The U.S. economy added 177,000 jobs in April, better than the expected 133,000, while the unemployment rate stayed the same from the previous month at 4.2 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.
Employment gains were seen in health care, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, and social assistance, BLS said, while federal government employment fell, consistent with workforce cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency.
The White House highlighted important takeaways from the report:
- Private education and health services: +70,000
- Transportation and warehousing: +29,000
- Leisure and hospitality: +24,000
- Professional and business services: +17,000
- Financial activities: +14,000
- Labor force participation grew as more Americans enter the workforce during President Trump’s Golden Age.
- Americans’ wages continue to rise, with real average hourly wages up by nearly 4% over the past year.
- Construction employment increased for the third straight month, adding 11,000 new jobs — with no evidence of labor shortages in sight.
- The federal government cut jobs for the third straight month as President Trump implements his bold vision to right-size the bureaucracy.
"The jobs report once again beat expectations," the Department of Labor said on X. "We are continuing to see the benefits of @POTUS’ efforts to strengthen our economy and put the hardworking men and women of America first."
The White House's Rapid Response account on X shared a number of clips discussing the report.
🚨 CNBC: "Nonfarm payrolls — a GREATER 177,000. We were expecting... 133,000." pic.twitter.com/cs4TLSAvs1
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 2, 2025
PAYNE: “As I look at this initially, the one thing that really jumps out to me, that I love – transportation and warehousing… up 29,000… maybe some of this manufacturing, some of those deals that the White House has announced–maybe we’re starting to see that already play out.” pic.twitter.com/rF0XHYEEZF
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 2, 2025
.@StephenMoore reacts to the jobs report: "436,000 increase in the number of people who are employed. So, this is an amazing report... The labor force participation rate rose. So, this is a very strong number." pic.twitter.com/CuAPwD52Yn
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 2, 2025
SHULMAN: “The numbers… I was a little surprised to see how strong they were. But this is very encouraging because we’re already seeing many of the companies… already reshoring some of their jobs.”
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 2, 2025
WELCOME TO THE GOLDEN AGE. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Jn7dXoiAFE
“This is the second month in a row where the jobs report has beat expectations," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. "Wages are continuing to rise and labor force participation is increasing. This is exactly what we want to see. More Americans working for higher wages. More winning is on the way!”