ADP National Employment Report: Private Sector Employment Increased by 62,000 Jobs in March; Annual Pay was Up 4.5%
Rhea-AI Summary
ADP (ADP) reported private sector employment rose by 62,000 jobs in March 2026 while annual pay for job-stayers increased 4.5% year‑over‑year.
Job‑changers saw median pay gains of 6.6%. Small establishments drove hiring; trade, transportation & utilities and several regions posted declines.
Positive
- Private employment +62,000 in March 2026
- Pay for job-stayers +4.5% year-over-year
- Pay for job-changers +6.6% year-over-year
- Small establishments added 85,000 jobs
Negative
- Trade/transportation/utilities -58,000 jobs
- Manufacturing -11,000 jobs
- Mid-Atlantic region -35,000 jobs
- Northeast region -29,000 jobs
- Medium establishments net -20,000 jobs
News Market Reaction – ADP
In the Apr 1 session, ADP declined 0.94%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25 | Workforce survey | Neutral | -1.4% | Global survey of 39,000 workers on job security, engagement, and AI use. |
| Mar 25 | Earnings date set | Neutral | -1.4% | Announcement of Q3 FY26 earnings release and conference call timing. |
| Mar 24 | NER Pulse data | Neutral | -2.3% | Preliminary estimate showing 10,000 private jobs added per week. |
| Mar 17 | NER Pulse data | Neutral | +0.3% | Estimate showing 9,000 jobs per week and noting weaker hiring. |
| Mar 10 | NER Pulse data | Neutral | -2.5% | Estimate showing 15,500 jobs per week with steady gains. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Recent ADP labor-market publications have often coincided with negative price reactions, even though the releases are largely informational.
Over the last month, ADP has repeatedly highlighted labor-market data through its National Employment Report and NER Pulse estimates, plus a workforce sentiment survey of 39,000 workers in 36 markets. These releases, along with the scheduled Q3 FY26 earnings date on April 29, 2026, generally led to modest price declines of around 1–2% on several occasions. Today’s full March report, showing 62,000 private jobs added and pay up 4.5% year over year, continues this data-focused narrative rather than marking a new strategic shift.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. 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
"Overall hiring is steady, but job growth continues to favor certain industries, including health care," said Dr. Nela Richardson, chief economist, ADP. "In March, this solid performance was accompanied by a boost in pay gains for job-changers."
March 2026 Report Highlights
View the ADP National Employment Report and interactive charts at www.adpemploymentreport.com.
JOBS REPORT
Private employers added 62,000 jobs in March
Hiring and pay gains both held steady in March. The smallest employers drove job growth for a second month, while hiring in trade, transportation, and utilities continued to decline.
Change in
Change by Industry
- Goods-producing: 30,000
- Natural resources/mining 11,000
- Construction 30,000
- Manufacturing -11,000
- Service-providing: 32,000
- Trade/transportation/utilities -58,000
- Information 16,000
- Financial activities 4,000
- Professional/business services 1,000
- Education/health services 58,000
- Leisure/hospitality 7,000
- Other services 4,000
Change by
- Northeast: -29,000
- New England 6,000
- Mid-Atlantic -35,000
- Midwest: -26,000
- East North Central -26,000
- West North Central 0
- South: 101,000
- South Atlantic 30,000
- East South Central 21,000
- West South Central 50,000
- West: 16,000
- Mountain 7,000
- Pacific 9,000
Change by Establishment Size
- Small establishments: 85,000
- 1-19 employees 112,000
- 20-49 employees -27,000
- Medium establishments: -20,000
- 50-249 employees -26,000
- 250-499 employees 6,000
- Large establishments: -4,000
- 500+ employees -4,000
PAY INSIGHTS
Pay for job-stayers rose 4.5 percent in March
Pay growth for job-stayers was unchanged for the third month. For job-changers, year-over-year pay gains accelerated to 6.6 percent.
Median Change in Annual Pay
- Job-stayers
4.5% - Job-changers
6.6%
Median Change in Annual Pay for Job-Stayers by Industry
- Goods-producing:
- Natural resources/mining
4.7% - Construction
4.7% - Manufacturing
4.9%
- Service-providing:
- Trade/transportation/utilities
4.5% - Information
3.8% - Financial activities
5.2% - Professional/business services
4.3% - Education/health services
4.3% - Leisure/hospitality
4.6% - Other services
4.2%
Median Change in Annual Pay for Job-Stayers by Firm Size
- Small firms:
- 1-19 employees
2.7% - 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 February total number of jobs added was revised from 63,000 to 66,000.
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 April 2026 ADP National Employment Report will be released on May 6, 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.