New Jersey Employment Report: May 2026

nj.gov

Preliminary nonfarm employment estimates for May, produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, indicate that New Jersey payrolls increased by 2,200 over the month, resulting in a seasonally adjusted employment level of 4,388,200 jobs. The state’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage point to 4.7 percent from April to May.

Employment estimates for April were revised upward to show a March to April gain of 7,100 nonfarm jobs (preliminary estimate: +5,600). The state’s unemployment rate for April remained at 4.8 percent.