June 2025 Jobs Report: Employers Add 147,000 Jobs

Article

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that U.S. employers expanded payrolls by 147,000 jobs last month. That figure exceeds economists’ projections of between 110,000 and 140,000 jobs.

The June jobs report also notes that the U.S. economy saw 16,000 more jobs added than previously reported for April and May combined.

Government and healthcare sectors among the top contributors to June’s job growth

Government employers led the way in payroll expansion last month, adding 73,000 positions. The private education and health services industry added 51,000 jobs. The following industries also saw job gains in June, according to the BLS:

Leisure and hospitality: 20,000 jobs added

Construction: 15,000 jobs added

Transportation and warehousing: 7,500 jobs added

Financial activities: 3,000 jobs added

Information: 3,000 jobs added

Retail trade: 2,400 jobs added

Industries that reported job losses last month include manufacturing (-7,000 jobs), professional and business services (-7,000 jobs) and wholesale trade (-6,600 jobs).

Unemployment rate dips to 4.1%

The national unemployment rate in June was 4.1%, down slightly from 4.2% in May.

The unemployment rate for college-degreed workers who are 25 or older—the professionals most highly sought-after by many employers—also decreased last month.

U.S. job openings hit 7.8 million as employers grapple with prolonged hiring timelines

The latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary from the BLS highlights employers’ ongoing challenges to locate candidates with the requisite skills. The number of job openings in the U.S. at the end of May was 7.8 million, up from 7.4 million in April. That is the highest level since November 2024.

Robert Half’s research finds many businesses are facing a more complex and lengthy hiring process, with 93% of hiring managers reporting it takes longer to recruit talent now than it did two years ago. Additionally, nearly a third (30%) said they have made a hiring mistake during that same period.

To streamline recruiting and reduce the risk of costly hiring missteps, employers should establish clear hiring timelines and consider using flexible staffing solutions to bridge immediate gaps in their workforce. Contract talent can step in quickly to provide much-needed skills and assist with moving critical projects and priorities forward. These professionals can also help businesses keep operations running smoothly while core team members take time off for summer vacations.

Need hiring help? Contact us.

Check out Robert Half’s Labor Market Overview page

View the data

Stay on top of the most current employment data from the BLS—including the unemployment rate and the last six months of job openings and quits level figures—to see how the hiring market is trending.

Explore our Demand for Skilled Talent report to understand the latest hiring trends

Read the report

Robert Half’s newly updated Demand for Skilled Talent report delivers detailed data and analysis on trends in the U.S. hiring market. Get insight into employers’ hiring plans and challenges for the second half of 2025, recruitment plans by company size, hiring trends by profession, the risks of not prioritizing succession and talent pipeline planning, and more.

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

Access the Salary Guide

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 organization.

Customer Service Week 2025: Creative Ideas to Celebrate Your Team

Open Enrollment: Workplace Benefits That Support Every Generation

Professional Growth in Finance: Follow These 6 Tips To Advance Your Career