April 2026

Released May 22, 2026

Download the full PDF for New Jersey

Download the summary PDF for New Jersey

United States

Employment snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 15, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 27.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in New Mexico. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in North Dakota.

New Jersey

Employment snapshot

• In April, New Jersey added 5,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.8 percent. In the prior month, New Jersey added 3,100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, New Jersey added 3,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points from 5.1 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey is tied for 22nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, New Jersey’s private sector added 5,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 8,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, New Jersey added 3,100 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in New Jersey rose by 3,711, and over the past 12 months it rose by 23,777.

• New Jersey’s labor force participation rate fell to 63.4 percent in April from 63.5 percent and is tied for 19th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.2 percentage points.

---

New Jersey

Payroll employment

• New Jersey added 5,600 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, New Jersey added 3,100 jobs. New Jersey nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey is tied for 22nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• New Jersey added 5,500 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, New Jersey added 3,100 jobs. New Jersey private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 123,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. New Jersey is tied for 26th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From March 2026 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+5,900) and Private Education and Health Services (+2,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-3,300) and Construction (-1,500).

From April 2025 to April 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+29,800) and Professional and Business Services (+3,700).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-6,100) and Construction (-4,900).

New Jersey

Labor force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in New Jersey fell to 63.4 percent in April from 63.5 percent in the prior month.

• New Jersey is tied for 19th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in New Jersey was 64.7 percent occurring in March 2023, and the 10-year low was 60.7 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.8 percent in April.