--- source: Bureau of Labor Statistics url: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm document_type: html date_retrieved: 2026-04-03 period: March 2026 parent_publication: Employment Situation Summary indicators_covered: - Average Weekly Hours - Average Hourly Earnings MoM - Non Farm Payrolls - Average Hourly Earnings YoY - Unemployment Rate - Government Payrolls - Nonfarm Payrolls Private - Participation Rate - U-6 Unemployment Rate - Manufacturing Payrolls group_ids: ['395472', '395471', '395470', '395469', '395468', '395467', '395466', '395465', '395464', '395463'] --- Go Are you a survey respondent and need help submitting your company's data to CES? Are you a survey respondent and need help submitting your company's data to CES? Go Do you have questions about CES estimates? Do you have questions about CES estimates? Go Do you need help finding something else? Do you need help finding something else? OneColHeadBasic Begin no_index_start DOL BANNER BEGIN DOL BANNER START Header is opened at the begining of DOL banner BLS BANNER END MAIN NAV BEGIN MAIN NAV END WRAPPER TOP BEGIN - Bureau of Labor Statistics - Economic News Release - Employment Situation [Bureau of Labor Statistics](/) Bureau of Labor Statistics [Economic News Release](/bls/newsrels.htm) Economic News Release [Employment Situation](/news.release/empsit.toc.htm) Employment Situation WRAPPER TOP END SUBDOMAIN TITLE TOP BEGIN SUBDOMAIN TITLE TOP END SUBDOMAIN TITLE BEGIN no_index_end [Economic News Release](/bls/newsrels.htm) Economic News Release no_index_start SUBDOMAIN TITLE END SUBDOMAIN TITLE MIDDLE BEGIN [CES](#modal-box-ces) CES [CPS](#modal-box-cps) CPS [PRINT:](#) PRINT: SHARE ON: [](javascript:void(0);) [](javascript:void(0);) [](javascript:void(0);) SUBDOMAIN TITLE MIDDLE END Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey × - CPS Homepage - CPS Overview - CPS FAQ - Contact CPS [CPS Homepage](/cps/) CPS Homepage [CPS Overview](/cps/cps_over.htm) CPS Overview [CPS FAQ](/cps/faq.htm) CPS FAQ [Contact CPS](/cps/contact.htm) Contact CPS Close Current Employment Statistics - CES (National) × - CES Homepage - CES Overview - CES FAQs - Contact CES [CES Homepage](/ces/) CES Homepage [CES Overview](/web/empsit/cesprog.htm) CES Overview [CES FAQs](/web/empsit/cesfaq.htm) CES FAQs [Contact CES](/ces/contact.htm) Contact CES Close SUBDOMAIN TITLE BOTTOM BEGIN End Subdomain Title Div SUBDOMAIN TITLE BOTTOM END 1COL LAYOUT COL1 BEGIN 1COL LAYOUT COL1 END no_index_end OneColHeadBasic End # Employment Situation Summary Employment Situation Summary Transmission of material in this news release is embargoed until USDL-26-0580 8:30 a.m. (ET) Friday, April 3, 2026 Technical information: Household data: (202) 691-6378 * cpsinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/cps Establishment data: (202) 691-6555 * cesinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/ces Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION -- March 2026 Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 178,000 in March, and the unemployment rate changed little at 4.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in health care, in construction, and in transportation and warehousing. Federal government employment continued to decline. This news release presents statistics from two monthly surveys. The household survey measures labor force status, including unemployment, by demographic characteristics. The establishment survey measures nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings by industry. For more information about the concepts and statistical methodology used in these two surveys, see the Technical Note. Household Survey Data Both the unemployment rate, at 4.3 percent, and the number of unemployed people, at 7.2 million, changed little in March. These measures also changed little over the year. (See table A-1.) Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for people who are Asian (3.7 percent) decreased in March. The jobless rates for adult men (3.8 percent), adult women (4.0 percent), teenagers (13.7 percent), and people who are White (3.6 percent), Black (7.1 percent), or Hispanic (4.8 percent) showed little change over the month. (See tables A-1, A-2, and A-3.) The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) changed little at 1.8 million in March but is up by 322,000 over the year. The long-term unemployed accounted for 25.4 percent of all unemployed people in March. (See table A-12.) Both the labor force participation rate, at 61.9 percent, and the employment-population ratio, at 59.2 percent, changed little in March. These measures also showed little change over the year, after accounting for annual population control adjustments. (See table A-1.) The number of people employed part time for economic reasons, at 4.5 million, changed little in March. These individuals would have preferred full-time employment but were working part time because their hours had been reduced or they were unable to find full-time jobs. (See table A-8.) The number of people not in the labor force who currently want a job changed little at 6.0 million in March. These individuals were not counted as unemployed because they were not actively looking for work during the 4 weeks preceding the survey or were unavailable to take a job. (See table A-1.) Among those not in the labor force who wanted a job, the number of people marginally attached to the labor force increased by 325,000 in March to 1.9 million. These individuals wanted and were available for work and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months but had not looked for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. The number of discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached who believed that no jobs were available for them, increased by 144,000 in March to 510,000. (See Summary table A.) Establishment Survey Data Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 178,000 in March, following a decrease in February (-133,000). In March, job gains occurred in health care, in construction, and in transportation and warehousing. Federal government employment continued to decline. Payroll employment had changed little on net over the prior 12 months. (See table B-1.) Health care added 76,000 jobs in March. Employment in ambulatory health care services rose by 54,000, reflecting an increase of 35,000 in offices of physicians as workers returned from a strike. Employment also increased in hospitals (+15,000). Over the prior 12 months, health care had added an average of 29,000 jobs per month. Employment in construction grew by 26,000 in March but had shown little net change over the prior 12 months. In March, transportation and warehousing added 21,000 jobs, reflecting a gain in couriers and messengers (+20,000). Employment in transportation and warehousing is down by 139,000 since reaching a peak in February 2025. Employment in social assistance continued its upward trend in March (+14,000), primarily in individual and family services (+11,000). Federal government employment continued to decline in March (-18,000). Since reaching a peak in October 2024, federal government employment is down by 355,000, or 11.8 percent. Federal employees on furlough during the partial government shutdown were counted as employed in the establishment survey because they worked or received (or will receive) pay for the pay period that included the 12th of the month. Employment in financial activities edged down by 15,000 in March, reflecting a loss in finance and insurance (-16,000). Employment in financial activities is down by 77,000 since reaching a peak in May 2025. Employment showed little change over the month in other major industries, including mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; retail trade; information; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; and other services. In March, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 9 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $37.38. Over the year, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.5 percent. In March, average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees edged up by 5 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $32.07. (See tables B-3 and B-8.) The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls edged down by 0.1 hour to 34.2 hours in March. In manufacturing, the average workweek was unchanged at 40.2 hours, and overtime was also unchanged at 3.0 hours. The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls remained at 33.8 hours. (See tables B-2 and B-7.) The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for January was revised up by 34,000, from +126,000 to +160,000, and the change for February was revised down by 41,000, from -92,000 to -133,000. With these revisions, employment in January and February combined is 7,000 lower than previously reported. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.) _____________ The Employment Situation for April is scheduled to be released on Friday, May 8, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. (ET). [Employment Situation Summary Table A. Household data, seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.a.htm) Employment Situation Summary Table A. Household data, seasonally adjusted [Employment Situation Summary Table B. Establishment data, seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.b.htm) Employment Situation Summary Table B. Establishment data, seasonally adjusted [Employment Situation Frequently Asked Questions](/news.release/empsit.faq.htm) Employment Situation Frequently Asked Questions [Employment Situation Technical Note](/news.release/empsit.tn.htm) Employment Situation Technical Note [Table A-1. Employment status of the civilian population by sex and age](/news.release/empsit.t01.htm) Table A-1. Employment status of the civilian population by sex and age [Table A-2. Employment status of the civilian population by race, sex, and age](/news.release/empsit.t02.htm) Table A-2. Employment status of the civilian population by race, sex, and age [Table A-3. Employment status of the Hispanic or Latino population by sex and age](/news.release/empsit.t03.htm) Table A-3. Employment status of the Hispanic or Latino population by sex and age [Table A-4. Employment status of the civilian population 25 years and over by educational attainment](/news.release/empsit.t04.htm) Table A-4. Employment status of the civilian population 25 years and over by educational attainment [Table A-5. Employment status of the civilian population 18 years and over by veteran status, period of service, and sex, not seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.t05.htm) Table A-5. Employment status of the civilian population 18 years and over by veteran status, period of service, and sex, not seasonally adjusted [Table A-6. Employment status of the civilian population by sex, age, and disability status, not seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.t06.htm) Table A-6. Employment status of the civilian population by sex, age, and disability status, not seasonally adjusted [Table A-7. Employment status of the civilian population by nativity and sex, not seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.t07.htm) Table A-7. Employment status of the civilian population by nativity and sex, not seasonally adjusted [Table A-8. Employed people by class of worker and part-time status](/news.release/empsit.t08.htm) Table A-8. Employed people by class of worker and part-time status [Table A-9. Selected employment indicators](/news.release/empsit.t09.htm) Table A-9. Selected employment indicators [Table A-10. Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.t10.htm) Table A-10. Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted [Table A-11. Unemployed people by reason for unemployment](/news.release/empsit.t11.htm) Table A-11. Unemployed people by reason for unemployment [Table A-12. Unemployed people by duration of unemployment](/news.release/empsit.t12.htm) Table A-12. Unemployed people by duration of unemployment [Table A-13. Employed and unemployed people by occupation, not seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.t13.htm) Table A-13. Employed and unemployed people by occupation, not seasonally adjusted [Table A-14. Unemployed people by industry and class of worker, not seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.t14.htm) Table A-14. Unemployed people by industry and class of worker, not seasonally adjusted [Table A-15. Alternative measures of labor underutilization](/news.release/empsit.t15.htm) Table A-15. Alternative measures of labor underutilization [Table A-16. People not in the labor force and multiple jobholders by sex, not seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.t16.htm) Table A-16. People not in the labor force and multiple jobholders by sex, not seasonally adjusted [Table B-1. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry sector and selected industry detail](/news.release/empsit.t17.htm) Table B-1. Employees on nonfarm payrolls by industry sector and selected industry detail [Table B-2. Average weekly hours and overtime of all employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.t18.htm) Table B-2. Average weekly hours and overtime of all employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted [Table B-3. Average hourly and weekly earnings of all employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.t19.htm) Table B-3. Average hourly and weekly earnings of all employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted [Table B-4. Indexes of aggregate weekly hours and payrolls for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.t20.htm) Table B-4. Indexes of aggregate weekly hours and payrolls for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted [Table B-5. Employment of women on nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted](/news.release/empsit.t21.htm) Table B-5. Employment of women on nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted [Table B-6. Employment of production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted(1)](/news.release/empsit.t22.htm) Table B-6. Employment of production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted(1) [Table B-7. Average weekly hours and overtime of production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted(1)](/news.release/empsit.t23.htm) Table B-7. Average weekly hours and overtime of production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted(1) [Table B-8. Average hourly and weekly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted(1)](/news.release/empsit.t24.htm) Table B-8. Average hourly and weekly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted(1) [Table B-9. Indexes of aggregate weekly hours and payrolls for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted(1)](/news.release/empsit.t25.htm) Table B-9. Indexes of aggregate weekly hours and payrolls for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted(1) [Access to historical data for the "A" tables of the Employment Situation News Release](/cps/cpsatabs.htm) Access to historical data for the "A" tables of the Employment Situation News Release [Access to historical data for the "B" tables of the Employment Situation News Release](/ces/data/employment-situation-table-download.htm) Access to historical data for the "B" tables of the Employment Situation News Release [HTML version of the entire news release](empsit.htm) HTML version of the entire news release start green box [The PDF version of the news release](/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf) The PDF version of the news release [News release charts](/charts/employment-situation/) News release charts [Supplemental Files Table of Contents](../web/empsit.supp.toc.htm) Supplemental Files Table of Contents end green box [Table of Contents](/news.release/empsit.toc.htm) Table of Contents **Last Modified Date:** Last Modified Date: April 03, 2026 OneColFootBasic Begin Footer Filename: no_index_start 1COL BASIC LAYOUT COL1 END 1COL LAYOUT COL1 END WRAPPER BOTTOM BEGIN close id="wrapper-basic" WRAPPER BOTTOM END FOOTER LEFT BEGIN FOOTER RIGHT END no_index_end OneColFootBasic End