Private sector added 109,000 jobs in April, above expectations, ADP says

• Education and health services led job creation with 61,000 new positions, while trade, transportation and utilities added 25,000 jobs
• Professional and business services sector shed 8,000 jobs, showing weakness in middle-market employers while small and large companies continued hiring
• ADP's chief economist noted that 'small and large employers are hiring, but we're seeing softness in the middle,' highlighting advantages for nimble small firms and resource-rich large companies

Summary: ADP April Jobs Report Exceeds Expectations

Key Findings:

The U.S. private sector added 109,000 jobs in April, according to ADP's National Employment Report released Wednesday. This figure surpassed economist expectations of 99,000 jobs and marked an improvement from March's revised total of 61,000 (down from initially reported 62,000).

Sector Performance:

Education and health services led job creation with 61,000 new positions. Other gainers included:

• Trade, transportation, and utilities: +25,000
• Construction: +10,000
• Financial activities: +9,000
• Leisure and hospitality: +4,000
• Information: +4,000
• Natural resources and mining: +3,000
• Manufacturing: +2,000

Professional and business services shed 8,000 jobs, while other services lost 1,000 positions.

Expert Analysis:

ADP Chief Economist Nela Richardson highlighted an unusual pattern in the labor market: "Small and large employers are hiring, but we're seeing softness in the middle." She noted that large companies benefit from greater resources while small businesses demonstrate superior agility in navigating the "complex labor environment."

Market Implications:

The better-than-expected jobs data suggests continued resilience in the U.S. labor market despite economic uncertainties. The report indicates divergent trends across company sizes, with mid-sized firms facing particular challenges. This data precedes the official government employment report and provides insight into private sector hiring momentum as the economy progresses through 2026.