jobs, followed by California at 129,300 and North Carolina at 67,000. South Carolina had the fastest growth at 2.3%, then Louisiana at 1.8% and Utah at 1.5%. Minnesota added 36,800 jobs, a rate of 1.2%.
The District of Columbia was the only loss, down 25,800 jobs, or 3.5%. The other 43 states had no statistically significant change over the year. In the month of September, jobs rose in New Jersey (+14,900) and South Carolina (+12,500) and fell in Wisconsin (-13,700). BLS cautions against adding state figures together, because state estimates carry larger errors than the national series.
Education and Health Services Jobs by State in US 2026
EDUCATION AND HEALTH SERVICES JOB GAIN, SEPTEMBER 2025 TO SEPTEMBER 2026 (thousands; each █ = 5,000 jobs)
California | █████████████████████████ +125.6
Florida | ████████ +40.3
Pennsylvania | ███████ +32.6
New Jersey | ██████ +30.0
New York | ██████ +28.4
North Carolina | ████ +18.7
Texas | ████ +18.1
| State | September 2025 | September 2026 | Change | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3,518.3 | 3,643.9 | +125.6 | +3.6% |
| Florida | 1,596.9 | 1,637.2 | +40.3 | +2.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,397.8 | 1,430.4 | +32.6 | +2.3% |
| New Jersey | 802.5 | 832.5 | +30.0 | +3.7% |
| New York | 2,410.1 | 2,438.5 | +28.4 | +1.2% |
| North Carolina | 729.5 | 748.2 | +18.7 | +2.6% |
| Texas | 1,985.7 | 2,003.8 | +18.1 | +0.9% |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, State Employment and Unemployment, September 2026, Table 3 (seasonally adjusted, thousands, preliminary). Changes and percentages are our calculation. BLS does not test industry-level state changes for significance.
Health care and education are growing in nearly every large state. California added 125.6 thousand jobs in education and health services over the year, a rise of 3.6%, to 3.64 million. Florida added 40.3 thousand, Pennsylvania 32.6 thousand, New Jersey 30.0 thousand and New York 28.4 thousand. New Jersey had the fastest growth of the group at 3.7%, and Texas the slowest at 0.9%.
California’s gain equals about 97% of its total over-the-year payroll growth of 129,300, by our calculation, which means other industries there were close to flat. The same pattern shows up nationally, where health care was the largest source of new jobs in September. These are preliminary point estimates, and BLS does not test industry-level state changes for statistical significance. They show where hiring is concentrated but should not be read as precise.
State Unemployment Rates in US 2026
STATE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, SEPTEMBER 2026 (each █ = 0.2 percentage point)
South Dakota | ██████████ 2.0%
North Dakota | ███████████ 2.2%
New Hampshire | █████████████ 2.6%
New Jersey | █████████████████████ 4.2%
Texas | ██████████████████████ 4.4%
California | ██████████████████████████ 5.1%
Connecticut | ██████████████████████████ 5.1%
Washington, DC | ████████████████████████████ 5.6%
| State | September 2026 | September 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | 2.0% | 2.1% | -0.1 |
| North Dakota | 2.2% | 2.6% | -0.4 |
| New Hampshire | 2.6% | 3.2% | -0.6 |
| New Jersey | 4.2% | 5.5% | -1.3 |
| Texas | 4.4% | 4.3% | +0.1 |
| California | 5.1% | 5.5% | -0.4 |
| Connecticut | 5.1% | 4.2% | +0.9 |
| District of Columbia | 5.6% | 6.6% | -1.0 |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, State Employment and Unemployment, September 2026, Tables 1 and C. Percentage-point changes are as published or our calculation; only some changes are statistically significant.
South Dakota had the lowest unemployment rate at 2.0%, followed by North Dakota at 2.2% and New Hampshire at 2.6%. The District of Columbia had the highest at 5.6%, with California and Connecticut at 5.1%. The national rate was 4.2%. Twenty states had rates below the US figure, two states and the District had higher rates, and 28 states were not appreciably different.
Over the year, 20 states and the District saw rates fall, led by New Jersey at -1.3 points, from 5.5% to 4.2%. Seven states saw increases, the largest in Connecticut at +0.9 points. Texas edged up 0.1 point to 4.4%, which is not a significant change. In September alone, five states had significant declines: Maryland and New Hampshire fell 0.2 points, and Florida, Nevada and Pennsylvania fell 0.1 point.
Jobs Report Revisions and Data Reliability in US 2026
2025 US JOB GROWTH ESTIMATES (thousands of jobs; each █ = 20,000)
Before benchmark revision | █████████████████████████████ 584
After benchmark revision | █████████ 181
Current estimate | ██████ 116
| Item | Earlier Figure | Revised Figure |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 job growth | +584,000 | +181,000, then +116,000 |
| March 2025 payroll level | Not applicable | Lowered by 898,000 |
| July 2026 payroll change | +21,000 | -10,000 |
| August 2026 payroll change | +162,000 | +133,000 |
| 2026 preliminary benchmark | Not applicable | -79,000, or -0.1% |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation, January 2026 and September 2026 releases; BLS preliminary benchmark announcement, August 28, 2026. The final 2026 benchmark arrives with the January 2027 report on February 5, 2027.
Revisions have changed the story of 2025. The annual benchmark in the January 2026 report lowered the March 2025 payroll level by 898,000 and cut 2025 job growth from 584,000 to 181,000. Later monthly revisions have since brought the total to 116,000. A 2026 preliminary benchmark, released August 28, estimates that the March 2026 level will be lowered by another 79,000, or 0.1%, close to the typical revision.
Recent months shifted too. July went from a gain of 21,000 to a loss of 10,000, and August from 162,000 to 133,000. The final benchmark arrives with the January 2027 report on February 5, 2027, and it could change the 2026 totals above. Readers should treat the first estimate of any month as provisional. The September household survey and the payroll survey also measure different things and often disagree.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job Growth in US 2026
How many jobs did the US add in September 2026?
Nonfarm payrolls rose by 29,000 in September 2026, and the unemployment rate was 4.2%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What is the US unemployment rate in 2026?
The rate was 4.2% in September 2026. It has stayed between 4.1% and 4.3% since March, below the 4.5% high of November 2025.
How many jobs has the US added in 2026 so far?
Payrolls rose by about 612,000 from January through September, an average of 68,000 a month, by our calculation from current-vintage figures.
Why was the September jobs report weak in 2026?
Employers added 29,000 jobs against roughly 90,000 expected, and July and August were revised down by 60,000 combined.
Which industries are adding jobs in 2026?
Health care added 17,000 in September, construction 11,000 and manufacturing 9,000. Financial activities lost 7,000.
Which industry is losing jobs in 2026?
Financial activities is down 129,000 since May 2025, with insurance carriers and related activities accounting for 90,000 of the loss.
How many job openings are there in 2026?
JOLTS showed 7.1 million openings in August 2026, a rate of 4.3% and the lowest in five months.
Are layoffs rising in 2026?
No. Layoffs and discharges fell to 1.64 million in August, the lowest since March 2025, and weekly jobless claims were about 197,000.
Which states have the lowest unemployment in 2026?
South Dakota at 2.0%, North Dakota at 2.2% and New Hampshire and Vermont at 2.6%.
Which state added the most jobs in 2026?
Texas added 154,300 jobs over the 12 months to September 2026, followed by California at 129,300.
Are wages keeping up with inflation in 2026?
No. Average hourly earnings rose 3.0% over 12 months, below the 3.7% rise in consumer prices, so real earnings fell about 0.7%.
When is the next US jobs report in 2026?
The October 2026 report comes out on Friday, November 6, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. It may revise earlier months. Revisions to September are possible.
What is the labor force participation rate in 2026?
It was 61.8% in September 2026, and the employment-population ratio was 59.2%, both little changed since January.
How many people are long-term unemployed in 2026?
About 1.9 million people, or 27.1% of the unemployed, had been jobless for 27 weeks or more in September 2026.
How many jobs did the US add in 2025 after revisions?
Current estimates put 2025 job growth at about 116,000, down from 584,000 before the benchmark revision and 181,000 after it.
How many workers want full-time jobs but work part time in 2026?
About 4.5 million people worked part time for economic reasons in September 2026.
Is the unemployment rate rising in 2026?
Not much. The rate rose from 4.1% in August to 4.2% in September, but it has stayed between 4.1% and 4.3% since March.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
