US employers added 165,000 jobs in October 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics payroll survey, after a gain of 60,000 in September 2026. Over the past three months, payrolls grew by an average of 137,000 jobs a month.
+165K
Prior month +60K
October 2026 · Monthly data
Previous+60KSep 2026
A year earlier-140KOct 2025
1-year high+214KMar 2026
1-year low-156KFeb 2026
5-year high+819KFeb 2022
5-year low-156KFeb 2026
3-month average+137KLatest
Total employment159.29MOct 2026
Nonfarm Payrolls: chart
Monthly change in total nonfarm employment, thousands of jobs, seasonally adjusted.
US employers added 165,000 jobs in October 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics payroll survey, after a gain of 60,000 in September 2026. Over the past three months, payrolls grew by an average of 137,000 jobs a month.
Why do payroll numbers get revised so much?
The first estimate is based on the employer surveys received by the release date. As late responses come in, the BLS revises each month twice, and an annual benchmark revision aligns the series with near-complete records from unemployment-insurance tax filings. Large revisions are common.
What is the difference between the payroll survey and the household survey?
Payrolls come from a survey of employers and count jobs; the unemployment rate comes from a survey of households and counts people. The two can diverge from month to month but tend to tell the same story over time.
Why can a strong jobs report make stocks fall?
Because markets care about interest rates as well as growth. A hotter-than-expected report can push Treasury yields up and reduce the odds of Fed rate cuts, which weighs on stock valuations even though the economy looks healthy.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (series PAYEMS). Data checked Nov 6, 5:40 PM ET. Not investment advice.