U.S. Economy Added 50,000 Jobs in December 2025

By Tom Burnett CFA
On January 9, 2026, the Bureau Of Labor Statistics issued its Employment Report for December 2025. Jobs increased by 50,000 and the Unemployment Rate fell from 4.6% in November to 4.4%. The number of job seekers was little changed at 7.5 million.
Hourly earnings for nonfarm payroll workers rose $0.12 to $37.02, up 3.8% from a year ago.
Revisions to prior monthly reports came to a reduction of 64,000 for October and November.
The next report will be issued on February 6, 2026.
Tom Burnett CFA is Director of Research