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FinanceADP: US private payrolls rose by 38,000 in August, missing estimates
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Private U.S. companies added 38,000 jobs in August, according to ADP, falling short of the Dow Jones consensus estimate of 47,000 and marking the smallest gain since January. The July figure was revised upward to 46,000. Job growth was concentrated in three sectors: education and health services (45,000), leisure and hospitality (16,000), and construction (12,000). Manufacturing lost 17,000 jobs, professional and business services declined by 16,000, and natural resources/mining as well as trade/transportation/utilities each fell by 5,000. Large businesses with 500+ employees drove most gains, adding 34,000 jobs, while small firms with fewer than 50 employees added only 3,000. Pay growth remained steady, with base pay rising 3% year-over-year for job-stayers and gross pay up 4.4%. The ADP report precedes the Bureau of Labor Statistics' nonfarm payrolls release on Friday, which is expected to show an increase of 53,000 jobs after July's decline of 23,000, with the unemployment rate forecast at 4.1%.
Source report
(L-R) Cesar Colon and Katherine Sloan speak with Dalia Sevilla Rubio, who is recruiting for GA Telesis, during a CareerSource South Florida job fair held at Miami International Airport for former Spirit Airlines employees on May 7, 2026, in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Private U.S. companies added jobs at a slightly slower-than-expected pace in August, with gains concentrated heavily in health care and a few other industries, ADP reported Wednesday.
Key Figures
- Total jobs added: 38,000 — the smallest monthly gain since January
- July revised figure: 46,000 (upwardly revised)
- Dow Jones consensus estimate: 47,000
Sector Breakdown
Sectors with Job Gains
- Education and health services: +45,000 (led all categories)
- Leisure and hospitality: +16,000
- Construction: +12,000
Sectors with Job Losses
- Manufacturing: -17,000
- Professional and business services: -16,000
- Natural resources and mining: -5,000
- Trade, transportation, and utilities: -5,000
Business Size Breakdown
- Large firms (500+ employees): +34,000
- Small firms (fewer than 50 employees): +3,000
Pay Growth
ADP introduced a new feature in August breaking down pay growth between base and gross pay (the latter including tips, commissions, bonuses, and other earnings).
For workers staying in their jobs
- Base pay: +3% year-over-year (unchanged from July)
- Gross pay: +4.4% year-over-year (unchanged from July)
For all workers
- Base pay: +3.2% year-over-year
- Gross pay: +4.7% year-over-year
Outlook
The ADP report serves as a precursor to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' nonfarm payrolls release, due out Friday. Economists expect:
- Nonfarm payrolls: +53,000 (following a decline of 23,000 in July)
- Unemployment rate: Forecast to hold at 4.1%
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U.S. private payrolls add only 38,000 in August, weakest since January, ADP reports