The U.S. economy added 139,000 news jobs in May, beating expectations for the third month in a row, while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday morning. Economists estimated last month's job growth to be at 125,000.
Job gains were mostly seen in healthcare, leisure and hospitality, and social assistance.
Health care added 62,000 jobs in May, higher than the average monthly gain of 44,000 over the prior 12 months. In May, job gains occurred in hospitals (+30,000), ambulatory health care services (+29,000), and skilled nursing care facilities (+6,000).
Employment in leisure and hospitality continued to trend up in May (+48,000), largely in food services and drinking places (+30,000). Over the prior 12 months, leisure and hospitality had added an average of 20,000 jobs per month.
In May, social assistance employment continued to trend up (+16,000), reflecting continued growth in individual and family services (+16,000). (BLS)
Federal government jobs continued to decline and were down 22,000 last month.
That’s nearly 700,000 NEW JOBS since Jan 20. With May beating expectations & hourly wages ⬆️, POTUS is delivering massive economic growth.
— Kelly Loeffler (@SBA_Kelly) June 6, 2025
More to come when Congress passes the One Big Beautiful Bill! https://t.co/bQdsrrCapl
.@SecretaryLCD: "139,000 jobs added to this economy is great for the American people. President Trump under his leadership invested in this. We're seeing it month after month. We are exceeding expectations." pic.twitter.com/Wr0b5XceWv
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 6, 2025
Council of Economic Advisers Chairman @SteveMiran reacts to yet another jobs report that exceeded expectations: "The President is succeeding in creating hundreds of thousands of jobs since he came into office... and they're all going to native-born Americans." pic.twitter.com/UEs6RnhVEM
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 6, 2025
.@StephenMoore: "This is a blockbuster economy we're seeing... This is telling us right now the jobs are out there for people who want them."
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 6, 2025
The American worker is once again being put first under President Donald J. Trump. pic.twitter.com/zjLwxelC28
President Trump’s America First Economic Agenda has created a BOOMING economy — jobs are up, unemployment is down, wages are increasing, and inflation is dead. More than 139,000 good jobs were added to the private sector in May, all accounted for by American-born workers.… pic.twitter.com/8QY8T6hmE8
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) June 6, 2025
Alfredo Ortiz, CEO of Job Creators Network, said the May report is a reflection of President Trump's "pro-growth, pro-energy policies."
"Small businesses and the private sector were responsible for these new jobs, with strong gains in the leisure and hospitality sector, a stark contrast from last year's labor market that was propped up by government jobs. Small businesses are confident and staffing up for summer," he said in a statement.
"Today's jobs market is just a taste of what's to come when the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, improving access to credit, and Republicans pass their big, beautiful bill, which expands and makes permanent the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act," Ortiz continued. "New JCN polling finds 70% of small businesses will create jobs, expand operations, boost worker wages, or reinvest in their communities if the TCJA is extended. Tax cuts now equal more jobs tomorrow."
Join the conversation as a VIP Member