September 2025 Jobs Day Analysis

The Joint Center analyzes the employment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and showcases how the numbers impact Black workers. Our September Jobs Day analysis is below.

From August to September, the unemployment rate for Black workers remained unchanged at 7.5 percent.

In September, the number of Black workers employed increased by 141,000.

From August to September, the unemployment rate for Black men decreased from 7.6 percent to 7.4 percent.

In September, the unemployment rate for Black women increased to 7.7 percent from 7.5 percent in August. This is the highest rate in four years since Black women’s unemployment rate was 8 percent in August 2021.

From August to September, the unemployment rate for young Black workers decreased from 16.8 percent to 15.3 percent, and the overall unemployment rate for all young workers also decreased from 10.7 percent to 10.4 percent. 

In September, the overall unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, while the Black unemployment rate was 7.5 percent.

On Thursday, November 13, 2025, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history came to an end. The recent government shutdown was especially worrisome, as Black Americans have historically used public sector employment to provide a pathway to better, more equitable job opportunities for skilled and often highly educated Black workers compared with jobs available in the private sector. While 18.7 percent of all federal workers are Black, they account for at least 20 percent of the state’s federal workforce in 15 states and the District of Columbia. As Black workers continue to endure uncertain economic and workforce conditions, it is especially critical to support Black women who are facing high unemployment rates. 

Disclosure: Due to the government shutdown, which paused the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ release of federal employment data, this September Jobs Day analysis is being conducted in November. Monthly jobs day data is vital to analyze workforce trends. 

Follow the Joint Center on Twitter/X for monthly Jobs Day updates.