US Annual Job Growth Revised Downward to Lowest Level Since 2003
Annual benchmark revisions from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) confirm that 2025 was the weakest year for American job growth outside of recessions since 2003.
Key details from the latest report include:
Total Job Gains: Initial estimates of 584,000 new jobs for 2025 were slashed by more than 400,000. The revised data shows the U.S. added just 181,000 jobs for the entire year.
Monthly Average: This equates to an average of roughly 15,000 jobs per month, a significant drop from the 168,000 average seen in 2024.
Sector Performance: Most gains were concentrated in healthcare and social assistance, while the federal government and financial activities experienced notable losses.
Unemployment Rate: Despite the stagnant hiring, the unemployment rate ended the year relatively low at 4.4% in December and ticked down further to 4.3% in January 2026 as the labor supply growth also slowed.
While 2025 was historically sluggish, the January 2026 jobs report offered a surprise rebound with 130,000 new jobs, nearly doubling economist expectations.