Economy Added 850,000 Jobs in June

Washington, DC, July 2, 2021–Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 850,000 in June, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 5.9%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, public and private education, professional and business services, retail trade and other services.

Both the unemployment rate and the number of unemployed people, at 9.5 million, were little changed in June. These measures are down considerably from their recent highs in April 2020 but remain well above their levels prior to the pandemic (3.5% and 5.7 million, respectively, in February 2020).