Business & Markets
U.S. adds 162,000 jobs in August as unemployment holds at 4.1%
The payroll increase was the strongest in months, but hiring remained concentrated and the labor-force participation rate stayed at 61.6%.
Executive summary
- The headline: U.S. nonfarm payrolls increased by 162,000 in August, substantially above the recent pace of hiring and economists’ forecasts.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Situation, August 2026Associated Press — U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in AugustReuters — U.S. nonfarm payrolls surge in August
- The jobless rate: The unemployment rate held at 4.1%, with 7 million people unemployed, while labor-force participation was unchanged at 61.6%.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Situation, August 2026Associated Press — U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in AugustReuters — U.S. nonfarm payrolls surge in August
- The revisions: Revisions added a combined 55,000 jobs to June and July, including an upward revision that turned July’s initially reported loss into a gain of 21,000.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Situation, August 2026Associated Press — U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in AugustReuters — U.S. nonfarm payrolls surge in August
- The mix: Restaurants, local-government education and manufacturing led gains, while information-sector employment declined by 23,000.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Situation, August 2026Associated Press — U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in August
U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in August, the Labor Department said Friday, delivering a stronger-than-expected increase after months of weak hiring. The unemployment rate remained at 4.1%, and the number of unemployed people was little changed at 7 million.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Situation, August 2026Associated Press — U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in AugustReuters — U.S. nonfarm payrolls surge in August
The payroll gain was far above the 31,000 monthly average over the prior year. Economists surveyed by Reuters had expected an increase of 56,000, while a FactSet survey cited by the Associated Press put the consensus at 65,000, making the report a clear upside surprise even though the broader labor market remains cooler than in recent years.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Situation, August 2026Associated Press — U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in AugustReuters — U.S. nonfarm payrolls surge in August
Earlier estimates were also revised higher. June payroll growth was raised by 11,000 to 18,000, and July was revised up by 44,000 to a gain of 21,000 instead of the previously reported loss of 23,000. Together, the revisions added 55,000 jobs to the prior two months.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Situation, August 2026Associated Press — U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in AugustReuters — U.S. nonfarm payrolls surge in August
Hiring was uneven across industries. Food services and drinking places added 59,000 jobs, local-government education gained 42,000, manufacturing added 16,000 and health care gained 13,000. Information employment fell by 23,000, and several other major industries showed little change.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Situation, August 2026Associated Press — U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in August
The labor-force participation rate stayed at 61.6%, indicating that the stronger payroll figure did not come with a broader rise in the share of Americans working or looking for work. The report gives policymakers a firmer reading on labor demand, but one month of data does not erase the slower hiring trend that preceded it.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment Situation, August 2026Associated Press — U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in AugustReuters — U.S. nonfarm payrolls surge in August