-92K Change in nonfarm payroll jobs Jan 2026 to Feb 2026
+0.1
percent Change in
unemployment rate Jan 2026 to
Feb 2026
-0.1
percent Change in labor force
participation rate Jan 2026
to Feb 2026
From January 2026 to February 2026:
Nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 92K to 158.47
million.
Private sector payroll employment decreased by 86K to 135.14
million.
Government payroll employment decreased by 6K to 23.32 million.
The headline unemployment rate (U-3) increased by 0.1
percentage points to 4.4 percent.
The broadest measure of unemployment (U-6, which adds
underemployment to unemployment) decreased by 0.2 percentage points to
7.9 percent.
The labor force participation rate (LFPR) decreased by 0.1
percentage points to 62.0 percent.
From January 2026 to February 2026:
The best performing sectors were financial
activities (+10K) and other services
(+8K).
The worst performing sectors were private education and
health services (-34K) and leisure and
hospitality (-27K).
From February 2025 to February 2026:
The best performing sectors were private education and
health services (+658K) and leisure and
hospitality (+126K).
The worst performing sectors were federal
government (-314K) and trade, transportation, and
utilities (-191K).
From February 2025 to February 2026:
For all employees on private nonfarm payrolls:
Average nominal weekly earnings increased by 4.14 percent.
Average nominal hourly earnings increased by 3.84 percent.
For production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm
payrolls:
Average nominal weekly earnings increased by 4.31 percent.
Average nominal hourly earnings increased by 3.69 percent.
Table 1. Labor Indicators
Feb 2026
Jan 2026
M/M change
Feb 2025
Y/Y change
Payroll jobs
Nonfarm
158.466M
158.558M
-92K
158.310M
156K
Private
135.143M
135.229M
-86K
134.751M
392K
Government
23.323M
23.329M
-6K
23.559M
-236K
Unemployment
Official rate (U-3)
4.4%
4.3%
0.1pp
4.2%
0.2pp
Broader rate (U-6)
7.9%
8.1%
-0.2pp
8.0%
-0.1pp
Labor force participation rate
16 years and over
62.0%
62.1%
-0.1pp
62.5%
-0.5pp
Prime age (25-54 years)
83.9%
84.0%
-0.1pp
83.5%
0.4pp
Employment-to-Population Ratio
59.3%
59.4%
-0.1pp
59.9%
-0.6pp
Table 2. Earnings Indicators
Feb 2026
Jan 2026
M/M change
Feb 2025
Y/Y change
Production and non-supervisory
Hourly earnings
$32.03
$31.94
0.28%
$30.89
3.69%
Weekly earnings
$1,082.61
$1,079.57
0.28%
$1,037.90
4.31%
All employees
Hourly earnings
$37.32
$37.17
0.40%
$35.94
3.84%
Weekly earnings
$1,280.08
$1,274.93
0.40%
$1,229.15
4.14%
Table 3. Revisions
1st
2nd
3rd
Net revision
Nonfarm jobs added
December 2025
50K
48K
-17K
-67K
November 2025
64K
56K
41K
-23K
Table 4. Comparison to ADP Estimate
BLS
ADP
Difference
Private nonfarm jobs added
-86K
63K
-149K
Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey
December 2025
Released February 05, 2026
-386K Change in nonfarm job
openings Nov 2025 to Dec
2025
+172K Change in nonfarm hires Nov 2025 to Dec 2025
+107K Change in nonfarm separations Nov 2025 to Dec 2025
Job Openings: The total number of nonfarm job
openings decreased by 386K to 6.54 million, and the rate decreased by
0.3 percentage points to 3.9 percent.
The best performing sectors were leisure and
hospitality (+66K) and other services
(+56K).
The worst performing sectors were professional and business
services (-257K) and trade, transportation, and
utilities (-172K).
Hires: The total number of nonfarm hires increased
by 172K to 5.29 million, and the rate increased by 0.1 percentage points
to 3.3 percent.
The best performing sectors were private education and
health services (+50K) and trade, transportation, and
utilities (+41K).
The worst performing sectors were professional and business
services (-52K) and federal government
(-11K).
Separations: The total number of nonfarm
separations increased by 107K to 5.25 million, and the rate increased by
0.1 percentage points to 3.3 percent.
Quits increased by 11K to 3.20 million, and the
rate remained unchanged at 2 percent.
Layoffs and discharges increased by 61K to 1.76
million, and the rate remained unchanged at 1.1 percent.
Other separations increased by 36K to 285K, and the
rate remained unchanged at 0.2 percent.
Table 5. JOLTS Level Indicators
Dec 2025
Nov 2025
M/M change
Dec 2024
Y/Y change
Job openings level
Nonfarm
6.542M
6.928M
-386K
7.508M
-966K
Private
5.804M
6.227M
-423K
6.634M
-830K
Hire level
Nonfarm
5.293M
5.121M
172K
5.374M
-81K
Private
4.978M
4.826M
152K
4.998M
-20K
Separation level
Nonfarm
5.251M
5.144M
107K
5.082M
169K
Private
4.932M
4.855M
77K
4.731M
201K
Table 6. JOLTS Rate Indicators
Dec 2025
Nov 2025
M/M change
Dec 2024
Y/Y change
Job openings rate
Nonfarm
3.9%
4.2%
-0.3pp
4.5%
-0.6pp
Private
4.1%
4.4%
-0.3pp
4.7%
-0.6pp
Hire rate
Nonfarm
3.3%
3.2%
0.1pp
3.4%
-0.1pp
Private
3.7%
3.5%
0.2pp
3.7%
0.0pp
Separation rate
Nonfarm
3.3%
3.2%
0.1pp
3.2%
0.1pp
Private
3.6%
3.6%
0.0pp
3.5%
0.1pp
Upcoming releases
Date
Time
Release
Data source
Mar 11
08:30 AM
Monthly Inflation Update, February 2026
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mar 27
08:30 AM
Monthly Expenditures Update, February 2026
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Mar 27
08:30 AM
Monthly GDP Update, Q4 2025 Third Estimate
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Apr 02
08:30 AM
Monthly Trade Update, February 2026
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Apr 03
08:30 AM
Monthly Employment Update, March 2026
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Notes
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; ADP National Employment Report;
JEC Republicans calculations
“pp” = percentage points; “M/M” = month over month; “Y/Y” = year over
year
Consistent with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, monthly figures are
seasonally adjusted. Discrepancy in change figures is possible due to
rounding.