Oil and gas employment remained steady despite the broader slowdown, while construction and health care led monthly job gains.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s unemployment rate edged higher in June, matching the national rate for the first time in more than a year as the state’s labor market continued to cool from the historically low unemployment levels recorded in 2025.
The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission reported Tuesday that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 4.2% in June, up from 4.1% in May. The U.S. unemployment rate, meanwhile, declined to 4.2%, leaving Oklahoma and the nation with identical unemployment rates.
Despite the increase in unemployment, overall employment remained essentially unchanged during the month. Oklahoma’s seasonally adjusted employment declined by just 104 workers in June, while the labor force grew by 1,200 people.
Oklahoma’s unemployment rate has climbed from 3.2% to 4.2% over the past year. The number of unemployed Oklahomans reached 83,444 in June—1,304 more than in May and nearly 18,900 more than a year ago.
Oil and gas employment remains stable
One of Oklahoma’s signature industries continued to show resilience.
The state’s Mining and Logging sector—which in Oklahoma is composed primarily of oil and natural gas employment—added 100 jobs during June and was up 600 jobs, or 2.1%, compared with a year earlier. While the gains were modest, the figures suggest the industry has maintained a stable workforce despite signs of a broader cooling labor market.
Construction, health care lead monthly gains
Overall nonfarm employment slipped by 300 jobs statewide during June, leaving total employment at 1.79 million jobs.
Construction posted the largest monthly gain, adding 1,300 jobs, followed by Education and Health Services, which added 1,100 jobs. Mining and Logging also recorded a modest increase.
Those gains were offset by losses in several service industries.
Leisure and Hospitality lost 1,100 jobs during the month, the largest decline among all sectors. Financial Activities shed 700 jobs, while Other Services and Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities each lost 600 jobs.
Health care leads annual growth
Compared with June 2025, Oklahoma added 3,300 nonfarm jobs statewide, an increase of 0.2%.
Education and Health Services led all sectors with an annual gain of 7,700 jobs, followed by Construction, which added 3,500 positions. Mining and Logging employment increased by 600 jobs over the same period.
The largest year-over-year declines occurred in Professional and Business Services, which lost 3,900 jobs, followed by Trade, Transportation and Utilities, down 2,400 jobs. Manufacturing employment declined by 1,700 jobs, while Leisure and Hospitality employment fell by 1,800 positions.
Private-sector wages continued to increase despite the softer employment picture. The average hourly wage reached $31.52 in June, up from $31.44 in May and $30.59 a year earlier.
