US economy added 178k jobs in March; unemployment rate 4.3%
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employment Situation report showed nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March 2026 and the unemployment rate was 4.3%. Average hourly earnings rose 0.2% on the month.
- Nonfarm payrolls +178k in March (seasonally adjusted, thousands of jobs)
- Unemployment rate 4.3% (from 4.4%)
- Average hourly earnings +0.2% on the month, +3.5% on the year
- February revised to −133k from −92k
SPX around the story · hourly24 h reaction ▼ 0.22%
Source
Bureau of Labor StatisticsApr 3, 2026, 8:30 AM ET