September 2025 Jobs Report: U.S. Economy Surprises with 119,000 New Jobs as Unemployment Edges Up to 4.4%

U.S. Jobs Report for September 2025 Reveals 119,000 New Positions; Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.4%

After a long gap caused by a record 44-day government shutdown, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the September jobs report on November 20, 2025. This report gives a clear view of the U.S. labor market as the year comes to an end.

Key Highlights:

Nonfarm payrolls grew by 119,000 in September. This rise beat the Dow Jones estimate of 50,000 as numbers connect closely.
Earlier data now shows fewer jobs. August changed from a 4,000 job gain to a loss.
The unemployment rate moved up to 4.4%, the highest since October 2021.
When including discouraged workers and those in part-time jobs for economic reasons, the wider unemployment figure dropped to 8%.
Average hourly earnings increased by 0.2% each month and by 3.8% over the year. This rise went slightly above forecasts.

Context and Analysis

This report is the first update on employment since early September numbers appeared on September 5, 2025. The 44-day shutdown stopped key agencies like the BLS and the Bureau of Economic Analysis from collecting data. The gap made economic predictions and policy steps hard to decide.

Daniel Zhao, chief economist at Glassdoor, said, “September’s jobs report shows the labor market was strong before the shutdown. It beat payroll estimates, yet the picture stays cloudy with August jobs turning to a loss and unemployment increasing.” His words remind us that the data shows conditions from two months back and may not mark today’s scene.

Sector Performance

The hiring scene in September shows clear patterns:

Health care added 43,000 jobs.
Bars and restaurants contributed 37,000 jobs.
Social assistance saw 14,000 more jobs.

Some sectors did lose jobs:

Transportation and warehousing fell by 25,000 jobs.
The federal government employment dropped by 3,000 that month. In the year, federal jobs declined by 97,000.
Professional and business services lost 20,000 jobs, a drop that included 16,000 fewer temporary help services.

Household Survey Insights

The household survey, which connects the numbers of employed and active workers, shows a better view:

The count of employed persons grew by 251,000.
The labor force grew by 470,000, reaching 171.2 million workers.
The share of the population in the labor force moved up to 62.4%, its highest number since May 2025.
Workers in full-time jobs increased by 673,000. At the same time, part-time work fell by 573,000.

Market and Policy Implications

After the report came out, stock market futures moved up while Treasury yields fell. Investors connect these moves to a balanced economy, with steady job growth and a small rise in unemployment.

Market experts watch the mixed signals with care. Seema Shah, chief global strategist at Principal Asset Management, said, “Some parts of the report show strong payroll growth, which points to a firm economy, while other parts, like higher unemployment and slower wage gains, keep one hopeful for a possible Fed cut in December.”

The Federal Reserve meets on December 9-10. After a couple of rate cuts in September and October, officials now face a tough choice. With September’s labor data in hand, they see one final big jobs report before they set their next move.

Upcoming Data Releases

The BLS plans to release both October and November employment data on December 9, 2025. Note that October’s unemployment rate will not be there due to data issues from the shutdown.

Additional Government Data

A Labor Department update notes that for the week ending November 15, initial jobless claims came in at 220,000. This number is 8,000 below the previous week and sits under the forecast of 227,000 claims. These numbers form a steady view of the labor market in November.

In summary, the September 2025 jobs report, though delayed, shows a labor market that grows at a steady pace. The report sets out clear shifts in different job sectors and shows the challenges for those who make policy, all amid some data gaps and economic unknowns. More data in December will give a clearer picture of U.S. employment and the wider economy.

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