US hiring stayed close to flat in September. Employers added 29,000 jobs and the unemployment rate held at 4.2 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said in its monthly report published on October 2, 2026. Earlier months were also revised lower.
Key takeaways
- Nonfarm payrolls: +29,000, against an average monthly gain of 45,000 over the prior 12 months.
- Unemployment rate: 4.2 percent, in a 4.1 to 4.3 percent range since March.
- July revised to a loss of 10,000 jobs, August to +133,000. Combined, 60,000 fewer than first reported.
- Average hourly earnings: $37.81, up 3.0 percent on the year.
- Next report: Friday, November 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.
Where were jobs added?
Health care again led, adding 17,000 jobs, though that's well below its 12-month average of 33,000. Within it, ambulatory care added 13,000 and hospitals 12,000, while nursing and residential care facilities lost 9,000. Construction added 11,000 and manufacturing 9,000. BLS notes that manufacturing is up 72,000 since a low in December 2025.
Where were jobs lost?
Financial activities slipped by 7,000. That sector is down 129,000 since May 2025, with most of the loss at insurance carriers. Every other major industry, including retail, transport and warehousing, information and government, changed little.
What does it mean for job seekers?
A low-hiring market makes each application count for more. The number of long-term unemployed, people out of work for 27 weeks or more, was 1.9 million, about 27 percent of all unemployed. Health care and skilled trades remain the clearest bright spots. If you're struggling to get replies, our guides on why companies aren't hiring in 2026 and how to fix a resume that keeps getting rejected can help.
When is the next jobs report?
October data is due on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. See our jobs report release calendar for the full schedule.
What is the background to this report?
September's figure is the latest in a run of weak months. Over the year to August, payrolls grew by an average of 45,000 a month, far below the pace of the years after the pandemic. The downward revisions to July and August matter as much as the headline. July is now a small loss, which means the summer was weaker than first thought. Revisions like these are normal, because BLS updates each month's estimate twice as more employer surveys come in.
Who is affected most?
People looking for office and finance jobs face the hardest market. Financial activities have lost 129,000 jobs since May 2025. Long-term unemployed workers are also struggling: 1.9 million people had been out of work for 27 weeks or more. On the other side, nurses, medical assistants, home health aides and skilled trades workers are still in demand, because health care and construction keep adding jobs.
What should job seekers do now?
- Apply to growing sectors first. Health care, construction and parts of manufacturing are still hiring.
- Quality over volume. In a slow market, tailored applications get more replies than mass applying.
- Use your network. When hiring slows, more roles are filled through referrals.
- Keep pay talks grounded. Average hourly earnings rose 3.0 percent on the year, which is a useful benchmark when you are asked about salary.
- Check that a job is real before investing hours in it, using our guide to spotting ghost jobs.
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About the author
Lutaf Junijo
Career Content Editor, World Careers Hub
Lutaf Junijo is the Career Content Editor at World Careers Hub and Dev Global Jobs. He writes and edits our guides on jobs, CVs, visas, salaries and careers abroad, and he runs our official social media. Every fact is checked against official and trusted sources, named in the post, and errors are corrected as soon as readers report them.
