Healthcare led job creation in April, continuing a long-running hiring surge in hospitals, outpatient care, and social assistance.
Transportation and warehousing posted another strong month of gains, signaling steady consumer demand and supply-chain activity.
Retail and hospitality employers also expanded payrolls, helping push total U.S. job growth above economists’ expectations.
U.S. employers added 115,000 jobs in April, beating economists’ forecasts and showing the resilience of the labor market despite mounting economic uncertainty tied to higher energy prices and geopolitical tensions. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%, according to the Labor Department’s monthly Employment Situation report released Friday.
Health care once again accounted for the largest share of hiring gains. The sector added roughly 37,000 jobs during the month, continuing a trend that has made medical services one of the strongest sources of employment growth in the post-pandemic economy. Analysts said demand for nurses, outpatient care workers and support staff remained especially strong.
Transportation and warehousing also turned in a solid performance, adding about 30,000 positions as companies continued to rebuild logistics and delivery capacity.
Retail businesses expanded hiring as well, suggesting consumers are still spending despite concerns about inflation and rising fuel costs. Leisure and hospitality employers also contributed to payroll growth.
Where jobs declined
Not every sector shared in the gains. Manufacturing, information technology, and financial services all reported job losses in April, reflecting ongoing caution among white-collar employers and continued cost-cutting in some industries. Federal government employment also continued to decline.
Economists said the report suggests the labor market remains stable, though hiring has slowed compared with earlier years of the recovery. Average monthly job growth in 2026 has remained modest, but employers have largely avoided widespread layoffs.