Gusto

San Francisco – September 29, 2026 -- America's small businesses added 28,000 net new jobs in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, marking the eighth consecutive month of positive hiring, according to Gusto's Small Business Jobs and Pay Report.

September hiring accelerated from a downwardly revised August figure

The September gain improved on August's total, which was revised down to 18,500 net new jobs from an initial estimate of 29,500. July's figure was also revised lower, to 39,700 from 42,400. Despite the September uptick, hiring remained below the 12-month average of 34,000, with recent monthly totals of 38,000 in May, 36,000 in June and 39,700 in July.