The latest labor market data indicates that men continue to lose ground compared to women in the U.S. workforce. For the eighth consecutive month as of September 2026, women have outnumbered men, marking the longest streak since 2010. According to Indeed's analysis, this time the shift is primarily due to women's rising employment numbers, whereas a decade ago it was driven by men's job losses. Despite a slight increase in male employment in September, there are still about 1.2 million fewer employed men than the previous year, while women's employment has risen by over 650,000.

September’s payroll report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed a modest net gain of 29,000 jobs, significantly below economists’ expectations of an 84,000 increase. Men made up just over half of this net job growth, a notable shift from August when they represented only 2% of payroll gains. Nevertheless, the overall employment level for men remains substantially lower year-over-year. Women’s stronger job gains during this period highlight the gender disparity persisting in today’s labor market.

Industry trends partially explain these gender differences. Healthcare, a sector with a dominant female workforce constituting almost 80% of employees, has been a major source of job growth in recent years. However, employment growth in healthcare slowed in September compared to its average pace over the past year, which limited the employment boost for women during the month. Additionally, sectors like government, which also have a large female workforce presence, saw some contraction, further tempering gains for women overall.

The data suggests that men’s challenges in the labor market are tied to the types of industries leading the post-pandemic recovery, which tend to employ more women. While men experienced slight payroll improvements last month, the broader trend points to a continued struggle for many men to regain pre-pandemic employment levels. Women’s job gains and expanding presence in growing sectors are reshaping the labor force dynamic, underscoring the evolving economic landscape shaping gender employment disparities.