Statement by U.S. Secretary of Labor Acosta on the August Jobs Report

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta issued the following statement on the August 2017 Employment Situation report:

“This month’s jobs report reflects the continued economic strength and optimism spreading across the United States. Since January, 1.2 million jobs have been added to the economy.

“The August unemployment rate was 4.4 percent. Non-farm payroll employment rose by 156,000 jobs, private-sector employment rose by 165,000 jobs in August.  This year, we have seen average private-sector job increases of 176,000 jobs per month, as compared with 170,000 jobs per month in 2016. The unemployment rate for Americans with less than a high school diploma is at its lowest rate in nearly 11 years, dropping 0.9 percentage points last month. Nominal wage growth is steady, yet real wage growth has room for improvement.

“Multiple economic sectors showed job growth in August, including 36,000 manufacturing, 28,000 construction, and 6,000 mining and logging jobs. The breadth of job gains across manufacturing sub-industries is at a 20-year high; more than 70 percent of manufacturing sub-industries added jobs in August. These family-sustaining jobs are the foundation of the American Dream.”