ADP National Employment Report: Private Sector Employment Increased by 122,000 Jobs in May; Annual Pay was Up 4.4%
Rhea-AI Summary
ADP (ADP) reported that U.S. private sector employment rose by 122,000 jobs in May 2026, with annual pay up 4.4% for job-stayers. Job gains were broad-based across eight of ten supersectors and all establishment sizes.
Service-providing industries added 114,000 jobs, led by education and health services with 57,000. Pay for job-changers increased 6.5% year-over-year, slightly below April’s 6.6%. April job gains were revised to 105,000. The next report is scheduled for July 1, 2026.
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News Market Reaction – ADP
In the Jun 3 session, ADP declined 1.48%, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27 | NER Pulse update | Neutral | -0.3% | Preliminary NER Pulse showed 35,750 average weekly job gains slowing vs prior week. |
| May 19 | NER Pulse update | Neutral | -1.1% | NER Pulse indicated 42,250 average weekly job gains with strengthening hiring trends. |
| May 12 | NER Pulse update | Neutral | +1.0% | Four‑week NER Pulse showed 33,000 average weekly job additions from ADP payroll data. |
| May 07 | Investor conferences | Positive | +3.3% | Management scheduled presentations at two major May 2026 technology investor conferences. |
| May 06 | April jobs report | Neutral | -1.6% | April National Employment Report showed 109,000 job gains and 4.4% pay growth. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Recent ADP employment-related releases have often coincided with modest, mixed share price moves, suggesting limited directional impact from these macro data updates alone.
Over the last month, ADP has released several labor market updates and corporate developments. Multiple NER Pulse estimates in April and May 2026 showed private employers adding between 33,000 and 42,250 jobs per week, with generally small stock reactions. The April National Employment Report cited 109,000 job gains and 4.4% pay growth, yet shares fell 1.61%. An investor conference announcement on May 7, 2026 coincided with a 3.33% gain. Today’s May report with 122,000 jobs and 4.4% pay growth continues this pattern of steady labor insights against mixed price responses.
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
"Hiring was more broad-based in May than we've seen in the last few years," said Dr. Nela Richardson, chief economist, ADP. "The labor market continues to show sustained momentum going into the summer hiring season."
May 2026 Report Highlights
View the ADP National Employment Report and interactive charts at www.adpemploymentreport.com.
JOBS REPORT
Private employers added 122,000 jobs in May
Eight out of 10 supersectors showed gains last month, and employers of all sizes were hiring.
Change in
Change by Industry
- Goods-producing: 8,000
- Natural resources/mining -3,000
- Construction 8,000
- Manufacturing 3,000
- Service-providing: 114,000
- Trade/transportation/utilities 36,000
- Information -9,000
- Financial activities 7,000
- Professional/business services 11,000
- Education/health services 57,000
- Leisure/hospitality 8,000
- Other services 4,000
Change by
- Northeast: 35,000
- New England 18,000
- Mid-Atlantic 17,000
- Midwest: 21,000
- East North Central 13,000
- West North Central 8,000
- South: 23,000
- South Atlantic -12,000
- East South Central 14,000
- West South Central 21,000
- West: 45,000
- Mountain 20,000
- Pacific 25,000
Change by Establishment Size
- Small establishments: 67,000
- 1-19 employees 49,000
- 20-49 employees 18,000
- Medium establishments: 17,000
- 50-249 employees 10,000
- 250-499 employees 7,000
- Large establishments: 40,000
- 500+ employees 40,000
PAY INSIGHTS
Pay for job-stayers rose 4.4 percent in May
Year-over-year pay growth for job-stayers was steady at 4.4 percent. For job-changers, the pace of growth slowed slightly, to 6.5 percent from 6.6 percent in April.
Median Change in Annual Pay
- Job-stayers
- Job-changers
Median Change in Annual Pay for Job-Stayers by Industry
- Goods-producing:
- Natural resources/mining
4.2% - Construction
4.5% - Manufacturing
4.8%
- Service-providing:
- Trade/transportation/utilities
4.4% - Information
4.0% - Financial activities
5.1% - Professional/business services
4.1% - Education/health services
4.2% - Leisure/hospitality
4.5% - 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
4.8%
To see Pay Insights by
The April total number of jobs added was revised from 109,000 to 105,000.
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 June 2026 ADP National Employment Report will be released on July 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.
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SOURCE ADP, Inc.