# Jobs under Joe Biden, 2021–2025

Source page: https://govargus.com/presidents/biden/jobs

Under Joe Biden, the number of payroll jobs went from 142.5 million jobs in Dec 2020 to 158.3 million jobs in Dec 2024, up 15.8 million jobs (+11.1%). That is +3.94 million jobs/yr, against −0.71 million jobs/yr in the four years before. Ranked by yearly change, it is the fastest rise of the 8 completed terms since 1977.

Nonfarm payroll jobs: Total jobs on US nonfarm payrolls (Current Employment Statistics survey, seasonally adjusted). The change over a term is the number of jobs added or lost. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED PAYEMS (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PAYEMS), fetched Oct 19, 2026.

## Year by year

Highest reading during the term: 158.3 million jobs in Dec 2024. Lowest: 142.5 million jobs in Dec 2020.

| Period | Value | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dec 2020, before inauguration | 142.5 million jobs |  |
| Dec 2021 | 149.8 million jobs | +7.3 million jobs |
| Dec 2022 | 154.3 million jobs | +4.5 million jobs |
| Dec 2023 | 156.9 million jobs | +2.5 million jobs |
| Dec 2024 | 158.3 million jobs | +1.5 million jobs |

## Every term

Sorted by yearly change, fastest rise first. A term's first year mostly reflects the previous administration's policies, and Congress, the Federal Reserve and the world economy move these numbers too. Govargus describes; it does not score presidents.

| President | Term | During term | 4 years before |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Joe Biden | 2021–2025 | 142.5 million jobs → 158.3 million jobs (+3.94 million jobs/yr) | −0.71 million jobs/yr |
| Bill Clinton | 1993–2001 | 109.5 million jobs → 132.7 million jobs (+2.90 million jobs/yr) | +0.65 million jobs/yr |
| Jimmy Carter | 1977–1981 | 80.4 million jobs → 90.9 million jobs (+2.62 million jobs/yr) | +1.29 million jobs/yr |
| Ronald Reagan | 1981–1989 | 90.9 million jobs → 106.9 million jobs (+1.99 million jobs/yr) | +2.62 million jobs/yr |
| Barack Obama | 2009–2017 | 134.8 million jobs → 145.4 million jobs (+1.32 million jobs/yr) | +0.55 million jobs/yr |
| George H. W. Bush | 1989–1993 | 106.9 million jobs → 109.5 million jobs (+0.65 million jobs/yr) | +2.70 million jobs/yr |
| Donald Trump (2nd term) | 2025–present | 158.3 million jobs → 159.0 million jobs (+0.42 million jobs/yr, through Sep 2026) | +3.94 million jobs/yr |
| George W. Bush | 2001–2009 | 132.7 million jobs → 134.8 million jobs (+0.27 million jobs/yr) | +2.89 million jobs/yr |
| Donald Trump (1st term) | 2017–2021 | 145.4 million jobs → 142.5 million jobs (−0.71 million jobs/yr) | +2.58 million jobs/yr |