The broader U-6 unemployment rate in the US, which includes discouraged and underemployed workers, eased to 7.7% in August 2026 from 7.9% in the previous month. U6 Unemployment Rate in the United States averaged 9.99 percent from 1994 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 22.90 percent in April of 2020 and a record low of 6.60 percent in December of 2022. source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

U6 Unemployment Rate in the United States decreased to 7.70 percent in August from 7.90 percent in July of 2026.

U6 Unemployment Rate in the United States decreased to 7.70 percent in August from 7.90 percent in July of 2026. U6 Unemployment Rate in the United States is expected to be 7.90 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the United States U-6 Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 7.90 percent in 2027 and 7.80 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-08-07 12:30 PM
U-6 Unemployment Rate
Jul 7.9% 7.9% 7.9%
2026-09-04 12:30 PM
U-6 Unemployment Rate
Aug 7.7% 7.9% 8.0%
2026-10-02 12:30 PM
U-6 Unemployment Rate
Sep 7.7% 7.9%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Average Hourly Earnings MoM 0.30 0.20 percent Aug 2026
Average Hourly Earnings YoY 3.10 3.20 percent Aug 2026
Average Weekly Hours 34.40 34.30 Hours Aug 2026
Employed Persons 162746.00 162177.00 Thousand Aug 2026
Employment Cost Index 0.90 0.90 percent Jun 2026
Employment Cost - Benefits 1.00 1.20 percent Jun 2026
Employment Cost - Wages 0.90 0.80 percent Jun 2026
Employment Rate 59.10 58.90 percent Aug 2026
Full Time Employment 134288.00 133553.00 Thousand Aug 2026
Government Payrolls 35.00 -50.00 Thousand Aug 2026
Job Layoffs and Discharges 1666.00 1785.00 Thousand Jul 2026
JOLTs Job Openings 7271.00 7182.00 Thousand Jul 2026
JOLTs Job Quits 3056.00 3213.00 Thousand Jul 2026
Job Quits Rate 1.90 2.00 Percent Jul 2026
Job Openings 7738.00 6948.00 Thousand Jul 2026
Participation Rate 61.60 61.40 percent Aug 2026
Labour Costs 123.98 123.62 points Jun 2026
Long Term Unemployment Rate 1.14 1.05 percent Aug 2026
Manufacturing Payrolls 16.00 14.00 Thousand Aug 2026
Non Farm Payrolls 162.00 21.00 Thousand Aug 2026
Nonfarm Payrolls Private 127.00 71.00 Thousand Aug 2026
Nonfarm Productivity 1.40 0.80 percent Jun 2026
Part Time Employment 28541.00 28764.00 Thousand Aug 2026
Productivity 120.02 119.59 points Jun 2026
U-6 Unemployment Rate 7.70 7.90 percent Aug 2026
Unemployed Persons 7031.00 6916.00 Thousand Aug 2026
Unemployment Rate 4.10 4.10 percent Aug 2026
Unit Labour Costs 1.20 1.30 percent Jun 2026
Wages 32.53 32.42 USD/Hour Aug 2026
Wages in Manufacturing 30.37 30.33 USD/Hour Aug 2026
Youth Unemployment Rate 9.10 8.50 percent Aug 2026


United States U-6 Unemployment Rate
The so-called U-6 unemployment rate includes total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
7.70 7.90 22.90 6.60 1994 - 2026 percent Monthly
SA