US Labor Market Adds 162,000 Jobs in August, Manufacturing Gains Momentum

The US labor market added 162,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in August, while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1%. The manufacturing sector continued its upward trend with a gain of 16,000 jobs in August.

This marks an increase of 58,000 jobs from December 2025 and is part of a larger trend of job growth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), total nonfarm payroll gains in August exceeded the average monthly increase of 31,000 over the prior 12 months.

The BLS also reported that employment rose in food services and drinking places and local government education, while the information industry lost jobs. Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 10 cents to $37.75 in August, a 0.3% increase from the previous month.

The White House characterized the 16,000 manufacturing gain as the strongest monthly increase in three years and noted that manufacturers have added 58,000 jobs this year due to increased demand for pharmaceutical and defense production.