May 2025 Jobs Report: US Employment Update
- labor market demonstrated unexpected strength in May, defying concerns about tariffs and a potential economic slowdown.
- A broader measure, encompassing discouraged and underemployed workers, remained unchanged at 7.8%.
- Lindsay Rosner, head of multi-sector fixed income investing at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, noted the labor market's ability to withstand recent economic pressures.
May’s Jobs Report reveals a surprisingly resilient U.S. labor market, with nonfarm payrolls adding 139,000 jobs and the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.2%. Despite economic headwinds, gains in healthcare, leisure, and hospitality sectors drove much of the growth, while average hourly earnings saw a considerable increase of 3.9% year-over-year. Though, revisions to previous months’ data and discrepancies between surveys warrant a cautious outlook, as experts like Daniel Zhao from Glassdoor suggest potential strains ahead. News Directory 3 keeps you informed on crucial economic shifts. The Federal Reserve’s upcoming meeting also looms,with discussions around interest rates and inflation. Discover what’s next for the U.S. economy and employment figures.
May Jobs Report: Labor Market Shows Surprising Resilience
Updated June 8, 2025
The U.S. labor market demonstrated unexpected strength in May, defying concerns about tariffs and a potential economic slowdown. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nonfarm payrolls increased by 139,000. This figure surpassed the Dow Jones estimate of 125,000,although it fell slightly below April’s revised total of 147,000.
The unemployment rate held firm at 4.2%. A broader measure, encompassing discouraged and underemployed workers, remained unchanged at 7.8%. Worker pay saw a boost, with average hourly earnings climbing 0.4% for the month and 3.9% compared to the previous year. These figures exceeded forecasts of 0.3% and 3.7%, respectively.
Lindsay Rosner, head of multi-sector fixed income investing at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, noted the labor market’s ability to withstand recent economic pressures. “Stronger than expected jobs growth and stable unemployment underlines the resilience of the US labor market in the face of recent shocks,” Rosner said.
Health care fueled nearly half of the job growth, adding 62,000 positions, exceeding its average monthly gain of 44,000 over the past year. Leisure and hospitality contributed 48,000 jobs, while social assistance added 16,000. However, government employment declined by 22,000, possibly reflecting efforts to reduce the federal workforce.
Despite the positive headline numbers, some data points raised concerns. April’s figures were revised downward by 30,000, and March’s total was reduced by 65,000 to 120,000. Discrepancies also emerged between the establishment survey, which determines the payrolls gain, and the household survey, which calculates the unemployment rate. The household survey indicated a decrease of 696,000 workers, with full-time employment falling by 623,000 and part-time employment increasing by 33,000.
Daniel Zhao, lead economist at Glassdoor, cautioned against premature optimism. “The May jobs report still has everyone waiting for the other shoe to drop,” Zhao said. “This report shows the job market standing tall, but as economic headwinds stack up cumulatively, it’s only a matter of time before the job market starts straining against those headwinds.”
What’s next
Federal Reserve officials are closely monitoring the economic landscape. The central bank is scheduled to hold its next policy meeting in less than two weeks. Markets anticipate that the Fed will maintain its current stance on interest rates, with policymakers expressing increased concern about potential tariff-induced inflation.