SALT LAKE CITY (May 22, 2026) — Utah’s nonfarm payroll employment for April 2026 increased an estimated 0.6% across the past 12 months, with the state’s economy adding a cumulative 11,100 jobs since April 2025. Utah’s current job count stands at 1,781,800. April’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is estimated at 3.8%, the same as March. Approximately 69,200 Utahns are unemployed. The April national unemployment rate is estimated at 4.3%, unchanged from its level in March. “We are seeing a mixed economic picture. On one hand, job expansion is outpacing the nation and unemployment is low,” said Ben Crabb, chief economist with the Department of Workforce Services. “On the other, labor force growth is flat, and hesitation from employers to expand their headcount signals a cautious approach to the future.” Utah’s April private sector employment recorded a year-over-year expansion of 0.8%, or a 11,900-job increase. Five of the 10 major private-sector industry groups posted net year-over-year job gains. The overall gains are led by professional and business services (8,600 jobs), education and health services (6,700 jobs), and financial activities (2,500 jobs). Leisure and hospitality (-4,100 jobs), manufacturing (-1,100 jobs), and natural resources (-800 jobs) experienced the largest year-over-year job losses.Additional analysis and tables at https://jobs.utah.gov/wi/update/index.htmlCounty unemployment rates for April will post on or shortly after May 26, 2026, at https://jobs.utah.gov/wi/update/une/season.pdfLargest private sector gains in the past year:
Professional and business services: 8,600 jobsEducation and health services: 6,700 jobsFinancial activities: 2,500 jobsLargest private sector losses in the past year:
Leisure and hospitality: -4,100 jobsManufacturing: -1,100 jobsNatural resources: -800 jobsListen to Chief Economist Ben Crabb’s analysis of the April 2026 employment report here:
Utah Department of Workforce Services · Utah Employment Report April 2026
Statistics generated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, D.C., modeled from monthly employer (employment) and household (unemployment) surveys.
