US Job Growth Was Under Expectations In Final Month Of 2025

The U.S. economy added 50,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in December 2025, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released Friday.

The December employment report comes on the heels of job growth having changed little in November 2025, with the U.S. economy adding 64,000 nonfarm payroll jobs, the BLS reported on Dec. 16. Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate changed little in December at 4.4%, compared to 4.6% the month prior, according to the BLS.

Economists surveyed by Dow Jones projected that the U.S. economy would add about 73,000 new nonfarm payroll jobs in December, marking an increase from November, CNBC reported on Wednesday. The unemployment rate was expected to edge down slightly to 4.5% last month, according to CNBC.

“The falling unemployment rate, strong real wage growth, and private-sector job creation suggest the labor market is solidifying and setting the stage for a big 2026,” Job Creators Network CEO Alfredo Ortiz said in a statement provided to the 🏢Daily Caller News Foundation. “Government jobs are down by nearly 300,000 over the past year, and the number of discouraged workers declined by nearly 200,000 last month. Combined with the increased quits rate, this data shows workers are increasingly confident they will find jobs.”

“And the real labor market is stronger than the topline figures suggest,” Ortiz added. “The job market is a lagging indicator of economic conditions. Pro-growth Republican policies such as tax cuts, deregulation, and low gas prices have supercharged economic growth in recent months, giving small businesses more ability to expand and hire. As these economic benefits begin being felt by Main Street, the labor market will significantly strengthen in the months to come, boosting affordability and living standards for all Americans.”