Morningstar

May US Jobs Report: 139,000 Rise in Payrolls, Above Expectations

Unemployment rate held steady at 4.2%.

Collage with factory, plane, computer, tire, and shopping bag to represent the state of economy.

The US economy added 139,000 jobs in May, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The government’s report revised down its previous estimate for new job creation in April to 147,000 from an originally reported 177,000, but it also incorrectly referenced a revision to February payrolls.

The unemployment rate held steady at 4.2% from April to May.

Economists forecast that nonfarm payroll employment would rise by 125,000, while the unemployment rate had been expected to increase to 4.3%.

May Jobs Report Key Stats

  • Total nonfarm payrolls rose by 139,000 after rising by 147,000 in April.
  • The unemployment rate held steady at 4.2% in May from April.
  • In May, average hourly wages rose by 14 cents, or 0.4%, to $36.24.
  • The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls remained unchanged at 34.3 hours in May. For manufacturing employees, the average workweek rose to 40.1 hours in May from 40.0 in April, while overtime remained unchanged at 2.8 hours.

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