Current Employment Statistics · total nonfarm payrolls
How many jobs did the US add in the latest month?
Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 29,000 in September 2026 (preliminary); the unemployment rate was 4.2% (seasonally adjusted, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on ).
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Change in nonfarm payroll employment each month, seasonally adjusted
All employees on nonfarm payrolls each month, seasonally adjusted, millions
Jobs added in each calendar year: December's level less the December before's
Average hourly earnings of private employees, change from a year earlier, each month
Each column is one month's change in payroll employment or one calendar year's (ours, from the published levels); the lines are the level of payroll employment and the change of average hourly earnings from a year earlier. Pointing at a column shows its month and figure.
Select a line to follow
Inspect and compare dates
The latest month beside the one before it and the nearest ones a year, five and ten years earlier. The months of the last ten years and every year since 1939 are in the tables under "The numbers behind the chart".
| Measure | Latest | The month before | A year earlier | Five years earlier | Ten years earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | |||||
| Payroll employment, thousands | 159,044 | 159,015 | 158,548 | 147,771 | 144,967 |
| Change from the month before | +29,000 | +133,000 | +76,000 | +457,000 | +306,000 |
| Average hourly earnings | $37.81 | $37.76 | $36.70 | $30.98 | $25.77 |
The table scrolls sideways; the first column stays in place.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics. Observed .
Right now
Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 29,000 in September 2026 (preliminary), after a rise of 133,000 in August 2026.
Over the last three months the change averaged +51,000 a month (ours). Private payrolls rose by 46,000. The unemployment rate from the household survey was 4.2%.
This yearOurs, from the levels
Payroll employment rose by 612,000 from December 2025 to September 2026, against a rise of 232,000 over the same months a year earlier.
Hourly earningsSeptember 2026
Average hourly earnings of private employees were $37.81, 3.0% more than a year earlier (ours); the average workweek was 34.4 hours.
Understanding the jobs report
Where it stands today
Payroll employment rose by 29,000 in September 2026 (preliminary).
What does the payroll count measure?
Nonfarm payroll employment is the number of jobs on the payrolls of US businesses and government agencies, counted from a monthly survey of employers, the Current Employment Statistics survey. It leaves out farm work, private households and the self-employed, and counts a person with two jobs twice. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes it in the Employment Situation report, usually on the first Friday of the next month, together with the unemployment rate from the survey of households.
Read more
Each month's first estimate is preliminary: BLS revises it in each of the next two reports as more employers answer, and once a year it benchmarks the whole series to counts from unemployment insurance tax records. The page shows the figures as BLS publishes them now, and keeps the change as our collector first stored it beside them.
What 500metrics adds: the change of each month and the jobs added in each year, worked out from the published levels, the average of the last three months, hourly earnings' change from a year earlier, and the revisions since our collector first stored each month.
The numbers behind the chart
How many jobs were added in each month?The 120 months since Oct 2016, newest first; each year since 1939 is in the next table
| Month | Employment (thousands) | Change | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 159,044 | +29,000 | Preliminary | |
| 159,015 | +133,000 | Preliminary | |
| 158,882 | −10,000 | ||
| 158,892 | +31,000 | ||
| 158,861 | +63,000 | ||
| 158,798 | +148,000 | ||
| 158,650 | +214,000 | ||
| 158,436 | −156,000 | ||
| 158,592 | +160,000 | ||
| 158,432 | −17,000 | ||
| 158,449 | +41,000 | ||
| 158,408 | −140,000 | ||
| 158,548 | +76,000 | ||
| 158,472 | −70,000 | ||
| 158,542 | +64,000 | ||
| 158,478 | −20,000 | ||
| 158,498 | +13,000 | ||
| 158,485 | +108,000 | ||
| 158,377 | +67,000 | ||
| 158,310 | +42,000 | ||
| 158,268 | −48,000 | ||
| 158,316 | +237,000 | ||
| 158,079 | +134,000 | ||
| 157,945 | +33,000 |
Show 96 more rows
| Month | Employment (thousands) | Change | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 157,912 | +155,000 | ||
| 157,757 | +9,000 | ||
| 157,748 | +53,000 | ||
| 157,695 | +87,000 | ||
| 157,608 | +78,000 | ||
| 157,530 | +64,000 | ||
| 157,466 | +228,000 | ||
| 157,238 | +206,000 | ||
| 157,032 | +175,000 | ||
| 156,857 | +154,000 | ||
| 156,703 | +127,000 | ||
| 156,576 | +159,000 | ||
| 156,417 | +156,000 | ||
| 156,261 | +218,000 | ||
| 156,043 | +163,000 | ||
| 155,880 | +225,000 | ||
| 155,655 | +280,000 | ||
| 155,375 | +241,000 | ||
| 155,134 | +68,000 | ||
| 155,066 | +290,000 | ||
| 154,776 | +434,000 | ||
| 154,342 | +100,000 | ||
| 154,242 | +303,000 | ||
| 153,939 | +357,000 | ||
| 153,582 | +220,000 | ||
| 153,362 | +290,000 | ||
| 153,072 | +714,000 | ||
| 152,358 | +434,000 | ||
| 151,924 | +301,000 | ||
| 151,623 | +308,000 | ||
| 151,315 | +490,000 | ||
| 150,825 | +819,000 | ||
| 150,006 | +190,000 | ||
| 149,816 | +586,000 | ||
| 149,230 | +658,000 | ||
| 148,572 | +801,000 | ||
| 147,771 | +457,000 | ||
| 147,314 | +552,000 | ||
| 146,762 | +942,000 | ||
| 145,820 | +755,000 | ||
| 145,065 | +478,000 | ||
| 144,587 | +355,000 | ||
| 144,232 | +852,000 | ||
| 143,380 | +517,000 | ||
| 142,863 | +315,000 | ||
| 142,548 | −185,000 | ||
| 142,733 | +273,000 | ||
| 142,460 | +690,000 | ||
| 141,770 | +949,000 | ||
| 140,821 | +1,566,000 | ||
| 139,255 | +1,584,000 | ||
| 137,671 | +4,631,000 | ||
| 133,040 | +2,614,000 | ||
| 130,426 | −20,469,000 | ||
| 150,895 | −1,398,000 | ||
| 152,293 | +262,000 | ||
| 152,031 | +237,000 | ||
| 151,794 | +127,000 | ||
| 151,667 | +207,000 | ||
| 151,460 | +95,000 | ||
| 151,365 | +196,000 | ||
| 151,169 | +232,000 | ||
| 150,937 | +99,000 | ||
| 150,838 | +220,000 | ||
| 150,618 | +27,000 | ||
| 150,591 | +296,000 | ||
| 150,295 | +228,000 | ||
| 150,067 | +7,000 | ||
| 150,060 | +251,000 | ||
| 149,809 | +192,000 | ||
| 149,617 | +90,000 | ||
| 149,527 | +169,000 | ||
| 149,358 | +81,000 | ||
| 149,277 | +257,000 | ||
| 149,020 | +60,000 | ||
| 148,960 | +218,000 | ||
| 148,742 | +322,000 | ||
| 148,420 | +140,000 | ||
| 148,280 | +226,000 | ||
| 148,054 | +394,000 | ||
| 147,660 | +137,000 | ||
| 147,523 | +151,000 | ||
| 147,372 | +223,000 | ||
| 147,149 | +141,000 | ||
| 147,008 | +89,000 | ||
| 146,919 | +147,000 | ||
| 146,772 | +189,000 | ||
| 146,583 | +203,000 | ||
| 146,380 | +205,000 | ||
| 146,175 | +205,000 | ||
| 145,970 | +124,000 | ||
| 145,846 | +218,000 | ||
| 145,628 | +220,000 | ||
| 145,408 | +225,000 | ||
| 145,183 | +118,000 | ||
| 145,065 | +98,000 |
How many jobs were added in each year?87 calendar years, newest first
| Year | Jobs added | Through |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | +612,000 | Sep 2026 |
| 2025 | +116,000 | December |
| 2024 | +1,459,000 | December |
| 2023 | +2,515,000 | December |
| 2022 | +4,526,000 | December |
| 2021 | +7,268,000 | December |
| 2020 | −9,246,000 | December |
| 2019 | +1,985,000 | December |
| 2018 | +2,286,000 | December |
| 2017 | +2,115,000 | December |
| 2016 | +2,331,000 | December |
| 2015 | +2,713,000 | December |
Show 75 more rows
| Year | Jobs added | Through |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +2,992,000 | December |
| 2013 | +2,298,000 | December |
| 2012 | +2,186,000 | December |
| 2011 | +2,058,000 | December |
| 2010 | +1,022,000 | December |
| 2009 | −5,039,000 | December |
| 2008 | −3,548,000 | December |
| 2007 | +1,146,000 | December |
| 2006 | +2,090,000 | December |
| 2005 | +2,529,000 | December |
| 2004 | +2,041,000 | December |
| 2003 | +124,000 | December |
| 2002 | −518,000 | December |
| 2001 | −1,733,000 | December |
| 2000 | +1,933,000 | December |
| 1999 | +3,188,000 | December |
| 1998 | +3,046,000 | December |
| 1997 | +3,406,000 | December |
| 1996 | +2,818,000 | December |
| 1995 | +2,151,000 | December |
| 1994 | +3,849,000 | December |
| 1993 | +2,823,000 | December |
| 1992 | +1,172,000 | December |
| 1991 | −838,000 | December |
| 1990 | +332,000 | December |
| 1989 | +1,938,000 | December |
| 1988 | +3,237,000 | December |
| 1987 | +3,152,000 | December |
| 1986 | +1,900,000 | December |
| 1985 | +2,502,000 | December |
| 1984 | +3,877,000 | December |
| 1983 | +3,459,000 | December |
| 1982 | −2,124,000 | December |
| 1981 | −48,000 | December |
| 1980 | +271,000 | December |
| 1979 | +2,001,000 | December |
| 1978 | +4,261,000 | December |
| 1977 | +3,962,000 | December |
| 1976 | +2,431,000 | December |
| 1975 | +365,000 | December |
| 1974 | −379,000 | December |
| 1973 | +2,763,000 | December |
| 1972 | +3,159,000 | December |
| 1971 | +1,317,000 | December |
| 1970 | −449,000 | December |
| 1969 | +1,993,000 | December |
| 1968 | +2,348,000 | December |
| 1967 | +1,701,000 | December |
| 1966 | +2,877,000 | December |
| 1965 | +2,901,000 | December |
| 1964 | +2,060,000 | December |
| 1963 | +1,333,000 | December |
| 1962 | +1,156,000 | December |
| 1961 | +1,130,000 | December |
| 1960 | −432,000 | December |
| 1959 | +2,089,000 | December |
| 1958 | −299,000 | December |
| 1957 | −545,000 | December |
| 1956 | +1,124,000 | December |
| 1955 | +2,474,000 | December |
| 1954 | −372,000 | December |
| 1953 | −463,000 | December |
| 1952 | +1,852,000 | December |
| 1951 | +1,453,000 | December |
| 1950 | +3,339,000 | December |
| 1949 | −1,510,000 | December |
| 1948 | +451,000 | December |
| 1947 | +1,202,000 | December |
| 1946 | +4,269,000 | December |
| 1945 | −2,750,000 | December |
| 1944 | −886,000 | December |
| 1943 | +831,000 | December |
| 1942 | +3,811,000 | December |
| 1941 | +3,930,000 | December |
| 1940 | +2,632,000 | December |
What were average hourly earnings in each month?The 120 months since Oct 2016, newest first; the chart draws every month since Mar 2006
| Month | Dollars | Change from a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| $37.81 | 3.0% | |
| $37.76 | 3.1% | |
| $37.64 | 3.2% | |
| $37.59 | 3.4% | |
| $37.49 | 3.3% | |
| $37.41 | 3.6% | |
| $37.35 | 3.4% | |
| $37.27 | 3.7% | |
| $37.15 | 3.7% | |
| $37.02 | 3.7% | |
| $37.00 | 3.9% | |
| $36.85 | 3.9% |
Show 108 more rows
| Month | Dollars | Change from a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| $36.70 | 3.8% | |
| $36.62 | 4.0% | |
| $36.47 | 4.0% | |
| $36.36 | 3.9% | |
| $36.28 | 4.0% | |
| $36.12 | 3.9% | |
| $36.11 | 4.2% | |
| $35.94 | 4.1% | |
| $35.84 | 4.0% | |
| $35.69 | 4.1% | |
| $35.60 | 4.2% | |
| $35.46 | 4.0% | |
| $35.34 | 3.9% | |
| $35.22 | 3.9% | |
| $35.08 | 3.6% | |
| $35.01 | 3.9% | |
| $34.89 | 4.1% | |
| $34.76 | 4.0% | |
| $34.65 | 4.1% | |
| $34.52 | 4.1% | |
| $34.47 | 4.4% | |
| $34.29 | 4.1% | |
| $34.17 | 4.1% | |
| $34.08 | 4.2% | |
| $34.01 | 4.4% | |
| $33.89 | 4.5% | |
| $33.85 | 4.7% | |
| $33.69 | 4.7% | |
| $33.50 | 4.4% | |
| $33.43 | 4.6% | |
| $33.27 | 4.6% | |
| $33.15 | 4.8% | |
| $33.02 | 4.5% | |
| $32.94 | 4.9% | |
| $32.82 | 5.1% | |
| $32.70 | 5.0% | |
| $32.57 | 5.1% | |
| $32.44 | 5.4% | |
| $32.34 | 5.5% | |
| $32.19 | 5.4% | |
| $32.10 | 5.6% | |
| $31.96 | 5.8% | |
| $31.80 | 5.9% | |
| $31.64 | 5.3% | |
| $31.60 | 5.6% | |
| $31.39 | 4.9% | |
| $31.23 | 5.4% | |
| $31.14 | 5.4% | |
| $30.98 | 5.0% | |
| $30.78 | 4.4% | |
| $30.66 | 4.3% | |
| $30.54 | 3.9% | |
| $30.41 | 2.3% | |
| $30.22 | 0.6% | |
| $30.03 | 4.5% | |
| $30.05 | 5.3% | |
| $29.93 | 5.3% | |
| $29.91 | 5.4% | |
| $29.64 | 4.6% | |
| $29.54 | 4.6% | |
| $29.51 | 4.8% | |
| $29.49 | 4.8% | |
| $29.39 | 4.9% | |
| $29.38 | 5.0% | |
| $29.72 | 6.6% | |
| $30.04 | 8.1% | |
| $28.73 | 3.5% | |
| $28.54 | 3.1% | |
| $28.43 | 3.0% | |
| $28.38 | 3.0% | |
| $28.34 | 3.3% | |
| $28.24 | 3.2% | |
| $28.16 | 3.1% | |
| $28.14 | 3.4% | |
| $28.03 | 3.4% | |
| $27.97 | 3.5% | |
| $27.88 | 3.3% | |
| $27.79 | 3.3% | |
| $27.77 | 3.4% | |
| $27.69 | 3.6% | |
| $27.59 | 3.3% | |
| $27.56 | 3.5% | |
| $27.44 | 3.4% | |
| $27.37 | 3.3% | |
| $27.32 | 3.1% | |
| $27.21 | 3.2% | |
| $27.10 | 2.8% | |
| $27.03 | 2.9% | |
| $26.98 | 2.9% | |
| $26.91 | 2.8% | |
| $26.85 | 2.8% | |
| $26.74 | 2.6% | |
| $26.72 | 2.8% | |
| $26.63 | 2.7% | |
| $26.54 | 2.5% | |
| $26.50 | 2.3% | |
| $26.49 | 2.8% | |
| $26.37 | 2.6% | |
| $26.35 | 2.6% | |
| $26.26 | 2.5% | |
| $26.21 | 2.5% | |
| $26.18 | 2.5% | |
| $26.11 | 2.6% | |
| $26.07 | 2.7% | |
| $26.00 | 2.5% | |
| $25.93 | 2.7% | |
| $25.90 | 2.6% | |
| $25.90 | 2.8% |
Where do these figures come from?Limits, sources and how to cite
What this number cannot tell you
- The latest two months are preliminary and are revised in the next two reports; the annual benchmark revises the levels of earlier years.
- A month's change is the difference of two published levels, in thousands; BLS rounds its levels to the nearest thousand.
- Payrolls count jobs, not people, and leave out farm work, private households and the self-employed.
Sources
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics. Observed . Checked .
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey. Observed .
How to cite this
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, series CES0000000001 (all employees, total nonfarm, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026, published 2 October 2026. Compiled by 500metrics, "How many jobs did the US add in the latest month?", https://500metrics.com/jobs-report.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics. Figures for .
Sources and licence
Sources and licence
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics (source). Licence: Public domain, a work of the US federal government
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey (source). Licence: Public domain, a work of the US federal government
Our text and compilation: CC BY 4.0. How to reuse and cite this page.