How many jobs were added in the US last month?
Refreshed monthly
In October 2026, about 165,000 jobs were gained. That's below the monthly average of 178,700 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.
+165K
month to month change in number of jobs (October 2026)
+179K
average monthly change in number of jobs during the previous five years (November 2021–October 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 October 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in October 2026 were professional and business services, private education and health services, and durable goods manufacturing. Professional and business services gained 70,000 jobs, while private education and health services added 53,000 and durable goods manufacturing added 25,000. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were leisure and hospitality, nondurable goods manufacturing, and construction. In October 2026, leisure and hospitality lost 13,000 jobs, while nondurable goods manufacturing lost 6,000 jobs and construction lost 3,000 jobs.
The professional and business services sector gained 70,000 jobs during October 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of industry jobs, October 2026. Seasonally adjusted
Which states had the best and worst job growth in September 2026?
New York led all states, gaining 19,600 in September 2026. Wisconsin had 13,700 fewer jobs, the largest decline of any state.
Twenty-five states experienced job loss in September 2026.
In September 2026, New York had the most job growth. Wisconsin lost the most jobs.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, by state (August 2026 to September 2026)
Among 393 metro areas — urban groupings geographically and economically integrated with one another — the Portland, OR area gained the most jobs in September 2026 with an increase of 5,100. The Houston, TX area had the worst job growth, losing 14,600 jobs.
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How does job growth in October 2026 compare to recent months?
Job growth in October 2026 was below the average number of jobs gained in the last 5 years. Between November 2021 and October 2026 average monthly job gains were 178,700.
During the latest five-year period (November 2021 to October 2026), the US gained jobs in 53 out of 60 months. The most gains came in February 2022 (+819,000) 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 165,000 more jobs in October 2026 in the US. That's below the nation's monthly average of the past 5 years.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, November 2021–October 2026, seasonally adjusted
How does job growth in the past year compare to previous years?
Between November 2025 and October 2026 the US has gained an average of 73,800 jobs every month. That's higher than the increase of 38,600 per month in the 12 months preceding (November 2024 to October 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, 1940–2025, seasonally adjusted
Monthly job growth, by state
| State | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | New York | +19,600 |
| 2. | New Jersey | +14,900 |
| 3. | South Carolina | +12,500 |
| 4. | Virginia | +7,800 |
| 5. | Oregon | +5,800 |
| 6. | Florida | +5,300 |
| 7. | Washington state | +4,200 |
| 8. | Utah | +4,100 |
| 9. | Massachusetts | +3,500 |
| 10. | Arkansas | +2,900 |
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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.
