U.S. BLS
Monthly
Thousands of Persons PAYEMS
Nonfarm payrolls
MoM
+29k
▲
Total ~159.0M
2026-09-01 as of ・Thousands of Persons
Next scheduled release：Fri, Nov 6, 2026（Employment Situation）
Total employees on nonfarm payrolls. The monthly change is the centerpiece of the jobs report and one of the most market-moving U.S. indicators.
Key points
- Total nonfarm payroll employment (seasonally adjusted)
- Watch the month-over-month change (jobs added)
- A top market-moving jobs indicator for FX and rates
How to read it
Watch the monthly change (jobs added). Gains above ~100k a month suggest a solid market; declines raise recession concerns. Surprises versus consensus move FX and rates sharply. Focus on the change, not the level.
Trend
Year by year
Shows the monthly change in payrolls from 2016-11 to 2026-09, grouped by calendar year.
Latest+29k2026-09-01
Period high+4.63MJun 2020
Period low-20.47MApr 2020
| Year | Average | Year-end | High | Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (months 1–9) | +68k | +29k | +214k | -156k |
| 2025 | +10k | -17k | +108k | -140k |
| 2024 | +122k | +237k | +237k | +9k |
| 2023 | +210k | +154k | +434k | +68k |
| 2022 | +377k | +100k | +819k | +100k |
| 2021 | +606k | +586k | +942k | +315k |
| 2020 | -770k | -185k | +4.63M | -20.47M |
| 2019 | +165k | +127k | +296k | +7k |
| 2018 | +190k | +192k | +394k | +60k |
| 2017 | +176k | +151k | +223k | +89k |
| 2016 (months 11–12) | +172k | +225k | +225k | +118k |
Recent trend
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | 159,044 | +29 |
| 2026-08-01 | 159,015 | +133 |
| 2026-07-01 | 158,882 | -10 |
| 2026-06-01 | 158,892 | +31 |
| 2026-05-01 | 158,861 | +63 |
| 2026-04-01 | 158,798 | +148 |
| 2026-03-01 | 158,650 | +214 |
| 2026-02-01 | 158,436 | -156 |
| 2026-01-01 | 158,592 | +160 |
| 2025-12-01 | 158,432 | -17 |
| 2025-11-01 | 158,449 | +41 |
| 2025-10-01 | 158,408 | -140 |
FAQ
Nonfarm payrolls: what is the latest reading?
As of Sep 2026, it is +29k (change from the previous month). Since Nov 2016, the high was +4.63M (Jun 2020) and the low was -20.47M (Apr 2020). The next release is scheduled for Fri, Nov 6, 2026.
Why look at the monthly change?
The total is about 160 million, so the monthly change is what signals momentum. Markets react to the change versus expectations.
Sources (primary)
This article is an independent summary based on the official U.S. data below. Please verify the latest and exact details with the official sources.
- FRED (series page)：PAYEMS
- Source agency：U.S. BLS
- FRED last updated：2026-10-02 08:24:33-05
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