Economy / Jobs & Wages
U.S. payrolls rose an estimated 165,000 in October
BLS reported unemployment at 4.1% and revised August and September job gains upward.
Status: checked against the dated primary BLS release.
U.S. employers added an estimated 165,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in October, while the unemployment rate was 4.1%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics release issued November 6, 2026, at 8:30 AM ET. This account reflects that dated release as checked on November 7.
Professional and business services added 70,000 jobs, health care added 42,000, and transportation and warehousing added approximately 25,000. Manufacturing employment increased by 19,000. These figures describe changes in payroll employment, not a count of distinct people obtaining work.
BLS revised its August payroll gain upward by 53,000 and its September gain upward by 31,000. Together, those revisions raised the two months’ combined increase by 84,000 jobs. Monthly estimates can change as additional employer reports arrive and seasonal factors are recalculated; October’s payroll estimate remains preliminary.
The number working part time for economic reasons increased by 339,000 to 4.8 million. BLS describes these workers as people who preferred full-time employment but had reduced hours or could not find full-time jobs.
Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls reached $38.00, up 3.1% over the preceding year. This is an average for that payroll category, not a measure of every individual worker’s raise.
The payroll and unemployment figures come from separate employer and household surveys. BLS characterized the unemployment rate as having changed little. The figures reported here were checked against the agency’s published release; the underlying surveys were not independently reconstructed.
What we know / what we don't
What we know
- BLS reported a preliminary October nonfarm payroll gain of 165,000.
- BLS reported unemployment at 4.1% and described it as changed little.
- August and September payroll gains were revised upward by a combined 84,000.
What we don't know
- The final revised October payroll estimate is not established by this preliminary release.
- This check does not independently establish the accuracy of the underlying survey responses.
The source record