Published on Tuesday, December 09, 2025
CRANSTON, R.I. – Jobs at Rhode Island businesses rose by 400 in September as the state’s unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.5 percent. Over the year, jobs were up 2,700 from September 2024, and the unemployment rate was unchanged.
Rhode Island’s Labor Force
The September unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from the August rate. Last year, the rate was 4.5 percent in September.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in September, up one-tenth of a percentage point from August. The U.S. rate was 4.1 percent in September 2024.
The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents — those residents classified as available for and actively seeking employment — was 26,300, down 800 from August. The number of unemployed residents was down 300 over the year.
The number of employed Rhode Island residents was 563,600, up 1,900 over the month but down 1,100 over the year.
The Rhode Island labor force totaled 589,800 in September, up 1,000 over the month but down 1,500 from September 2024.
The labor force participation rate was 63.8 percent in September, up one-tenth of a percentage point from August but down from 64.3 percent in September 2024. Nationally, 62.4 percent of U.S. residents participated in the labor force.
Unemployment Insurance claims* for first-time filers averaged 752 in September, down from 893 in August. Claims were up an average of 19 a week from September 2024.
Rhode Island-based Jobs
The number of total nonfarm jobs in Rhode Island was 514,700 in September, an increase of 400 jobs from the revised August jobs figure of 514,300. Over the year, total nonfarm jobs are up 2,700 or 0.5 percent. Nationally, jobs were up 0.8 percent or over 1.3 million from a year ago. The number of private sector jobs in Rhode Island was unchanged in September but up 2,400 from September 2024.
September Nonfarm Payroll Notes…
- September job gains were led by the Accommodation & Food Services, Arts, Entertainment & Recreation, Government, and Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, each adding 400 jobs.
- With the September job gains, the Accommodation & Food Services sector ended six consecutive months of job declines, while the Health Care & Social Assistance sector ended three consecutive months of declines.
- The Other Services sector posted the largest monthly job decline, losing 600 from August.
- The Manufacturing sector added 100 jobs in September, boosting its employment level to 40,400, the highest level since July 2023.
- The August monthly job count was revised up by 600, from a reported gain of 500 jobs to a gain of 1,100 jobs from July.
- Over the past three months, the Rhode Island economy has added 1,500 jobs, or an average gain of 500 jobs per month.
Manufacturing Hours and Earnings
In September, production workers in the Manufacturing sector earned $26.11 per hour, down thirty-four cents from August but up forty-seven cents from September 2024. Manufacturing employees worked an average of 41.3 hours per week in September, down four-tenths of an hour over the month but up one and two-tenths hours from a year ago.
*The average number of verified initial claims filed during the week includes the 12th of the month and the previous three weeks. The Department of Labor and Training is scheduled to release the November 2025 labor force figures and job counts at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
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