December 2025 US Jobs Report Preview Highlights Modest Growth

The December 2025 U.S. employment situation report is scheduled for publication by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on January 9, 2026. This release is anticipated to provide a clearer view of labor market conditions following recent data distortions.

Economists have projected that job gains for December 2025 will be modest, with estimates ranging from approximately 55,000 to 73,000 new positions. The unemployment rate is expected to show a slight decrease, reaching around 4.5 percent according to forecasts.

Data from private-sector payroll processor ADP indicated that U.S. businesses added 41,000 jobs in December 2025. This figure represents a rebound from the revised loss of 29,000 jobs reported for November.

In the week ending the year, initial claims for unemployment benefits increased by 8,000, bringing the total to 208,000. Despite this rise, the number of claims remained at levels considered historically low.

What the numbers show

• Job openings in November 2025 fell to 7.1 million, the lowest in 14 months
• ADP reported 41,000 jobs added in December after a loss of 29,000 in November
• The New York Fed survey found job-finding optimism at a record low of 43.1% in December

November 2025 saw job openings decline to 7.1 million, marking the lowest level observed in over a year. This reduction in available positions suggests that businesses have approached hiring with caution during this period.

The New York Federal Reserve’s December 2025 Survey of Consumer Expectations reported that optimism about finding a new job dropped to 43.1 percent, the lowest value recorded by the survey. At the same time, expectations of job loss reached their highest point since April 2025.

December’s employment data is expected to be less influenced by temporary factors, as it will be the first report largely unaffected by the government shutdown that occurred in the fall. This context may allow for a more accurate assessment of ongoing labor market trends.

The upcoming release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to provide updated figures on employment, unemployment, and other key labor indicators. Analysts and policymakers are expected to review these results to better understand the state of the U.S. job market at the end of 2025.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.