The U.S. economy added only 29,000 nonfarm jobs in September 2026, well short of the 84,000 economists had forecast, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported October 2. The unemployment rate rose to 4.2% from 4.1%, and combined revisions erased 60,000 jobs from the July and August counts.
Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 29,000 in September 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said in its Employment Situation report released October 2. The figure fell far short of the 84,000 jobs that economists polled by Dow Jones had expected, according to Yahoo Finance.
The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2% from 4.1% the previous month, above the 4.1% that had been forecast. The BLS put the number of unemployed people at 7.1 million. The agency noted the jobless rate has stayed within a narrow 4.1%-to-4.3% band since March.
Prior months revised sharply lower
The BLS also revised down employment estimates for the two preceding months. July's initial estimate of a 21,000-job gain was revised to a loss of 10,000 jobs, a downward revision of 31,000. August's gain was cut to 133,000 from a previously reported 162,000, a reduction of 29,000. Combined, the two revisions removed 60,000 jobs from the picture of summer hiring.
Wages, hours and sectors
Average hourly earnings for all employees rose 0.1% in September to $37.81, up 3.0% from a year earlier, the BLS reported. The average workweek held steady at 34.4 hours. Health care added 17,000 jobs, below its 12-month average gain of 33,000 according to Yahoo Finance's analysis of the data; construction added 11,000 and manufacturing 9,000. Financial activities lost 7,000 jobs, extending a decline that has totaled 129,000 positions since the sector's peak in May 2025, Yahoo Finance reported. The BLS said employment in other major industries changed little over the month.
September 2026 labor-market readings
Measure
September actual
Forecast
Prior period (revised)
Nonfarm payrolls (BLS)
+29,000
+84,000
August: +133,000 (from +162,000)
Unemployment rate (BLS)
4.2%
4.1%
August: 4.1%
ADP private payrolls
+90,000
+68,000
—
Average hourly earnings, year-over-year (BLS)
+3.0%
—
—
A separate, earlier private-sector reading
Two days before the official report, payroll processor ADP said U.S. private employers added 90,000 jobs in September, ahead of the 68,000 Dow Jones consensus estimate for that survey, according to UPI. ADP reported annual pay growth of 3.2%, with job switchers seeing 4.8% increases versus 3% for employees who stayed in their roles, and construction workers posting the largest sectoral pay gains at 4%. Education and health services led hiring in the ADP data with 55,000 added positions.
After a three-month slowdown, job creation rebounded and pay growth remained solid.
— Nela Richardson, ADP chief economist, via UPI
The ADP and BLS reports measure different things — ADP tracks private-sector payroll data from its own client base, while the BLS survey is the official government count covering both private and public employers — and the two have diverged before. Economists generally treat the BLS report as the benchmark figure for the labor market.
Unemployment by group, and market reaction
The BLS reported unemployment rates in September of 3.6% for white workers, 7.0% for Black workers, 2.9% for Asian workers and 4.7% for Hispanic workers. Among age and gender groups, the rate was 3.9% for adult men, 3.6% for adult women and 14.5% for teenagers.
Stock futures climbed and Treasury yields fell after the report's release, Yahoo Finance reported, as investors read the weaker-than-expected data as a sign the Federal Reserve would hold interest rates steady at its next policy meeting.
Questions
How many jobs did the U.S. add in September 2026?
The economy added 29,000 nonfarm payroll jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' October 2 report — well below the 84,000 economists had forecast.
What is the new unemployment rate?
The unemployment rate rose to 4.2% in September from 4.1% in August, with 7.1 million people counted as unemployed, per the BLS.
Were previous months' job gains revised?
Yes. July's reported gain of 21,000 jobs was revised to a loss of 10,000, and August's gain was cut to 133,000 from 162,000 — a combined downward revision of 60,000 jobs.
How does this differ from the ADP jobs report?
ADP's September 30 report showed private employers added 90,000 jobs, above its own 68,000 forecast. ADP measures only private payrolls using its own client data, while the BLS report is the official government count covering private and public employers; the two surveys can diverge.
What did the weak jobs data mean for markets and the Fed?
Stock futures rose and Treasury yields fell after the release, as investors interpreted the soft report as increasing the likelihood the Federal Reserve would keep interest rates unchanged at its upcoming meeting, according to Yahoo Finance.
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