U.S. labor report for May shows a surprising 172,000 jobs added to the economy

Unemployment stayed at 4.3% for the month of May.

FILE – A job seeker waits to talk to a recruiter at a job fair Aug. 28, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. [Photo: Marta Lavandier/AP Photo]

U.S. employers added a surprising 172,000 jobs in May as the labor market continued to show resilience in the face of rising costs from the Iran war.The Labor Department reported Friday that job growth was down slightly last month from a revised 179,000 in April. The unemployment rate stayed at a low 4.3%Hiring has bounced back this year from a miserable 2025, showing unexpected strength in the face of economic uncertainty and painfully high energy prices caused by the Iran war.Unemployment remained at a low 4.3% in May.The job gains were broad-based. Local governments added 55,000 workers, restaurants and bars 48,000, healthcare companies 35,000.In another sign of job market strength, Labor Department revisions added a combined 93,000 jobs in March and April. Monthly job gains have now topped 100,000 for three straight months.“The hiring recession is over. American firms are hiring again,” said Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. The job rebound is happening in almost every industry … This is encouraging news........

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