U.S. Employers Add 172,000 Jobs in May as Unemployment Holds at 4.3%
Updated
Updated · eciks.org · Jun 29
U.S. Employers Add 172,000 Jobs in May as Unemployment Holds at 4.3%
3 articles · Updated · eciks.org · Jun 29
Summary
172,000 jobs were added in May, more than double economists' 80,000-85,000 forecasts and extending a three-month run of stronger-than-expected hiring.
70,000 leisure and hospitality jobs led the gain, while healthcare added 35,000 and government 55,000, showing broader hiring than recent months when healthcare carried much of the growth.
4.3% unemployment held steady for a third straight month, staying within the 4.3%-4.5% band seen since July 2025 and signaling a labor market that remains stable rather than overheating.
0.3% monthly wage growth and 3.4% annual gains matched expectations, but real average hourly earnings were still down 0.8% from a year earlier as pay lagged inflation.
April's 115,000 increase and March's upwardly revised 214,000 gain suggest momentum has improved after earlier weakness, even as job openings and hiring rates remain below pre-2019 levels.