The U.S. private sector added 90,000 jobs in September, according to payroll processing firm ADP, surpassing economists’ expectations of 68,000–70,000 jobs and marking a significant rebound from August’s revised figure of 36,000 jobs [1][2]. ADP chief economist Nela Richardson described the report as strong, noting that job creation rebounded after a three-month slowdown and pay growth remained solid [1][2].
Education and health services led job creation with 55,000 new positions, followed by leisure and hospitality (22,000), manufacturing (17,000), and construction (15,000) [1][2]. Service providers contributed 59,000 jobs, while goods producers added 31,000 [2]. However, some sectors experienced losses: financial activities shed 16,000 jobs, professional and business services lost 11,000, and natural resources and mining declined by 1,000 positions [1][2]. Hiring in trade, transportation, and utilities was flat [1].
Base pay increased by 3.2% year-over-year, and gross pay accelerated by 4.7% [2]. Much of the employment growth was concentrated in the Northeast, which added 56,000 jobs, and mid-sized companies (50–499 workers) saw gains of 54,000 [2].
The ADP report is seen as a precursor to the upcoming Bureau of Labor Statistics nonfarm payrolls report, for which Wall Street expects a gain of 84,000 jobs and the unemployment rate to remain at 4.1% [2]. Policymakers, including Federal Reserve officials, view the labor market as mostly sound following a growth scare in 2025, but persistent inflation remains a concern, prompting a quarter-point increase in benchmark borrowing rates earlier in September [2].
CONCLUSION
September’s private sector job gains exceeded expectations, signaling renewed strength in the U.S. labor market and solid pay growth. While some sectors saw losses, overall hiring was robust, particularly in education, health services, and the Northeast. The report supports a stable labor outlook, though inflation risks continue to influence monetary policy.