Private-sector employment in the United States increased by 109,000 jobs in April, the strongest single-month performance through the first 10 months of fiscal year 2026, according to the ADP National Employment Report produced by ADP Research in collaboration with the Stanford Digital Economy Lab.
The gain marked a 5.9 percent increase compared with April 2025. Pay for job-stayers rose 4.4 percent year-over-year, while job-changers saw wages rise 6.6 percent.
Health care’s continued strength, along with a rebound in trade, transportation and utilities, fueled last month’s acceleration in hiring. The report noted that small and large employers are hiring, while medium-sized businesses showed softness.
“Small and large employers are hiring, but we’re seeing softness in the middle,” said Dr. Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. “Large companies have resources to deploy, and small ones are the most nimble, both important advantages in a complex labor environment.”
In the South region, which includes Maryland, private employment rose by 34,000 jobs. The South Atlantic sub-region, which encompasses Maryland, added 1,000 jobs. Nationally, the West led with 46,000 new jobs, followed by the South, Northeast and Midwest.
Small establishments (1-49 employees) added 65,000 jobs, while large establishments (500+ employees) added 42,000. Medium-sized businesses (50-499 employees) added only 2,000.
The April figures come as Southern Maryland’s economy continues to benefit from stable federal and defense-related employment at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, along with growth in health care, construction and tourism. Local employers in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties often mirror national trends in health care hiring and small-business resilience.
The report is based on anonymized payroll data from more than 26 million private-sector employees. March’s job gain was revised slightly downward to 61,000.
Casino gaming and hospitality sectors in the region also contribute to service-providing job growth. Maryland’s six casinos generated strong April revenue, supporting local jobs and the Education Trust Fund that benefits Southern Maryland schools.
The ADP National Employment Report provides a high-frequency snapshot of the private labor market. The May 2026 report is scheduled for release on June 3 at 8:15 a.m. ET.
