September Jobs Report to Show Steady Labor Market Growth
The September nonfarm payrolls report is set to be released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday at 8:30 a.m. Wall Street expects job growth of 84,000, while the unemployment rate is forecast to hold steady at 4.1%, based on the Dow Jones consensus.
The report follows a stronger-than-expected August gain of 162,000 jobs, along with upward revisions to prior months. Payroll growth has averaged 80,000 per month in 2026, though results have varied sharply, from a loss of 156,000 jobs in February to growth of 214,000 the following month.
Average hourly earnings are expected to rise 3.1% year over year in September, down from about 4% at the start of the year. Federal Reserve officials have pointed to labor-market stability while concentrating more attention on inflation.