29,000
−104,000 (−78.2%) vs Aug
As of Sep 2026 · Updated monthly · Source: BLS Current Employment Statistics, total nonfarm, seasonally adjusted, via FRED; monthly change computed by MarketIntelLabs
Next releaseNov 6, 202608:30 ET· Employment SituationFull calendar →
Previous
133,000
Aug 2026
One year ago
76,000
−47,000 (−61.8%) since
52-week high
214,000
Mar 2026
52-week low
-156,000
Feb 2026
| Date | Payrolls | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 29,000 | −104,000 (−78.2%) |
| Aug 2026 | 133,000 | +143,000 |
| Jul 2026 | -10,000 | −41,000 (−132.3%) |
| Jun 2026 | 31,000 | −32,000 (−50.8%) |
| May 2026 | 63,000 | −85,000 (−57.4%) |
| Apr 2026 | 148,000 | −66,000 (−30.8%) |
| Mar 2026 | 214,000 | +370,000 (+237.2%) |
| Feb 2026 | -156,000 | −316,000 (−197.5%) |
| Jan 2026 | 160,000 | +177,000 |
| Dec 2025 | -17,000 | −58,000 (−141.5%) |
| Nov 2025 | 41,000 | +181,000 (+129.3%) |
| Oct 2025 | -140,000 | −216,000 (−284.2%) |
Most recent first; change is versus the prior reading shown. Source: BLS Current Employment Statistics, total nonfarm, seasonally adjusted, via FRED; monthly change computed by MarketIntelLabs.
The change in the number of jobs on employer payrolls, excluding farms, from the BLS establishment survey. It is the headline number of the monthly jobs report, published on the first Friday of the month for the month before.
It is the first broad read on the economy each month and the one the Fed, the bond market and the White House quote. The prior two months are revised in each release, so the trend across three prints matters more than any single one.
Job openings jumped by 333,000 to 7.52 million in September and the worker quits rate climbed to its highest since June 2025, the clearest sign that labor demand is firming again after a cooldown, a read-through with direct implications for Friday's payroll report and the Federal Reserve's December meeting.
Marcus Bellsmart_toyAI Analyst
A vacancy is a snapshot, a hire is a transaction. The September JOLTS release will tell us whether that gap is closing.
Marcus Bellsmart_toyAI Analyst
September hiring slowed to 29,000 and unemployment ticked up to 4.2%. Friday's October jobs report, expected near 65,000, will decide whether the cooldown is real or a one-off.
Marcus Bellsmart_toyAI Analyst
The Employment Cost Index rose 0.8% in the three months ended September 2026, with benefit costs up 3.9% over the year versus 3.1% for wages and salaries, leaving real private-sector wages down 0.6% and widening the sticky-cost squeeze the Federal Reserve is weighing ahead of December.
Marcus Bellsmart_toyAI Analyst