Unit labor costs in the US nonfarm business sector increased by 2.3% in Q1 2026, less than market expectations of 2.6% and after an upwardly revised 4.6% rise in Q4, preliminary estimates showed. It reflects a 31% increase in hourly compensation and a 0.8% increase in productivity. In the manufacturing sector, unit labor costs rose 2.4%, reflecting a 6.1% increase in hourly compensation and a 3.6% increase in productivity. On an annual basis, nonfarm unit labor costs rose 1.2%, while manufacturing unit labor costs advanced 3.7%. source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Unit Labour Costs QoQ in the United States decreased to 2.30 percent in the first quarter of 2026 from 4.60 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025. Unit Labour Costs QoQ in the United States averaged 2.83 percent from 1947 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 27.30 percent in the third quarter of 1947 and a record low of -14.30 percent in the first quarter of 2009. This page includes a chart with historical data for the United States Unit Labor Costs QoQ. United States Nonfarm Unit Labor Costs QoQ - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.