U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls Rise by 172,000 in May, Unemployment Rate Holds at 4.3%
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 172,000 in May 2026, similar to the revised gain of 179,000 in April, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on June 5, 2026. The unemployment rate has remained in a narrow range of 4.3 to 4.5 percent since July 2025, and the number of unemployed people, at 7.3 million, changed little over the month.
Job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, local government and health care. Leisure and hospitality added 70,000 jobs, well above the average monthly gain of 14,000 over the prior 12 months, with food services and drinking places adding 48,000. Local government rose by 55,000, largely reflecting a gain of 44,000 in local government excluding education. Health care added 35,000 jobs, in line with its prior 12-month average of 38,000, including 26,000 in ambulatory health care services, 11,000 in home health care services and 6,000 in hospitals. Social assistance added 12,000 jobs and mining added 5,000.
Financial activities employment declined by 22,000 in May, including losses of 11,000 in insurance carriers and related activities and 3,000 in commercial banking; the industry is down by 107,000 since its recent peak in May 2025. Transportation and warehousing employment was essentially unchanged, up 1,000.
Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 12 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $37.53 in May, up 3.4 percent over the year, while the average workweek was unchanged at 34.3 hours. The labor force participation rate held at 61.8 percent and the employment-population ratio was 59.2 percent. Revisions in this release raised the March gain by 29,000 to 214,000 and the April gain by 64,000 to 179,000, a combined 93,000 more than previously reported.
Related: U.S. Payrolls Rise 115,000 in April as Jobless Rate Holds at 4.3 Percent
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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