Published on Thursday, June 18, 2026
CRANSTON, R.I. – Jobs at Rhode Island businesses fell by 300 in May as the state’s unemployment rate decreased to 4.3 percent. Over the year, jobs were down 4,000 from May 2025, and the unemployment rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point.
Rhode Island’s Labor Force
The May unemployment rate was 4.3 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from the April rate. Last year, the rate was 4.4 percent in May.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in May, unchanged from April. The U.S. rate was 4.3 percent in May 2025.
The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents — those residents classified as available for and actively seeking employment — was 25,200, down 1,300 from April. The number of unemployed residents was down 800 over the year.
The number of employed Rhode Island residents was 556,100, down 1,300 over the month and down 12,300 over the year.
The Rhode Island labor force totaled 581,300 in May, down 2,600 over the month and down 13,100 from May 2025.
The labor force participation rate was 62.6 percent in May, down three-tenths from April and down from 64.2 percent in May 2025. Nationally, 61.8 percent of U.S. residents participated in the labor force.
Unemployment Insurance claims* for first-time filers averaged 1,292 in May, up from 661 in April. Claims were up an average of 452 a week from May 2025.
Rhode Island-based Jobs
The number of total nonfarm jobs in Rhode Island was 513,800 in May, a decrease of 300 jobs from the revised April jobs figure of 514,100. Over the year, total nonfarm jobs are down 4,000 or -0.8 percent. Nationally, jobs were up 0.3 percent or 503,000 from a year ago. The number of private sector jobs in Rhode Island was down 100 in May and down 3,200 from May 2025.
May Nonfarm Payroll Notes…
- The Accommodation & Food Services sector reported a loss of 500 jobs in May, reporting losses of this magnitude for two consecutive months.
- In addition, the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation, Government, Health Care & Social Assistance, and Professional & Technical Services sectors reported a loss of 200 jobs each.
- Offsetting the job losses was a gain of 300 jobs reported in both the Transportation & Warehousing and Wholesale Trade sectors.
- Over the past three months, the Rhode Island job count has been down 100 on average.
- The April job report was revised down to 514,100, a decrease of 600 over the published job count of 514,700. The April over-the-month job change from March is now down 1,100 as opposed to the 500 originally reported.
Manufacturing Hours and Earnings
In May, production workers in the Manufacturing sector earned $25.71 per hour, down 20 cents from April but up 25 cents from May 2025. Manufacturing employees worked an average of 43.9 hours per week in May, up half an hour over the month and up two and two-tenths hours 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 June 2026 labor force figures and job counts at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
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