Economy · Data
US payroll growth stayed small in September
Payroll employment and the unemployment rate both changed little in September.
Payrolls rise by 29,000 in September as unemployment holds at 4.2 percent
Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 29,000 in September 2026, and the unemployment rate held at 4.2 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
The number of unemployed people stood at 7.1 million, within the range the unemployment rate has held since March, between 4.1 percent and 4.3 percent. Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose 5 cents, to $37.81, up 3.0 percent over the preceding 12 months.
The payroll figure and the unemployment rate come from separate surveys. A survey of households supplies the unemployment rate and the count of unemployed people; a survey of employers supplies the payroll total and the earnings data. September's gain followed an average monthly increase of 45,000 over the prior 12 months, so the month's total came in below the recent pace. Employer reports also arrive on a staggered schedule, which is why each month's initial payroll figure is provisional and goes through two further rounds of revision.
That revision process shows up directly in this report. July's payroll gain was revised down by 31,000, turning an initial increase into a loss of 10,000 jobs. August's gain was cut by 29,000, to 133,000. Combined, July and August payrolls now stand 60,000 lower than first published, and September's 29,000 will go through the same two rounds of revision before it is final.
The Employment Situation for October is scheduled for release on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.