U.S. employers added 165,000 jobs in October, and the unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday^1,3,4.

Economists had expected a much smaller payroll gain: CBS News cited a FactSet forecast of 65,000 jobs, while CNBC said the consensus was 59,000^1,3. AP's pre-release roundup also cited a FactSet survey pointing to 65,000 jobs and a 4.2 percent jobless rate².

BLS said the jobless rate and the number of unemployed people, 7.1 million, changed little, and that the rate has stayed between 4.1 percent and 4.3 percent since March⁴. CBS and CNBC described the 4.1 percent reading as a decline from 4.2 percent the prior month^1,3.

Payroll growth in October was above the 48,000 average monthly gain over the prior 12 months, BLS said⁴. Professional and business services added 70,000 jobs, health care 42,000, transportation and warehousing 25,000, and manufacturing 19,000⁴. Other major industries, including construction, retail, leisure and hospitality, and government, showed little change⁴.

Average hourly earnings for all private-sector employees rose 14 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $38.00, up 3.1 percent over 12 months⁴. The average workweek stayed at 34.4 hours⁴. Labor force participation was 61.9 percent⁴.

BLS revised August payrolls up by 53,000, to 186,000, and September up by 31,000, to 60,000, a combined 84,000 more jobs than previously reported⁴.

The number of people working part time for economic reasons rose by 339,000 to 4.8 million, BLS said⁴. Long-term unemployment was little changed at 2.0 million, or 27.6 percent of the unemployed⁴.

The next Employment Situation report, covering November, is scheduled for Dec. 4, 2026⁴.