WASHINGTON, D.C. — Total U.S. nonfarm payroll employment rose by 261,000 in October, and the unemployment rate ticked back up 20 basis points to 3.7 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Monthly job growth has averaged 407,000 year-to-date in 2022, compared with 562,000 per month in 2021.
The October performance beat the Dow Jones estimate of 205,000 but the economists expected the unemployment rate to remain at 3.5 percent, according to CNBC.
Healthcare led all employment sectors in adding October jobs with 53,000, which is slightly ahead of its average monthly gain thus far this year (47,000). Professional and businesses services added 43,000 jobs in October and manufacturing grew by 32,000. Leisure and hospitality added 35,000 jobs, which is far below the sector’s average monthly job gain over the first nine months of the year (78,000).
Additionally, the BLS revised the employment gains for August down by 23,000, from 315,000 to 292,000. The September figure was revised upward by 52,000, from 263,000 to 315,000.