ADP National Employment Report: Private Sector Employment Increased by 22,000 Jobs in January; Annual Pay was Up 4.5%
Rhea-AI Summary
ADP (ADP) reported private sector employment rose by 22,000 jobs in January 2026 and annual pay for job-stayers increased 4.5% year‑over‑year. The report noted total 2025 private‑sector job gains of 398,000, down from 771,000 in 2024, and a December revision to 37,000.
Industry highlights: education and health services added jobs, manufacturing lost jobs, and the report incorporates an annual reweight to QCEW benchmark data through March 2025.
Positive
- Pay growth for job-stayers +4.5% year-over-year
- Education and health services added 74,000 jobs in January
- Annual benchmark reweighting aligns data with QCEW through March 2025
Negative
- Private job creation in 2025 fell to 398,000 from 771,000 in 2024
- Manufacturing lost jobs every month since March 2024
- Net private payrolls added only 22,000 jobs in January 2026
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
ADP fell 5.04%, while key software/data peers also declined: ADBE -3.82%, CDNS -5.40%, MSTR -4.91%, INTU -7.34%, NOW -4.56%. The broad, same-direction weakness suggests sector-wide pressure alongside the macro labor update.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 28 | AI product launch | Positive | -1.5% | Launch of ADP Assist AI agents to automate HR and payroll workflows. |
| Jan 28 | Earnings results | Neutral | -1.5% | Reported Q2 FY2026 results and updated fiscal 2026 outlook. |
| Jan 27 | Jobs data update | Negative | -1.4% | NER Pulse showed slowing weekly private job gains into early January. |
| Jan 21 | Corporate recognition | Positive | +0.7% | Named to Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies list for 20th year. |
| Jan 20 | Jobs data update | Negative | -2.0% | NER Pulse flagged modest hiring slowdown into year-end 2025. |
Recent ADP macro and corporate updates have often coincided with modest negative price reactions, even when the news itself was operationally positive or neutral.
Over the past few weeks, ADP has issued several updates, including AI-focused product launches, preliminary employment estimates, recognition as one of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies, and its Q2 FY2026 results. Despite largely positive or neutral themes, the stock saw negative reactions of around 1–2% following AI and employment data releases, and a small gain of 0.74% on the Fortune accolade. Today’s full January National Employment Report extends that macro-labor narrative, against a backdrop of prior mild selloffs on similar releases.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights a January gain of 22,000 private-sector jobs and steady wage growth of 4.5% for job-stayers, alongside slower annual job creation versus 2024. Sector details, like a 74,000 gain in education and health and a -8,000 loss in manufacturing, add nuance to the labor picture ADP provides. Investors may track future ADP employment releases, wage trends, and upcoming report dates such as the next release on March 4, 2026 for continuity in the data series.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
The ADP National Employment Report is an independent measure of the labor market based on the anonymized weekly payroll data of more than 26 million private-sector employees in
"Job creation took a step back in 2025, with private employers adding 398,000 jobs, down from 771,000 in 2024," said Dr. Nela Richardson, chief economist, ADP. "While we've seen a continuous and dramatic slowdown in job creation for the past three years, wage growth has remained stable."
January 2026 Report Highlights
View the ADP National Employment Report and interactive charts at www.adpemploymentreport.com.
JOBS REPORT
Private employers added 22,000 jobs in January
In a lackluster month for hiring, the education and health services sector was a standout, adding 74,000 jobs. Leading the slowdown was manufacturing, which has lost jobs every month since March 2024, professional and business services, and large employers.
Change in
Change by Industry
-Goods-producing: 1,000
- Natural resources/mining 0
- Construction 9,000
- Manufacturing -8,000
-Service-providing: 21,000
- Trade/transportation/utilities 4,000
- Information -5,000
- Financial activities 14,000
- Professional/business services -57,000
- Education/health services 74,000
- Leisure/hospitality 4,000
- Other services -13,000
Change by
-Northeast: 17,000
- New England 6,000
- Mid-Atlantic 11,000
-Midwest: 25,000
- East North Central 8,000
- West North Central 17,000
-South: -10,000
- South Atlantic -76,000
- East South Central 19,000
- West South Central 47,000
-West: -11,000
- Mountain 11,000
- Pacific -22,000
Change by Establishment Size
-Small establishments: 0
- 1-19 employees 30,000
- 20-49 employees -30,000
-Medium establishments: 41,000
- 50-249 employees 37,000
- 250-499 employees 4,000
-Large establishments: -18,000
- 500+ employees -18,000
PAY INSIGHTS
Pay for job-stayers rose 4.5 percent in January
Pay growth for job-stayers was little changed in January at 4.5 percent year-over-year. For job-changers, annualized pay growth slowed to 6.4 percent from 6.6 percent.
Median Change in Annual Pay
-Job-stayers
-Job-changers
Median Change in Annual Pay for Job-Stayers by Industry
-Goods-producing:
- Natural resources/mining
4.3% - Construction
4.7% - Manufacturing
5.0%
-Service-providing:
- Trade/transportation/utilities
4.3% - Information
4.1% - Financial activities
5.2% - Professional/business services
4.3% - Education/health services
4.4% - Leisure/hospitality
4.7% - Other services
4.1%
Median Change in Annual Pay for Job-Stayers by Firm Size
-Small firms:
- 1-19 employees
2.5% - 20-49 employees
4.1%
-Medium firms:
- 50-249 employees
4.7% - 250-499 employees
4.8%
-Large firms:
- 500+ employees
5.0%
To see Pay Insights by
The December total number of jobs added was revised from 41,000 to 37,000.
The January 2026 report reflects a scheduled annual revision of the ADP National Employment Report. The data series has been reweighted to match the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) benchmark data through March 2025.
Beginning this month, in addition to the annual benchmark revision, the ADP National Employment Report also will reflect data from the most recent QCEW release.
For additional information about the ADP National Employment Report, including historical files, employment and pay data, methodology, and a calendar of release dates, please visit https://adpemploymentreport.com/.
The February 2026 ADP National Employment Report will be released on March 4, 2026 at 8:15 a.m. ET.
About ADP Research
The mission of ADP Research is to make the future of work more productive through data-driven discovery. Companies, workers, and policy makers rely on our finely tuned data and unique perspective to make informed decisions that impact workplaces around the world.
To subscribe to monthly email alerts or obtain additional information about ADP Research, including employment and pay data, methodology, and a calendar of release dates, please visit https://www.adpresearch.com.
About ADP (NASDAQ: ADP)
ADP has been shaping the world of work with innovation and expertise for more than 75 years. As a global leader in HR and payroll solutions, ADP continuously works to solve business challenges for our clients and their workers, from simple, easy-to-use tools for small businesses to fully integrated platforms for global enterprises – and everything in between. Always Designing for People means we're focused on just that – people. We use our unmatched AI-driven insights and proven expertise to design innovative solutions that help people achieve greater success at work. More than 1.1 million clients across 140+ countries rely on ADP's exceptional service to support their people and drive their business forward. HR, Talent, Time Management, Benefits, Compliance, and Payroll. Learn more at ADP.com
ADP, the ADP logo, and Always Designing for People, ADP National Employment Report, and ADP Research are registered trademarks of ADP, Inc. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
Copyright © 2026 ADP, Inc. All rights reserved.
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SOURCE ADP, Inc.
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