The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that U.S. employers expanded payrolls by 943,000 jobs last month. These gains outpace many analysts’ expectations of about 850,000 jobs.

The latest jobs report from the BLS also notes that new job creation in May and June was higher than previously reported — by 119,000 positions. With these adjustments, the U.S. economy has seen employment rise by more than 4.3 million jobs since the beginning of 2021.

The leisure and hospitality industry, which experienced severe job losses at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, was once again a key contributor to job growth, with employers in the sector adding 380,000 jobs. The BLS reports that employers in government also increased their hiring significantly last month, adding 240,000 jobs.

These industries also saw notable job growth in July, according to the BLS:

  • Education and health services: 87,000 jobs added
  • Professional and business services: 60,000 jobs added
  • Transportation and warehousing: 49,700 jobs added
  • Manufacturing: 27,000 jobs added
  • Information: 24,000 jobs added
  • Financial activities: 22,000 jobs added

National unemployment rate dials down to 5.4%

The unemployment rate last month was 5.4%, moving down from 5.9% in June.

The unemployment rate for college-degreed workers who are 25 or older also decreased to 3.1% in July, from 3.5% in June. These workers are in highest demand by employers.

Many in-demand roles have even lower unemployment rates, other BLS data show. Examples include accountants and auditors (2.8%), attorneys (1.9%), executive administrative assistants (1.2%), and software developers (1.2%).

Number of employed persons working remotely declined in July

In July, 13.2% of employed persons worked remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic, down from 14.4% in June. The BLS describes these workers as employed persons who worked away from the office for pay at some point in the last four weeks specifically because of the pandemic.

Separate BLS data shows more than 10 million open jobs

The BLS has also released its latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS) report, showing that there were 10.1 million job openings in the United States on the last business day of June.

This figure marks a record number for the JOLTS series, which launched in December 2000.

Get insights on the latest hiring trends

The Demand for Skilled Talent report from Robert Half provides the latest data on hiring trends and top positions for several key industries at a glance. Our latest edition features research on how U.S. workers are feeling about the current job market, the hiring and retention challenges employers face as they adapt to the needs of a mobile workforce, and much more.

View the full report on the Robert Half website.