September 2025 | Released December 11, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In September, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 10, rose in 21, and remained unchanged in 20.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent.

• In September, payroll jobs rose in 30 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Oklahoma

Employment snapshot

• In September, Oklahoma added 3,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.2 percent. In the prior month, Oklahoma added 600 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Oklahoma added 24,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 3.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Oklahoma is tied for 10th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In September, Oklahoma’s private sector added 3,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 23,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Oklahoma added 900 net private payroll jobs.

• In September, employment in Oklahoma rose by 3,567, and over the past 12 months it rose by 24,536.

• Oklahoma’s labor force participation rate rose to 62.9 percent in September from 62.8 percent and is tied for 25th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.2 percentage points.

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Oklahoma

Payroll employment

• Oklahoma added 3,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Oklahoma added 600 jobs. Oklahoma nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Oklahoma is tied for 10th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Oklahoma added 3,500 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Oklahoma added 900 jobs. Oklahoma private sector payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 97,000 jobs in September, or 0.1 percent. Oklahoma is tied for 6th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From August 2025 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+2,500) and Construction (+1,100).
• The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-900) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-500).

From September 2024 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+8,100) and Construction (+3,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-1,400) and Mining and Logging (-800).

Oklahoma

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 Oklahoma rose to 62.9 percent in September from 62.8 percent in the prior month.

• Oklahoma is tied for 25th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Oklahoma was 63 percent occurring in December 2023, and the 10-year low was 59.7 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.4 percent in September.