US economy added 162k jobs in August; unemployment rate 4.1%

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Employment Situation report showed nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August 2026 and the unemployment rate was 4.1%. Average hourly earnings rose 0.3% on the month.

• Nonfarm payrolls +162k in August (seasonally adjusted, thousands of jobs)
• Unemployment rate 4.1% (unchanged)
• Average hourly earnings +0.3% on the month, +3.1% on the year
• July revised to +21k from −23k