Employers added 165,000 jobs in October as unemployment rate held at 4.1%, Bureau of Labor Statistics says

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 165,000 in October, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, Nov. 6. The unemployment rate was 4.1%, which the bureau described as little changed. The October gain compares with an average monthly increase of 48,000 over the prior 12 months, according to the release.¹

The bureau also revised its earlier estimates. August payroll growth was revised up by 53,000, to 186,000 from 133,000, and September growth was revised up by 31,000, to 60,000 from 29,000. Together, employment in the two months is 84,000 higher than first reported. The bureau said revisions reflect additional reports from businesses and government agencies and recalculated seasonal factors.¹

Household survey

• Unemployed people: 7.1 million, little changed.
• Unemployment rate: 4.1%. It has stayed between 4.1% and 4.3% since March.
• Long-term unemployed, jobless 27 weeks or more: 2.0 million, or 27.6% of all unemployed people.
• Labor force participation rate: 61.9%.
• Employment-population ratio: 59.3%.
• Employed part time for economic reasons: up 339,000 to 4.8 million.¹

The bureau said the participation rate and the employment-population ratio were little changed in October and have shown little net change since January.¹

Earnings and hours

Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose 14 cents, or 0.4%, to $38.00 in October, the bureau said. Over the past 12 months, they rose 3.1%. For production and nonsupervisory employees, average hourly earnings rose 12 cents, or 0.4%, to $32.75.¹

The average workweek for all private employees stayed at 34.4 hours. In manufacturing, the workweek was unchanged at 40.5 hours and overtime rose 0.1 hour to 3.1 hours.¹

Industries

• Professional and business services: up 70,000, compared with an average monthly gain of 15,000 over the prior 12 months. Professional, scientific and technical services added 33,000; administrative and support and waste management and remediation services added 28,000; management of companies and enterprises added 9,000.
• Health care: up 42,000, compared with a 12-month average of 31,000. Hospitals added 16,000, home health care 11,000 and outpatient care centers 5,000.
• Transportation and warehousing: up 25,000, including 17,000 in couriers and messengers and 4,000 in air transportation.
• Manufacturing: up 19,000, and up 101,000 since a low in December 2025. Computer and electronic products added 7,000; machinery and primary metals each added 4,000.¹

Employment showed little change in mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction, construction, wholesale and retail trade, information, financial activities, social assistance, leisure and hospitality, other services and government, the bureau said.¹

White House response

The White House posted a compilation of reactions to the report Friday. In it, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett was quoted as saying, “We have a jobs report that was way more than double expectation.” The compilation did not say what forecast he was referring to.²

The bureau said the November report is scheduled for release Friday, Dec. 4.¹

What the records do not show

• The release does not give economists’ forecasts. SignalData could not open the outlet reports it sought on the consensus expectation and does not report one.
• The release reports changes by industry. It does not name employers or say why hiring rose or fell in any sector.¹
• The October figures are preliminary and will be revised in the next two monthly reports, as August and September were.¹