April 22, 2026 - Utah's Employment Summary: February 2026

Press Release
April 22, 2026

UTAH'S EMPLOYMENT SUMMARY: February 2026

SALT LAKE CITY (April 22, 2026) - Utah's nonfarm payroll employment for February 2026 increased an estimated 0.7% across the past 12 months, with the state's economy adding a cumulative 11,600 jobs since February 2025. Utah's current job count stands at 1,765,000.

February's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is estimated at 3.8%, the same as January. Approximately 69,800 Utahns are unemployed. The February national unemployment rate is estimated at 4.4%, 0.1% higher than January 2026.

"Despite the overall pace of hiring remaining slow, the labor market continues to show resilience, with sustained employment in key sectors driving consistent job gains," said Ben Crabb, chief economist with the Department of Workforce Services. "Meanwhile, limited labor supply growth is helping to maintain an unemployment rate of 3.8%."

Utah's February private sector employment recorded a year-over-year expansion of 0.8%, or a 12,400-job increase. Six 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 (5,100 jobs), and financial activities (2,200 jobs). Trade, transportation and utilities (-2,200 jobs), information (-1,500 jobs), and other services (-800 jobs) experienced year-over-year job losses.

• Additional analysis and tables at https://jobs.utah.gov/wi/ update/index.html
• County unemployment rates for February will post on or shortly after April 27, 2026, at https://jobs.utah.gov/wi/ update/une/season.pdf
• Statistics generated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, D.C., modeled from monthly employer (employment) and household (unemployment) surveys.

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