ADP National Employment Report: Private Sector Employment Increased by 63,000 Jobs in February; Annual Pay was Up 4.5%
Rhea-AI Summary
ADP (ADP) reported private-sector employment rose by 63,000 jobs in February 2026 and median pay for job-stayers increased 4.5% year-over-year. Hiring was strongest in construction and education/health services; job gains were concentrated in small firms and select regions.
Pay growth for job-changers slowed to 6.3%, and January's job gain was revised down to 11,000.
Positive
- Jobs +63,000 in February 2026
- Pay for job-stayers +4.5% YoY
- Strong hiring in construction and education/health services
- Small firms added 60,000 jobs (1–19 and 20–49 employees combined)
Negative
- Professional/business services lost 30,000 jobs
- Manufacturing declined by 5,000 jobs
- Medium establishments down 7,000 jobs (50–499 employees)
- January jobs figure revised down from 22,000 to 11,000
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
ADP gained 0.6% while key software peers were mixed: ADBE +4.19%, CDNS +1.46%, INTU +4.53%, NOW +4.81%, and MSTR -0.49%. Momentum scanners only flagged MSTR with a +7.10% move and no news, suggesting ADP’s reaction to this macro report was stock-specific rather than part of a broad sector rotation.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 02 | Product/AI launch | Positive | +0.3% | Launch of curated AI agents in ADP Marketplace to automate HR and payroll tasks. |
| Feb 24 | Jobs data update | Neutral | -0.0% | NER Pulse showed 4-week average of 12,750 private payroll gains through Feb 7, 2026. |
| Feb 17 | Jobs data update | Neutral | +0.5% | NER Pulse reported 10,250 average weekly job gains for four weeks ending Jan 31. |
| Feb 10 | Jobs data update | Neutral | -0.5% | NER Pulse estimated 6,500 average weekly job gains for four weeks ending Jan 24. |
| Feb 04 | Monthly jobs report | Neutral | -0.2% | January report showed 22,000 job gains and 4.5% annual pay growth for job-stayers. |
Recent ADP employment-related releases have triggered only modest share moves, with small gains and losses clustering around zero, suggesting markets treat these reports as incremental macro data rather than major stock-specific catalysts.
Over the last month, ADP has repeatedly highlighted its role as a labor-market data provider through the National Employment Report and NER Pulse series. Releases on Feb 10, Feb 17, and Feb 24 detailed gradual strengthening in private job gains, with 4‑week averages between 6,500 and 12,750 jobs and muted stock reactions of between about -0.48% and +0.46%. The full January report on Feb 4 showing 22,000 jobs and 4.5% pay growth also generated a small move of -0.17%. Today’s February report, with higher job additions and similar pay growth, fits this pattern of steady but not transformative news flow.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights ADP’s continued role as a leading private-sector labor market gauge, reporting 63,000 new private jobs in February and steady 4.5% annual pay growth for job-stayers. Historical ADP employment reports over recent months have produced only minor stock moves, suggesting investors view them as steady macro indicators. Observers may watch upcoming releases, such as the March report due April 1, 2026, for trends in sector-specific hiring and pay dynamics.
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
"We've seen an increase in hiring and pay gains remain solid, especially for job-stayers," said Dr. Nela Richardson, chief economist, ADP. "But with hiring concentrated in only a few sectors, our data shows no widespread pay benefit from changing jobs. In fact, the pay premium for switching employers hit a record low in February."
February 2026 Report Highlights
View the ADP National Employment Report and interactive charts at www.adpemploymentreport.com.
JOBS REPORT
Private employers added 63,000 jobs in February
Hiring jumped in February, delivering the best showing for job gains since July 2025. Construction and education and health services led the growth.
Change in
Change by Industry
- Goods-producing: 16,000
- Natural resources/mining 2,000
- Construction 19,000
- Manufacturing -5,000
- Service-providing: 47,000
- Trade/transportation/utilities -1,000
- Information 11,000
- Financial activities 2,000
- Professional/business services -30,000
- Education/health services 58,000
- Leisure/hospitality 1,000
- Other services 6,000
Change by
- Northeast: 11,000
- New England 9,000
- Mid-Atlantic 2,000
- Midwest: -4,000
- East North Central -8,000
- West North Central 4,000
- South: 37,000
- South Atlantic 5,000
- East South Central 6,000
- West South Central 26,000
- West: 19,000
- Mountain 3,000
- Pacific 16,000
Change by Establishment Size
- Small establishments: 60,000
- 1-19 employees 58,000
- 20-49 employees 2,000
- Medium establishments: -7,000
- 50-249 employees -3,000
- 250-499 employees -4,000
- Large establishments: 10,000
- 500+ employees 10,000
PAY INSIGHTS
Pay for job-stayers rose 4.5 percent in February
Pay growth for job-stayers was unchanged in February at 4.5 percent year-over-year. For job-changers, annualized pay growth slowed to 6.3 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
4.5% - Construction
4.7% - Manufacturing
4.9%
- Service-providing:
- Trade/transportation/utilities
4.4% - Information
4.0% - Financial activities
5.2% - Professional/business services
4.3% - Education/health services
4.3% - Leisure/hospitality
4.6% - Other services
4.1%
Median Change in Annual Pay for Job-Stayers by Firm Size
- Small firms:
- 1-19 employees
2.6% - 20-49 employees
4.1%
- Medium firms:
- 50-249 employees
4.7% - 250-499 employees
4.8%
- Large firms:
- 500+ employees
4.9%
To see Pay Insights by
The January total number of jobs added was revised from 22,000 to 11,000.
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 March 2026 ADP National Employment Report will be released on April 1, 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.
ADP-Media
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SOURCE ADP, Inc.
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