KINGS PARK, NY – The number of payroll jobs on Long Island surpassed 1.4 million in June for the first time this year, according to newly released federal employment data covering Nassau County and Suffolk County.
Employers in the Nassau-Suffolk area reported 1,400,200 payroll jobs in June, up from 1,382,100 in May, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The increase of 18,100 jobs pushed the regional job count to its highest level of 2026.
The largest monthly increase occurred in leisure and hospitality, which added an estimated 7,400 jobs as Long Island entered the summer tourism and recreation season. Professional and business services added 3,200 jobs, while the mining, logging and construction category increased by 3,100 jobs.
The figures are preliminary and have not been adjusted for normal seasonal patterns. That distinction is particularly important when comparing May and June because employment in restaurants, hotels, recreation, construction and other weather-sensitive industries commonly increases as summer approaches.
Despite the sharp monthly increase, total payroll employment was only 0.3% higher than in June 2025. The year-over-year comparison provides a more stable view of the local job market because it compares the same month in consecutive years and reduces the effect of seasonal hiring.
Key Facts & Details
| Employment Measure or Industry | May 2026 | June 2026 | Monthly Change | 12-Month Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total payroll jobs | 1,382,100 | 1,400,200 | +18,100 | +0.3% |
| Education and health services | 329,800 | 330,200 | +400 | +3.1% |
| Trade, transportation and utilities | 249,400 | 250,800 | +1,400 | -0.4% |
| Government | 204,300 | 206,100 | +1,800 | -0.2% |
| Professional and business services | 186,600 | 189,800 | +3,200 | +0.8% |
| Leisure and hospitality | 126,100 | 133,500 | +7,400 | -2.5% |
| Mining, logging and construction | 79,900 | 83,000 | +3,100 | +1.3% |
| Financial activities | 68,400 | 67,900 | -500 | -1.2% |
| Manufacturing | 67,600 | 67,800 | +200 | -1.6% |
| Other services | 56,800 | 57,800 | +1,000 | -2.7% |
| Information | 13,200 | 13,300 | +100 | -2.2% |
| Civilian labor force | 1,517,600 | 1,526,000 | +8,400 | Not listed |
| Employed residents | 1,466,400 | 1,471,900 | +5,500 | Not listed |
| Unemployed residents | 51,200 | 54,100 | +2,900 | Not listed |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.5% | +0.1 percentage point | Not listed |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nassau-Suffolk Economy at a Glance. June 2026 figures are preliminary. Employment figures are not seasonally adjusted. Industry figures represent thousands of payroll jobs and have been converted to individual jobs in the table.
Summer Hiring Lifted the June Job Count
Leisure and hospitality employment increased from 126,100 jobs in May to 133,500 in June, the largest month-to-month gain among the major industries included in the report. The category includes businesses such as restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues and recreational operations, many of which increase staffing during Long Island’s summer season.
The monthly increase does not mean the industry was stronger than it was a year ago. Leisure and hospitality employment remained 2.5% below June 2025, one of the largest annual declines among the sectors listed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The figures show how a sector can add jobs from one month to the next because of seasonal demand while still employing fewer workers than it did during the same period a year earlier.
Professional and business services recorded the second-largest monthly gain, rising from 186,600 to 189,800 jobs. Employment in the sector was also 0.8% higher than a year earlier. This broad category includes professional, scientific and technical services, company management, administrative support and related business services.
The mining, logging and construction category increased from 79,900 jobs in May to 83,000 in June, a gain of 3,100. Employment in the category was 1.3% higher than in June 2025, making it one of the industries that showed growth in both the monthly and annual comparisons.
Government employment rose by 1,800 jobs during the month, while trade, transportation and utilities added 1,400. Other services increased by 1,000 jobs. Education and health services, manufacturing and information posted smaller monthly gains, while financial activities declined by approximately 500 jobs.
Which Industries Employ the Most Long Islanders?
Education and health services remained Long Island’s largest major employment sector in June, with approximately 330,200 payroll jobs. The sector accounted for nearly one out of every four payroll jobs reported in Nassau and Suffolk counties and was 3.1% larger than a year earlier, the strongest annual growth rate among the major industries in the report.
Trade, transportation and utilities ranked second with 250,800 jobs. The broad category includes retail stores, wholesalers, transportation companies, warehouses and utility providers. Although it added jobs from May to June, employment remained 0.4% below its June 2025 level.
Government was the third-largest category, employing approximately 206,100 workers, followed by professional and business services with 189,800 jobs. Leisure and hospitality ranked fifth after its seasonal increase brought employment to 133,500.
Manufacturing and financial activities each accounted for slightly fewer than 68,000 jobs. Manufacturing employment increased modestly from May but remained 1.6% lower than a year earlier. Financial activities declined both during the month and over the year, falling to 67,900 jobs.
Many of the jobs in these industries are concentrated among some of the region’s largest organizations. To learn more about the companies that employ thousands of Long Islanders, see our guide to Long Island’s Largest Employers.
Information was the smallest major sector listed in the report, with 13,300 jobs. Employment increased by about 100 jobs from May but was still 2.2% lower than in June 2025.
More Long Islanders Were Working and Looking for Work
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also published separate estimates showing how many Long Island residents were working or actively seeking employment. The regional civilian labor force increased from 1,517,600 people in May to 1,526,000 in June, an increase of approximately 8,400 people.
The estimated number of employed residents rose by 5,500, from 1,466,400 to 1,471,900. However, the number classified as unemployed also increased by approximately 2,900, causing the unemployment rate to edge up from 3.4% to 3.5%.
An increase in the unemployment rate does not always mean fewer people are working. Residents are generally counted as unemployed only when they do not have a job, are available to work and have actively sought employment. When more people begin looking for work, both the size of the labor force and the number classified as unemployed can rise even while total employment also increases.
The payroll and household figures come from different statistical programs and measure different parts of the labor market. Payroll employment estimates the number of jobs reported by business establishments, while the household-based figures estimate the number of Nassau and Suffolk residents who are employed or unemployed. A resident may work outside Long Island, and an individual holding more than one payroll job may be counted more than once in the employer survey.
Annual Growth Remained Modest
Although payroll employment reached its highest level of the year in June, the annual increase remained relatively modest at 0.3%. Because the figures are not seasonally adjusted, year-over-year comparisons generally provide a clearer picture of underlying employment trends than month-to-month changes.
Education and health services recorded the strongest year-over-year growth at 3.1%, followed by mining, logging and construction at 1.3% and professional and business services at 0.8%. All other major categories were below their June 2025 employment levels.
Other services posted the largest annual decline at 2.7%, followed by leisure and hospitality at 2.5% and information at 2.2%. Manufacturing, financial activities, trade, transportation and utilities, and government also reported smaller year-over-year decreases.
The June figures show that Long Island entered the summer with more than 1.4 million payroll jobs and more residents working than one month earlier. At the same time, the mixed year-over-year results show that employment growth remained concentrated in a limited number of industries, led by education and health services, construction-related employment, and professional and business services.
