How many jobs were added in the US last month?
Refreshed annually
In May 2026, about 172,000 jobs were gained. That's below the monthly average of 219,700 new jobs of the previous five years. This data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly Employment Situation Report, aka the “jobs report,” a closely watched economic indicator. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+172K
month to month change in number of jobs (May 2026)
+220K
average monthly change in number of jobs during the previous five years (June 2021–May 2026)
The monthly jobs number grabs attention but doesn’t tell the whole story; job growth might be strong overall yet uneven across industries or regions. The real changes show up in the detail.
Which parts of the economy had the best job growth in May 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in May 2026 were leisure and hospitality, government, and private education and health services. Leisure and hospitality gained 70,000 jobs, while government added 52,000. Private education and health services saw an increase of 40,000 jobs. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were financial activities, nondurable goods manufacturing, and trade, transportation, and utilities. In May 2026, financial activities lost 22,000 jobs, while nondurable goods manufacturing lost 10,000 jobs and trade, transportation, and utilities lost 3,000 jobs.
The leisure and hospitality sector gained 70,000 jobs during May 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of industry jobs, May 2026. Seasonally adjusted
Which states had the best and worst job growth in April 2026?
Florida led all states, gaining 40,500 in April 2026. New York had 10,600 fewer jobs, the largest decline of any state.
Forty-one states and Washington, DC experienced job growth in April 2026.
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In April 2026, Florida had the most job growth. New York lost the most jobs.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, by state (March 2026 to April 2026)
Among 393 metro areas — urban groupings geographically and economically integrated with one another — the Orlando, FL area gained the most jobs in April 2026 with an increase of 8,600. The Los Angeles, CA area had the lowest job change at 5,700.
How does job growth in May 2026 compare to recent months?
Job growth in May 2026 was below the average number of jobs gained in the last 5 years. Between June 2021 and May 2026 average monthly job gains were 219,700.
During the latest five-year period (June 2021 to May 2026), the US gained jobs in 54 out of 60 months. The most gains came in July 2021 (+942,000) while job growth was weakest in February 2026 (-156,000).
In 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, monthly job changes ranged from 20.5 million lost in April to 4.6 million gained in June. Pre-pandemic, the single month of highest job growth was September 1983 (+1.1 million). The month with the worst loss was September 1945 (-2 million).
There were 172,000 more jobs in May 2026 in the US. That's below the nation's monthly average of the past 5 years.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, June 2021–May 2026, seasonally adjusted
How does job growth in the past year compare to previous years?
Between May 2025 and May 2026 the US has gained an average of 41,900 jobs every month. That's lower than the increase of 74,200 per month in the 12 months preceding (May 2024 to May 2025).
The monthly jobs report data goes back to 1939. The US usually added jobs each year, though the pace varies widely across economic cycles. Job growth slowed or turned negative during recessions (the early 1980s, the Great Recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic) then rebounded during the recoveries.
In 2025, the US gained an average of 9,700 jobs every month.
Average monthly change by year in nonfarm employment, 1939–2025, seasonally adjusted
Monthly job growth, by state
| State | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Florida | +40,500 |
| 2. | North Carolina | +16,000 |
| 3. | Minnesota | +15,900 |
| 4. | Missouri | +12,000 |
| 5. | Colorado | +11,800 |
| 6. | Illinois | +11,400 |
| 7. | Pennsylvania | +10,700 |
| 8. | Wisconsin | +9,000 |
| 9. | Massachusetts | +8,500 |
| 10. | Arizona | +8,100 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
