# US employers add just 29,000 jobs in September, and July's payrolls are revised to a loss of 10,000 > The unemployment rate rose to 4.2% from 4.1%, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics cut a combined 60,000 jobs from July and August. Average hourly earnings rose 0.1% and are 3.0% higher than a year earlier. - Canonical URL: https://forextradingcommunity.com/news/us-jobs-report-september-2026-payrolls/ - Type: Data - Published: 2026-10-05 - Updated: 2026-10-05 - Publisher: Forex Trading Community (https://forextradingcommunity.com), FTC Editorial Team - Currencies: USD Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 29,000 in September 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said in its Employment Situation report on 2 October. The unemployment rate rose to 4.2% from 4.1% in August. Press reports of the release put expectations at about 84,000 to 90,000 jobs. ## The headline figures - **Payrolls**: +29,000 - **Unemployment rate**: 4.2% (August: 4.1%) - **Labour force participation rate**: 61.8% (August: 61.6%) - **Employment-population ratio**: 59.2% - **Average hourly earnings**: up 5 cents, or 0.1%, to $37.81, and up 3.0% over the year (August: 3.1%) - **Average workweek**: unchanged at 34.4 hours ## The revisions The BLS revised July down by 31,000, from +21,000 to −10,000, which means payrolls fell that month. August was revised down by 29,000, from +162,000 to +133,000 ([August report](/news/us-jobs-report-august-2026/)). Together the two months are 60,000 lower than first reported. ## Where jobs were added - **Health care**: +17,000 - **Construction**: +11,000 - **Manufacturing**: +9,000 - **Financial activities**: −7,000 The unemployment rate rose even though the participation rate also rose, so more people were looking for work, not fewer people employed. ## What it means for the dollar and the Fed At its meeting on 16 September, the Federal Reserve raised its target range to 3.75%–4.00% and its median projection for the unemployment rate at the end of 2026 was 4.1% ([report](/news/fed-raises-rates-september-2026/)). The September figure is a tenth above that. On the day of the report, Treasury's par yield curve rates show the 2-year yield at 4.83%, from 4.78% the day before, and the 10-year at 5.28%, from 5.24% ([yields report](/news/us-treasury-yields-10-year-5-29-percent-september-2026/)). Traders usually look at the revisions and the unemployment rate alongside the headline, which is why a weak payrolls number does not always move the dollar the way the headline suggests ([non-farm payrolls explained](/news/non-farm-payrolls-explained/)). ## What happens next September's consumer prices are due on 14 October and the Fed decides on 28 October. The next jobs report, for October, is on 6 November at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. ## Sources - [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: The Employment Situation, September 2026 (2 October 2026)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm) - [U.S. Department of the Treasury: Daily Treasury Par Yield Curve Rates, 2026](https://home.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/TextView?type=daily_treasury_yield_curve&field_tdr_date_value=2026) - [Federal Reserve Board: FOMC calendar](https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomccalendars.htm) ## Common questions ### How many jobs did the US add in September 2026? 29,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employment Situation report of 2 October 2026. The unemployment rate rose to 4.2% from 4.1%. ### Were earlier months revised? Yes. July was revised from +21,000 to −10,000 and August from +162,000 to +133,000, a combined reduction of 60,000 jobs. ### Which industries added jobs in September 2026? Health care added 17,000, construction 11,000 and manufacturing 9,000, while financial activities lost 7,000. ### What happened to wages in September 2026? Average hourly earnings rose 5 cents, or 0.1%, to $37.81, and were 3.0% higher than a year earlier. ### When is the next US jobs report? 6 November 2026 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, covering October. ### Does a weak jobs report mean the Fed will cut rates? Not by itself. The Fed raised rates on 16 September and weighs jobs against inflation, which was 3.4% on the PCE measure in August. Its next decision is on 28 October. --- This article is for information only and is not financial advice. Trading forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money.