How many jobs were added in Alaska last month?
Refreshed monthly
Alaska gained 1,000 jobs in August 2026, ranking it 27th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 537 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+1K
month to month change in number of jobs (August 2026)
27th
rank among states in monthly job growth (August 2026)
August 2026's gain of 1,000 jobs was the 5th consecutive month of positive job growth in Alaska. Monthly job growth was up from the 600 new jobs in July 2026.
During the latest five year period (September 2021 to August 2026), Alaska gained jobs in 41 out of 60 months. August 2026 had the 15th-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in June 2023 (+4,200) while job growth was weakest in October 2023 (-1,700).
There were 1,000 more jobs in August 2026 in Alaska than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, September 2021–August 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Alaska sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in August 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in August 2026 were state government, non-durable goods, and wholesale trade. State government added 500 jobs. Non-durable goods gained 300 jobs, while wholesale trade added 200. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were administrative and support and waste management and remediation services, finance and insurance, and transportation, warehousing, and utilities. Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services lost 400 jobs in August 2026, while finance and insurance lost 200 jobs and transportation, warehousing, and utilities lost 200 jobs.
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The health care and social assistance sector gained 100 jobs during August 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Alaska (August 2026)
How has Alaska's job growth changed over time?
In 2025, Alaska gained an average of 17 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 533, and the lowest since 2020. The 2025 average ranks as 13th-highest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 508 on average every month in 2016 to a gain of 692 on average every month in 2023.
In 2025, Alaska gained an average of 17 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among two metro areas primarily in Alaska during August 2026 ranged from a loss of 200 jobs in the Anchorage, AK area to a gain of 300 jobs in the Fairbanks, AK area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Alaska
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +300 | |
| 2. | -200 |
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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.
