August Jobs Report: U.S. Adds 162,000 Jobs

Mondo monthly jobs report cover image of a newspaper with a headline that reads Job Market

In August 2026, the U.S. economy added 162,000 nonfarm payroll jobs, marking a notable rebound in hiring compared to July.

Revisions to prior months were positive overall. June’s total was revised up to +31,000, while July was revised up to +21,000, bringing combined employment 55,000 higher than previously reported.

The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1%, with 7.0 million Americans unemployed, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Is the U.S. Job Market Growing?

August’s job gains point to a stronger month for the labor market after several months of weak hiring.

Food services and drinking places and local government education led employment growth, while manufacturing and healthcare continued to trend upward. At the same time, the information sector posted notable job losses.

Although unemployment remained steady, stronger payroll gains, upward revisions to prior months, and a modest increase in labor force participation suggest the labor market showed signs of improvement in August.

U.S. Unemployment Rates by Group – August 2026

Adult women: 3.5%
Adult men: 4.0%
Teenagers: 14.1%
Whites: 3.7%
Blacks: 6.0%
Asians: 3.2%
Hispanics: 4.8%

Unemployment rates across most demographic groups showed little change in August. The unemployment rate for Asian workers declined, while the rate for teenagers increased after falling in the prior month.

Key Employment Statistics for August 2026

Long-term unemployed (27 weeks or more): 1.9 million, representing 27.0% of all unemployed, little changed over the month.
Average hourly earnings: Rose by 10 cents to $37.75, up 3.1% over the past year. Production and nonsupervisory employees earned $32.53, up 11 cents.
Average workweek: Increased slightly to 34.4 hours. Manufacturing hours edged up to 40.5 hours, while production and nonsupervisory employees remained at 33.8 hours.
Labor force participation rate: 61.6%
Employment-population ratio: 59.1%

The number of workers employed part time for economic reasons declined by 414,000 to 4.4 million, signaling an improvement in underemployment during the month.

Sectors with Notable Job Trends in August

Food Services and Drinking Places

Food services and drinking places added 59,000 jobs in August, well above the sector’s average monthly gain over the prior year.

The increase marked one of the strongest areas of hiring during the month and helped drive the rebound in overall payroll growth.

Local Government Education

Local government education added 42,000 jobs in August, largely offsetting the decline recorded in July.

Despite the monthly increase, employment in the sector has shown little net change since January 2025.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing added 16,000 jobs in August, continuing its recent upward trend.

Gains were concentrated in machinery manufacturing and fabricated metal product manufacturing, each of which added 6,000 jobs. The sector has added 58,000 jobs since a recent low in December 2025.

Healthcare

Healthcare added 13,000 jobs in August, continuing its steady growth trend, though at a slower pace than the sector’s average monthly gain over the past year.

Home health care services added 11,000 jobs, while hospitals added 8,000.

Information

Information employment declined by 23,000 jobs in August, extending a broader downward trend in the sector.

Losses occurred across computing infrastructure and data processing, publishing, and broadcasting and content providers.

August Jobs Report Summary

The August 2026 jobs report showed a rebound in hiring, with payroll employment increasing by 162,000 jobs following several months of relatively weak growth.

Food services and drinking places and local government education led employment gains, while manufacturing and healthcare also continued to add jobs. The information sector experienced notable losses.

The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%, wage growth moderated to 3.1% year over year, and average hours worked edged slightly higher.

Overall, the labor market showed signs of renewed momentum in August, supported by stronger payroll growth, upward revisions to prior months, and improved labor force participation, though weakness remains concentrated in sectors such as information.

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By Sarah Magazzo

Digital Marketing Manager for Mondo National Staffing Agency | AI Drafted & Human Crafted