Actalent Labor Market and Economy Report: A Look at Trends in June 2026

U.S. employment increased by 57,000 jobs in June, falling significantly below economists’ expectations.

By industry, job gains were largely concentrated in professional and business services (+36,000), social assistance (+25,100) and healthcare (+21,500).

Revisions to prior months suggest slightly weaker job gains than initially reported. April's employment increase was revised from 179,000 to 148,000, while May's gain was revised from 172,000 to 129,000. It is worth noting that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) routinely updates employment estimates in the months following their initial release as more complete data becomes available. April's job gain was initially reported at 115,000, revised up to 179,000, and ultimately finalized at 148,000, which remains above the original estimate.

Among the industries Actalent supports, most saw little change in employment from the prior month. Healthcare remains a key driver of job growth, and employment in aerospace manufacturing has increased considerably over the last year due to ongoing demand from both the commercial and defense sectors. In contrast, automotive manufacturing employment is down 2.2% from a year ago as automakers navigate headwinds including slower-than-expected EV adoption, economic uncertainty and growing competition from Chinese manufacturers.

Average hourly earnings rose 3.5% in June, continuing a moderation in wage growth. For comparison, annual earnings growth ranged from 3.7% to 4.0% between June 2025 and February 2026.