February Jobs Report: U.S. Loses 92,000 Jobs

In February 2026, the U.S. economy lost 92,000 nonfarm payroll jobs, marking a setback after January’s modest gains.

Revisions to prior months also lowered previously reported job growth. December’s total was revised down to -17,000, and January was revised slightly down to +126,000, bringing combined employment 69,000 lower than previously reported.

The unemployment rate edged up slightly to 4.4%, with 7.6 million Americans unemployed, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Is the U.S. Job Market Growing?

February’s decline in payroll employment reflects a labor market that remains stable but uneven.

Temporary factors, including strike activity in healthcare, contributed to the monthly loss. At the same time, several industries—particularly information and federal government—continued longer-term downward trends.

While the unemployment rate remains relatively low historically, February’s data suggests job growth remains fragile and inconsistent, following the slow hiring pace seen through much of 2025.

U.S. Unemployment Rates by Group – February 2026

• Adult women: 4.1%
• Adult men: 4.0%
• Teenagers: 14.9%
• Whites: 3.7%
• Blacks: 7.7%
• Asians: 4.8%
• Hispanics: 5.2%

Unemployment rates across major demographic groups changed little in February, though teen unemployment rose to 14.9%. Overall unemployment remains slightly higher than levels seen earlier in the economic expansion.

Key Employment Statistics for February 2026

• Long-term unemployed (27 weeks or more): 1.9 million, representing 25.3% of all unemployed, up from 1.5 million a year ago.
• Average hourly earnings: Rose by 15 cents to $37.32, up 3.8% over the past year. Production and nonsupervisory employees earned $32.03, up 9 cents in February.
• Average workweek: Held steady at 34.3 hours. Manufacturing hours edged down slightly to 40.1 hours, while production and nonsupervisory employees averaged 33.8 hours.
• Labor force participation rate: 62.0%
• Employment-population ratio: 59.3%

The number of workers employed part time for economic reasons fell by 477,000 to 4.4 million, indicating some improvement in underemployment.

Sectors with Notable Job Trends in February

Healthcare

Healthcare employment declined by 28,000 jobs in February, largely due to strike activity. Offices of physicians lost 37,000 jobs, while hospitals added 12,000 positions.

Despite the monthly drop, healthcare has remained a major source of job growth, adding an average of 36,000 jobs per month over the past year.

Social Assistance

Social assistance continued its steady growth, adding 9,000 jobs in February.

Most of the increase occurred in individual and family services (+12,000), maintaining the sector’s consistent contribution to employment gains.

Information

Employment in information declined by 11,000 jobs in February and has been trending downward over the past year.

The industry has lost an average of 5,000 jobs per month over the past 12 months, reflecting ongoing adjustments in tech and media-related employment.

Federal Government

Federal government employment fell by 10,000 jobs in February.

Since peaking in October 2024, federal employment has declined by 330,000 jobs (11.0%), as workforce reductions and deferred resignation programs continue.

Transportation and Warehousing

Transportation and warehousing employment declined by 11,000 jobs.

Losses were concentrated in couriers and messengers (-17,000), partially offset by gains in air transportation (+5,000). The sector has lost 157,000 jobs since February 2025.

February Jobs Report Summary

The February 2026 jobs report signals a slight cooling in the labor market, with payroll employment declining by 92,000.

Healthcare job losses tied to strike activity contributed to the drop, while information and federal government employment continued longer-term declines. Social assistance remained one of the few sectors adding jobs.

Unemployment ticked up to 4.4%, wage growth stayed solid at 3.8% year over year, and average hours worked remained stable.

Overall, the labor market appears stable but uneven, with pockets of strength offset by sector-specific weaknesses and slower hiring momentum.

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