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US payrolls increased by 162,000 in August as unemployment held at 4.1%

Job creation exceeded economist forecasts and prior months saw upward revisions, raising expectations for a Federal Reserve rate hike.

Updated Sep 4, 2026 · 18:51 UTC4 reports

The short version

  • The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, exceeding consensus forecasts of around 53,000 to 56,000.[Al Jazeera · The Guardian · CNBC]
  • The unemployment rate remained steady at 4.1%, while June and July payroll numbers received upward revisions, turning July into a 21,000 job gain.[The Guardian · CNBC · CNBC]
  • Hiring was led by bars, restaurants, and public education, whereas information-related industries cut 23,000 jobs.[Al Jazeera · CNBC]
  • The stronger-than-expected data increased market odds of a Federal Reserve interest rate hike in September to roughly 60%.[Al Jazeera · CNBC]

Key facts

  • The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, while the unemployment rate held at 4.1%.[The Guardian · CNBC]
  • The August gains substantially beat economist expectations, which had ranged from 53,000 to 56,000 jobs.[Al Jazeera · CNBC]
  • Revisions for June and July added a combined 55,000 jobs, flipping July's initially reported 23,000 loss into a 21,000 gain.[The Guardian · CNBC]
  • Food services and restaurants added 59,000 jobs and public education added 42,000, while the information sector lost 23,000 jobs.[Al Jazeera · CNBC]
  • Following the release, CME FedWatch showed the probability of a 25 basis point Federal Reserve rate hike in September increased to about 60%.[Al Jazeera · CNBC]
  • Donald Trump demanded rate cuts on Truth Social and threatened trade cutoffs if interest rates are not reduced.[Al Jazeera]

What remains uncertain

  • The extent of underlying private sector hiring strength remains unclear after ADP reported only 38,000 private payroll additions for August.[Al Jazeera · The Guardian]
  • The Federal Reserve's final interest rate policy decision remains dependent on upcoming consumer and producer inflation reports.[CNBC · CNBC]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.