NYS Private Sector Employment Up 20,200 Jobs in January 2026

 

Unemployment Rate Held Steady at 4.6%

 According to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures released today by the New York State Department of Labor, the number of private sector jobs in New York State increased over the month by 20,200, or 0.2%, to 8,483,600 in January 2026. The number of private sector jobs in the U.S. increased by 0.1% in January 2026.

     New York State's private sector jobs (not seasonally adjusted) increased by 18,400, or 0.2%, over the year in January 2026, less than the 0.4% increase in the number of private sector jobs in the U.S.

     New York State's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held constant at 4.6% in January 2026. At the same time, New York State's labor force (seasonally adjusted) increased by 24,400. The statewide labor force participation rate increased to 61.7% in January 2026.

     The number of private sector jobs in New York State is based on a payroll survey of New York businesses conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Monthly payroll employment estimates are preliminary and subject to revision as more complete data become available the following month. The BLS calculates New York State’s unemployment rate based partly upon the results of the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS) of approximately 3,100 households in the State.

     Jobs data are revised at the end of each year for all states and the nation as more complete information becomes available from employers’ Unemployment Insurance records. This process is called “benchmarking” and is federally mandated. For a comparison of 2024 – 2025 annual data after benchmarking, see Summary of Annual Results beginning on page 14.

     Labor force data, including unemployment rates, are also revised at the end of each year, using methods established by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The revised labor force data show that New York State’s annual average unemployment rate increased from 4.2% in 2024 to 4.3% in 2025.

Note: Seasonally adjusted data are used to provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. Non-seasonally adjusted data are valuable in year-to-year comparisons of the same month – for example, January 2025 versus January 2026.

Statewide Industry Employment

January 2026 – Seasonally Adjusted

• On a net basis, the total number of nonfarm jobs in the state increased by 23,800 over the month, while private sector jobs increased by 20,200 in January 2026.
• At the same time, the total number of nonfarm jobs in the nation increased by 126,000, while private sector jobs increased by 146,000.

NYS Exceeded Nation in Job Growth

Over-the-Month % Change in Total Nonfarm & Private Sector Jobs, December 2025 – January 2026   Total Nonfarm and Private Sector Jobs Increased in January 2026 Total Nonfarm and Private Sector Jobs (in 1000s), January 1990 – January 2026 Statewide Unemployment January 2026 – Seasonally Adjusted The statewide unemployment rate held constant at 4.6% in January 2026. New York City’s unemployment rate held constant at 5.7%. In the rest of the state, the unemployment rate held constant at 3.8% in January 2026. The number of unemployed New Yorkers increased over the month by 600 from 464,800 in December 2025 to 465,400 in January 2026. NYS Unemployment Rate Unchanged Over the Month Labor Force Statistics, January 2025, December 2025 - January 2026 Labor Force and Number of Unemployed Increased Unemployment Rate, NYS & US, January 2009 - January 2026 Unemployment Rate Unchanged in NYC and Balance of State Unemployment Rate, NYC & BOS, January 2009 - January 2026 Substate and Industry Employment  January 2026 – Not Seasonally Adjusted New York State Gained Private Sector Jobs Over the Year Over-the-Year Change in Total Nonfarm & Private Sector Jobs, January 2025 – January 2026 Note: The sum of sub-state area job estimates will usually differ from the New York State total. This is because the State total is calculated separately from the sub-state areas and is estimated based on an independent sample. Private Education and Health Services Jobs Increased by 2.0% Over the Year Over-the-Year Change in Jobs by Major Industry Sector, January 2025 – January 2026                  *Government includes public education and public health services. Note: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is responsible for the production of monthly estimates of state and metro area nonfarm employment by industry. More detailed information is available on the BLS web site. Many economic data series have a seasonal pattern, which means they tend to occur at the same time each year (e.g., retail jobs usually increase in December). Seasonal adjustment is the process of removing seasonal effects from a data series. This is done to simplify the data so that they may be more easily interpreted and help to reveal true underlying trends. Seasonal adjustment permits comparisons of data from one month to data from any other month. In New York State, payroll jobs data by industry come from a monthly survey of business establishments conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data are preliminary and subject to revision. Jobs data by industry do not include agricultural workers, the self-employed, unpaid family workers, or domestic workers in private households. Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, for New York and every other state are based on statistical regression models specified by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s unemployment rate is based partly upon the results of the Current Population Survey, which contacts approximately 3,100 households in New York each month.              Jobs and Unemployment Fact Sheet This fact sheet conveys important technical information that will contribute to a better understanding of labor force data (“household survey”), including resident employment/unemployment rates, and jobs by industry data (“business survey”), which are presented in the New York State Department of Labor’s monthly press release. State Unemployment Rates Based on Regression Model Beginning with data for January 1996, unemployment rates for New York State and all other states (as well as New York City and the City of Los Angeles) have been estimated using time-series regression statistical models developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Advantage of Regression Model Use of a time-series regression model reduces the month-to-month variation in unemployment rates and resident employment by reducing variation caused by sampling errors and other components of statistical noise (irregularities). Benchmarking of Estimates Once each year, labor force estimates, such as civilian labor force and the unemployment rate, are revised to reflect updated input data including new Census Bureau populations controls, newly revised establishment jobs data and new state-level annual average data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). As part of this procedure, all state figures are reviewed, revised as necessary and then re-estimated. This process is commonly referred to as “benchmarking.” Changes in Methodology Labor force estimates are now produced with an improved time-series regression model, which utilizes “real-time” benchmarking. “Real-time” benchmarking reduces end-of-year revisions, which also means that major economic events will be reflected in a more-timely manner in state labor force estimates. In addition, the new methodology includes an updated way of estimating for sub-state areas (e.g., counties, metro areas) the number of unemployed who are new entrants or re-entrants into the labor force. This change in methodology will result in lower unemployment rates in some areas and increased rates in others. Unemployed and UI Beneficiaries The estimate of the number of unemployed includes all persons who had no employment during the reference week (the week including the 12th of the month), were available for work, except for temporary illness, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the reference week. Unemployment insurance (UI) beneficiaries include those who apply for and qualify for UI benefits. Consequently, the estimate of the number of unemployed and the number of UI beneficiaries do not necessarily move in tandem. Jobs Data Jobs data are obtained from a separate joint federal-state survey of business establishments. The survey, called the Current Employment Statistics of Establishments, samples establishments in New York State. It excludes self-employed workers, agricultural workers, unpaid family workers and domestic workers employed by private households. This data represents a count of jobs by place of work. Data for each month is revised the following month as more complete information becomes available. Summary of Annual Results Kingston and Syracuse Had The Fastest Private Sector Job Growth in 2025  % Change in Annual Average Jobs, U.S., New York State & Metro Areas, 2023-2024 & 2024-2025                                                                                                                                                        Two New York State Metro Areas and Four Non-Metro Counties Lost Private Sector Jobs in 2025 % Change in Annual Average Private Sector Jobs, New York State Metro Areas & Non-Metro Counties, 2024-2025 Job highlights for New York State metro areas: In 2025, private sector jobs increased most rapidly in these New York State metro areas: Kingston (+1.9%) Syracuse (+1.9%) Nassau-Suffolk (+1.2%) Albany-Schenectady-Troy (+0.9%) Kyrias Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh (+0.8%) Rochester (+0.8%) In addition, private sector employment grew by 1.1% in New York State’s non-metro counties in 2025. More than Half of the State’s Private Sector Job Gains were in Private Education and Health Services Change in Annual Average Jobs by Industry, New York State, 2024-2025                                                                                                                                             Job highlights for statewide industries: The state’s annual average private sector employment increased by 48,600,or 0.6%, to 8,435,500 in 2025. Private education and health services added the most jobs (+64,000) of any industry sector in the state in 2025. Sector job gains were greatest in health care and social assistance (+61,500), especially social assistance (+99,800). The second largest increase was in financial activities (+7,900). The largest sector gains occurred in finance and insurance (+9,600), especially securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments and related activities (+7,500). The third largest increase occurred in professional and business services (+900). Sector gains were concentrated in management of companies and enterprises (+2,300). The New York State Department of Labor is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program.