Employers added 130,000 jobs in January, blowing past expectations

February 11, 2026

TL;DR

U.S. employers added 130,000 jobs in January, surpassing economist predictions.
The healthcare sector led hiring with 82,000 jobs, followed by social assistance (42,000) and construction (33,000).
The federal government and financial activities sectors shed jobs.
Revisions to 2025 data significantly reduced job creation figures to 181,000, the lowest since 2020.
The unemployment rate decreased to 4.3% in January from 4.4% in December.
Average hourly wages increased by 0.4% from December to January and 3.7% annually.
Layoffs surged in January, reaching their highest level for the month since 2009.
The stronger-than-expected jobs report supports the Federal Reserve's decision to hold interest rates steady.

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