The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its October 2026 jobs report on November 6. Employers added 165,000 jobs, beating economist forecasts. The unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent from 4.2 percent in September.
Previous months showed stronger growth than initially reported. August's job gain rose from 133,000 to 186,000. September's gain rose from 29,000 to 60,000. Together the revisions added 84,000 jobs to the earlier estimates.
Three industries drove October's hiring. Professional and business services added 70,000 jobs, nearly five times its average monthly pace. Health care added 42,000 jobs. Transportation and warehousing added 25,000 jobs, and manufacturing added 19,000. Retail, leisure and hospitality, and government stayed roughly flat.
Average hourly earnings rose to $38.00 an hour, a 3.1 percent increase over the past year. The labor force participation rate ticked up to 61.9 percent.
For job seekers, the uneven hiring matters. If your field is among the growing ones like professional services or health care, more openings and more competition for talent likely mean room to negotiate. If you work in retail or hospitality, plan for a slower search.
Compare your own raise or job offer against the 3.1 percent benchmark. If you came in below it, you're behind the average. If above it, you gained real ground this year.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the next jobs report covering November 2026 data on December 4, 2026.