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Private companies added 86,000 jobs in October, slightly higher than expected, ADP says
ADP says private employers added 86,000 jobs in October, slightly above expectations.
Key points
- Private companies added 86,000 jobs in October, the same as the downwardly revised September total.
- Trade, transportation and utilities led gains with 39,000 new jobs, while professional services lost 27,000.
- Workers changing jobs saw a 4.8% annual pay gain, and the BLS nonfarm payrolls report is due Friday.
Why it matters. The ADP figures are a precursor to the BLS nonfarm payrolls count, so the data may shape expectations for Friday's labor market report.
ADP reported Wednesday that private employers added 86,000 jobs in October, the same as a downwardly revised September total and slightly above the Dow Jones estimate of 75,000. Trade, transportation and utilities led with 39,000 new jobs, while education and health services added 28,000 and leisure and hospitality added 19,000. Professional and business services shed 27,000 jobs, and information services lost 2,000, a sector potentially affected by the AI buildout.
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Private companies added 86,000 jobs in October, slightly higher than expected, ADP says
Private-sector job growth held steady in October, with gains spread across sectors Jobseekers speak to recruiters at the NC4ME hiring event for military veterans in Wilmington, North Carolina, US, on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. Allison Joyce | Bloomberg | Getty Images Private sector job growth held steady in October, with gains spread across sectors, as the labor market showed fresh signs of stabilization, ADP reported Wednesday. The payrolls processing firm said companies added 86,000 jobs during the month, the same as the downwardly revised total for September and slightly ahead of the Dow Jones estimate for 75,000. Employment gains came mainly in the service sector. Trade, transportation and utilities led with 39,000 new jobs, while education and health services added 28,000, and leisure and hospitality contributed 19,000. Other sectors showing gains included financial activities (15,000), construction (13,000) and other services (10,000). However, some of the gains were offset by a decline of 27,000 in professional and business services and a loss of 8,000 in natural resources and mining. Information services, a sector potentially impacted by the artificial intelligence buildout, lost 2,000 jobs. Salaries continued to show gains, particularly for those changing jobs — those workers saw a 4.8% annual gain. A report Tuesday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the nu.