January 2025 Jobs Report: Employers Add 143,000 Jobs

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Employers expanded payrolls by 143,000 jobs in January, according to the latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That figure fell short of economists’ forecasts of about 170,000 jobs.

However, the BLS also notes that job gains in November and December combined were 100,000 higher than previously reported.

National unemployment rate dropped slightly to 4.0%

The BLS reports the U.S. unemployment rate in January was 4.0%, down from 4.1% in December. That is the lowest level since May 2024.

The rate for college-degreed professionals who are 25 or older also decreased last month, falling from 2.4% in December to 2.3%. These professionals are in the highest demand by employers.

Other recent BLS data shows many highly skilled jobs in fields such as finance and accounting, technology, legal, marketing and creative, healthcare, human resources, and administrative and customer support have even lower unemployment rates.

Private education and health services industry added 61,000 jobs in January

Employers in private education and health services increased payrolls by 61,000 jobs last month. These industries also saw significant job gains in January, according to the BLS:

Retail trade: 34,300 jobs added

Government: 32,000 jobs added

Modest gains were reported in these industries:

Financial activities: 7,000 jobs added

Construction: 4,000 jobs added

Manufacturing: 3,000 jobs added

Wholesale trade: 2,000 jobs added

Information: 2,000 jobs added

Find out more about industries hiring right now.

U.S. labor market remains resilient—but fewer workers on the job hunt

While the job growth reported in the January jobs report did not meet economists’ projections, hiring is holding steady. Job openings are still well above historical averages, even as they declined from 8.1 million to 7.6 million in the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS) report. This underscores that the demand for talent persists.

Also, according to Robert Half’s State of U.S. Hiring Survey, 63% of managers at companies of all sizes plan to add new permanent positions to their workforce in the first half of this year.

However, it’s likely many employers will find it challenging to meet their hiring goals in the months ahead. The JOLTS report shows voluntary quits continue to trend downward, as many professionals opt to stay in their current roles. New Robert Half research finds only 29% of workers plan to search for a new job in early 2025, down from 35% in mid-2024. Many cite satisfaction with current compensation, fair workloads and job expectations, and a positive workplace culture as their reasons for staying put.

With fewer workers active in the job market, employers need to focus more on retention efforts. They also need to ensure they aren’t constrained by slow hiring processes, so they can move quickly to secure top candidates when they find them.

Learn about the downsides of a long recruitment process—and how to overcome them.

Robert Half’s 2025 Salary Guide delivers numbers you can count on

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The 2025 Salary Guide From Robert Half covers hiring and compensation trends across seven professional fields: finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, healthcare, and human resources.

Our annual guide features exclusive data and input from employers and workers, and from our recruiters who staff tens of thousands of jobs each year. The Salary Guide can be a valuable resource, whether you’re launching a job search, actively hiring talent or developing a staffing strategy for your business.

Dig deeper into the latest hiring trends with our Demand for Skilled Talent report

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Robert Half’s Demand for Skilled Talent report delivers detailed data and analysis on trends in the hiring market. Get insight into employers’ hiring plans and challenges in 2025, hiring trends by profession, and the risks of not prioritizing succession and talent pipeline planning.

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