News US Economy News Strong June Jobs Report Might Ease Your Recession Worries US Economy Adds 372,000 Jobs Despite Rising Interest Rates By Kristin Myers Updated on July 8, 2022 Fact checked by Taylor Tompkins Sponsored by What's this? & Photo: Hinterhaus Productions / Getty Images You can relax about a potential recession, at least for today, as June’s job report came in better than many expected. The U.S. economy added 372,000 jobs in June, the Labor Department reported today, higher than the 250,000 gain that economists had forecast. While job growth slowed from the revised May increase of 384,000, the number confirms that the labor market remains strong, even as the Federal Reserve considers raising interest rates again and Americans worry about a potential recession. Key Takeaways Nonfarm payrolls rose by 372,000 in June, defying expectations of a 250,000 increase.The unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.6% for the fourth consecutive month.Wage growth continued to be lower than inflation, rising 5.1% in June compared to May’s annual inflation rate of 8.6%.Job gains were strongest in the professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and health care sectors. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.6%, in line with expectations, and now sits just above the pre-pandemic unemployment rate of 3.5%. The June jobs report is an important one as it strengthens the Fed’s case that the U.S. economy is strong enough to handle more interest rate hikes to fight rising inflation. With the labor market continuing to go strong, you can expect that not only will more rate hikes be coming in the future, but they will likely be aggressive, making the cost of loans even more expensive. But while you might not appreciate higher interest rates when borrowing, the strong jobs report should help soothe any worries about an impending recession. Want to read more content like this? Sign up for The Balance’s newsletter for daily insights, analysis, and financial tips, all delivered straight to your inbox every morning! Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “The Employment Situation.” Bureau of Labor Statistics. “The Employment — February 2020.”