- Quick Employment Statistics
Average US Employment Statistics [2026]
Research Summary. As we step into 2026, the latest national employment report reveals vital insights into the current job market landscape. Stay tuned to discover which sectors are thriving and where layoffs are occurring.
We’ve compiled the key trends and statistics regarding average US employment as of 2026, based on our thorough research:
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Private employers in the US added 235,000 jobs in December 2025.
Employment growth in the US has been consistent, with approximately 100,000 to 300,000 new jobs created monthly since early 2022.
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From December 2024 to December 2025, private employment in the US increased by approximately 3%.
As of December 2024, around 122.4 million individuals were employed, and this figure rose to approximately 126 million by December 2025.
Month Private Employment (in millions) MoM Increase Dec 2024 122.4M N/A Jan 2025 122.8M 0.33% Feb 2025 123.1M 0.25% Mar 2025 123.6M 0.40% Apr 2025 124.0M 0.32% May 2025 124.5M 0.40% Jun 2025 125.0M 0.40% Jul 2025 125.2M 0.16% Aug 2025 125.5M 0.24% Sep 2025 125.9M 0.32% Oct 2025 126.2M 0.24% Nov 2025 126.5M 0.24% Dec 2025 126.8M 0.24% -
Midsize companies (50-249 employees) saw the largest increase, adding 159,000 jobs in 2025.
Most small businesses also experienced a net increase in employees, with companies employing 1-19 workers gaining 65,000 new hires throughout the year.
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Large companies (500+ employees) reported a net loss of 151,000 jobs in 2025.
Prominent corporations such as Meta, Amazon, and Netflix continued to lay off employees, citing economic uncertainty as a primary reason.
Company Size Employment Change 1-19 Employees +65,000 20-49 Employees +130,000 50-249 Employees +159,000 250-499 Employees +32,000 500+ Employees -151,000 -
The Leisure and Hospitality sector experienced the largest employment increase, adding 123,000 jobs in 2025.
This was followed by Professional and Business Services (52,000), Education and Health Services (42,000), and Construction (41,000).
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The Trade, Transportation, and Utilities industry saw a reduction of 24,000 employees.
This sector faced the highest net losses, with others like Natural Resources and Mining (-14,000), Financial Activities (-12,000), and Manufacturing (-5,000) also reporting declines.
Industry Employment Change Leisure and Hospitality +123,000 Professional and Business Services +52,000 Education and Health Services +42,000 Construction +41,000 Other Services +31,000 Information +1,000 Manufacturing -5,000 Financial Activities -12,000 Natural Resources and Mining -14,000 Trade, Transportation, and Utilities -24,000 -
The Pacific region had the highest employment growth in 2025, at 5.47%.
This includes states like California, which are now experiencing a robust recovery in their job markets.
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The East South Central region was the only area to report a decline in employment in 2025, at -0.68%.
This region continues to face challenges in job availability, reflecting a concerning trend.
Region Employment (Dec 2025) Percent Change from Dec 2024 South Atlantic 25.6M 3.26% Pacific 21.9M 5.47% East North Central 18.3M 2.28% Mid-Atlantic 16.9M 4.40% West South Central 15.5M 3.45% Mountain 7.9M 1.33% West North Central 7.1M 0.59% New England 6.5M 2.31% East South Central 5.7M -0.68% -
Since 2012, US employment has increased by an estimated 15.6 million.
Despite fluctuations, the job market has shown resilience, recovering significantly after the disruptions of the pandemic.
Average US Employment Statistics FAQ
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What percentage of the US population is employed in 2025?
61.6% of the total US population was employed as of 2025. This reflects a slight decrease over the past decade, with 63.7% employment in 2012.
However, this percentage signifies a strong recovery from the pandemic lows, where employment dropped to 56.8% in 2020.
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Why is the US facing staffing shortages?
The US continues to grapple with staffing shortages, primarily stemming from the impacts of the pandemic and the Great Resignation. This combination led to around 10 million job openings, while roughly 5 million unemployed individuals remain available to fill them.
Particularly affected are sectors like healthcare and education, where many workers have exited the workforce and are reluctant to return.
Conclusion
While US employment has shown a steady growth of 3% throughout 2025, challenges remain. Large companies have laid off 151,000 employees, while areas like the East South Central region are struggling to achieve job growth.
On the bright side, smaller businesses are thriving, and numerous industries are rebounding, including Leisure and Hospitality, Professional Services, Education, Health Services, and Construction.
Although the journey to full recovery continues, the outlook for 2026 appears promising as job growth persists across the country.
References
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BLS – Industry Employment and Output Projections to 2022
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Statista – Employment Rate in the United States from 1990 to 2021
- Quick Employment Statistics
Author
Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.
