Removing the healthcare sector will shock you with the growth of employment in the US.
Healthcare created 31,000 jobs in August, lower than the average monthly average of 42,000 over the past 12 months, but it accounts for all new jobs in the otherwise stagnant August US economy, reported the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Within healthcare, BLS reports outpatient care accounts for 13,000 jobs, while housing care and hospitals account for 9,000 new jobs each.
Overall, BLS' August Jobs report shows that non-farm payroll jobs are stagnating, growing with 22,000 jobs anemia, with analysts growing with about 50,000 fewer jobs than expected, and 15,000 federal jobs are pushing down the numbers. Since its launch in 2025, almost 100,000 federal jobs have been eliminated.
The US created 598,000 new jobs so far in 2025, compared to the 1.14 million jobs created so far in 2024, BLS data shows.
The unemployment rate for the month reached the highest level since 2021, up to 4.3%, with 7.4 million people classified as unemployed.
Manufacturing has lost 12,000 jobs in the last 12 months, reduced 78,000 jobs, wholesale has lost 12,000 jobs, and mining and oil and gas extraction have lost 6,000 jobs. The production of transport equipment reduced the employment of 15,000 people that month, and BLS was attributed to “strike activities.”
Social services (+16,000) also saw employment benefits.
The average hourly revenue for all employees on a private non-farm salary increased by 10 cents (0.3%) to $36.53 in August. Over the past 12 months, average hourly revenue has increased by 3.7%. In August, average hourly revenue and unapproved employees of private sector production increased by 12 cents (0.4%) to $31.46.
BLS statistics for August and July are considered reserved and subject to revision. So total non-farm salary employment in June fell 27,000 to -13,000 from +14,000, the first time the economy has reported net employment losses since the pandemic. Work in July increased from +73,000 to +79,000 to 6,000.
These revisions have made employment in June and July 21,000 lower than previously reported.
John Commins is the HealthLeaders newsletter editor.
