The manufacturing industry added 7,000 jobs in May, regaining its footing after a lull in April, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Friday.

That’s about a 164% increase over the same time last year, which showed 11,000 job cuts. However, month over month, it’s a 100% improvement from April’s adjusted job data count, which is now at 0. The BLS initially reported 2,000 jobs were cut.

The latest employment data mirrors sentiments from the Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers’ Index May report. The employment index remained in contraction, registering at 48.6%, an improvement over April, according to the ISM. An employment index registering above 50.3% over time is generally consistent with increases in BLS manufacturing employment data, per the ISM.

Monthly job additions and losses from January 2025 to May 2026 The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ adjusted data for April 2026 showed jobs were not lost or added, in contrast to the initial report of 2,000 employee cuts.

Of the six major manufacturing sectors, only transportation equipment, computer and electronic products, and machinery reported higher levels of employment in May, said Susan Spence, chair of ISM’s Manufacturing Business Survey Committee, in a statement.

Additionally, nine out of 18 manufacturing sectors reported employment growth in May, whereas five sectors — food, beverage and tobacco products; chemical products; fabricated metal products; miscellaneous manufacturing; and textile mills — reported a decrease in employment.

The fabricated metal product sector led the headcount in May, rising about 253% month over month with 6,700 jobs. The transportation equipment sector, which includes trailers and motor vehicle bodies and parts, added the second most workers with 4,900. Miscellaneous, which are products not classified in the other sectors, came in third with an addition of 3,000 jobs.

Manufacturing sectors that added or lost jobs in May 2026 The fabricated metal product sector added the most jobs, with 6,700. Meanwhile, plastic and rubber products lost most jobs at about 6,100 workers.

Food manufacturing was also affected, losing 3,600 employees, followed by wood products at 1,900 cuts and furniture and related products at 1,000 job losses.

Manufacturing unemployment fell by 16% to 458,000 workers in May, down from 547,000 a year ago.

In general, 172,000 jobs were added across all U.S. industries, the BLS reported.

Openings, layoffs, turnovers and separations In a different report, the BLS reported that April job openings in the manufacturing industry increased approximately 26% to 474,000 compared with the same period last year, according to its job openings and labor turnover survey data released June 2.

Separations decreased by nearly 13% YOY to 276,000. According to the BLS, there were 163,000 quits and 97,000 layoffs and discharges. Other separations, which factor in retirement, death, disability and transfers within a company, decreased about 11% to 16,000.

Additionally, revised data from March 2026’s JOLT report now show 450,000 openings, 304,000 hires and 274,000 separations.

By: DocMemory
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