July Jobs Report: U.S. Adds 73,000 Jobs​

In July 2025, the U.S. labor market added 73,000 non-farm payroll jobs, marking a noticeable slowdown in employment growth.

This modest gain follows revised figures for May and June, which were sharply lowered by a combined 258,000 jobs, indicating that job growth has been more sluggish than previously thought.

The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2%, with 7.2 million people unemployed—a continuation of the recent stability in this key metric.

Is the U.S. Job Market Growing?

July’s employment data suggest that the labor market is expanding at a slower pace, with job gains leveling off in many sectors.

One notable trend is the continued decline in federal government employment, which dropped by 12,000 jobs in July and is now down by 84,000 since January.

The labor force participation rate held at 62.2%, and the employment-population ratio stayed at 59.6%. Both measures have edged down over the past year.

U.S. Unemployment Rates by Group – July 2025

• Adult women: 3.7% (unchanged)
• Adult men: 4.0% (unchanged)
• Teenagers: 15.2% (up from 12.9%)
• Whites: 3.7% (down from 3.8%)
• Blacks: 7.2% (up from 6.3%)
• Asians: 3.9% (up from 3.0%)
• Hispanics: 5.0% (down from 5.2%)

Key Employment Statistics for July 2025

• Long-term unemployed (27 weeks or more): Rose by 179,000 to 1.8 million, making up 24.9% of all unemployed individuals.
• Average hourly earnings: Increased by 12 cents to $36.44, reflecting a 3.9% year-over-year gain.
• Average workweek: Edged up to 34.3 hours; for production and nonsupervisory employees, it rose slightly to 33.7 hours.

Sectors with Notable Job Trends in July

Healthcare

The healthcare sector continued its strong run, adding 55,000 jobs—well above its 12-month average of 42,000.

Ambulatory health care services led the way with 34,000 jobs, followed by hospitals with 16,000, underscoring consistent demand for medical services.

Social Assistance

Employment in social assistance grew by 18,000 jobs in July, slightly below recent monthly averages.

Individual and family services accounted for most of the gains (+21,000), suggesting steady but modest growth.

Government

Federal government employment declined by another 12,000 jobs in July. Since January, the sector has shed 84,000 jobs as restructuring efforts continue.

July Jobs Report Summary

The July 2025 jobs report shows that the labor market is cooling, with a relatively modest gain of 73,000 jobs and ongoing declines in public sector employment.

Despite steady gains in healthcare and social assistance, overall job growth has slowed considerably, and downward revisions to previous months highlight the labor market’s recent weakness.

Still, wage growth continues, and the unemployment rate remains stable, indicating a job market that, while decelerating, is still holding its ground.