Official State of Rhode Island website

State of Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training

Rhode Island-based Jobs fell by 1,600 from August; September Unemployment Rate decreased to 3.6 Percent

Published on Thursday, October 15, 2026

CRANSTON, R.I. – Jobs at Rhode Island businesses fell by 1,600 in September as the state’s unemployment rate decreased to 3.6 percent. Over the year, jobs were down 700 from September 2025, and the unemployment rate was down seven-tenths of a percentage point.

Rhode Island’s Labor Force

The September unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from the August rate. Last year, the rate was 4.3 percent in September.

The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in September, up one-tenth of a percentage point from August. The U.S. rate was 4.4 percent in September 2025.                                             

The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents — those residents classified as available for and actively seeking employment — was 20,800, down 600 from August. The number of unemployed residents was down 4,700 over the year.

The number of employed Rhode Island residents was 556,300, up 500 over the month but down 11,000 over the year.

The Rhode Island labor force totaled 577,000 in September, down 200 over the month and down 15,800 from September 2025.

The labor force participation rate was 62.0 percent in September, down one-tenth of a percentage point from August and down from 63.9 percent in September 2025. Nationally, 61.8 percent of U.S. residents participated in the labor force.

Unemployment Insurance claims* for first-time filers averaged 681 in September, down from 721 in August. Claims were down an average of 71 per week from September 2025.

Rhode Island-based Jobs

The number of total nonfarm jobs in Rhode Island was 513,100 in September, a decrease of 1,600 jobs from the revised August jobs figure of 514,700. Over the year, total nonfarm jobs are down 700 or 0.1 percent. Nationally, jobs were up 0.3 percent or 496,000 from a year ago. The number of private sector jobs in Rhode Island was down 1,600 in September but up 100 from September 2025. 

September Nonfarm Payroll Notes… 

  • The Educational Services sector lost 1,200 jobs from August as hiring expectations in September fell short.
  • Sizeable job losses were also noted in the Administrative & Waste Services (-600) and Finance & Insurance (-500) sectors.
  • Offsetting the September job losses was a gain of 500 jobs reported in both the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation and Construction sectors.
  • Over the past three months, the Rhode Island economy has lost 100 jobs.
  • The Manufacturing sector job count remained unchanged in September and has not reported a monthly job loss since October 2025.
  • The August jobs report was revised to 514,700, a decrease of 400 jobs from the published job count of 515,100. The August over-the-month job change from July is now up 100, as opposed to the gain of 500 jobs originally reported. 

Manufacturing Hours and Earnings

In September, production workers in the Manufacturing sector earned $27.02 per hour, up 43 cents from August and up 91 cents from September 2025. 

Manufacturing employees worked an average of 41.1 hours per week in September, down seven-tenths of an hour over the month and down two-tenths of an hour 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 October 2026 labor force figures and job counts at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 19, 2026.

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