April 3, 2026
Veteran Unemployment Rate was 3.8% in March
In March 2026, the veteran unemployment rate was 3.8%, down from 3.9% the previous month and up from 3.7% the prior year. Also in March 2026, the comparable non-veteran unemployment rate was 4.1%, down from 4.3% the previous month and up from 4.0% the prior year. The unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted for individuals aged 18 years and over in the civilian non-institutional population. Source: bls.gov (Current Population Survey)
Seasonally and Non-Seasonally Adjusted Data
Historically, we have referenced the non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for veterans. However, beginning July 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing the seasonally adjusted veteran unemployment rate. This adjustment accounts for any predictable seasonal patterns in the data and allows for better month-to-month comparisons; we will utilize this data series going forward.
The full seasonally adjusted veteran unemployment rate series going back to 2003 is available here: Veteran Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rates. If you are interested in the non-seasonally adjusted data, that is still available here: Non-Seasonally Adjusted Data.
Highlighted Findings
Unemployment Rates by Sex and Veteran Status
Women Veterans 7.1%,
Women Nonveterans 4.0%,
Male Veterans 3.3%,
Male Nonveterans 4.4%.
Unemployment Rates by Sex and Veteran Status. The unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted for individuals aged 18 years and over in the civilian non-institutional population. Source: bls.gov (Current Population Survey)
Unemployment Rates by Disability and Veteran Status
Unemployment Rates by Disability Status and Veteran Status, April 2025 – March 2026 Averaged (October 2025 data is not available due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations) * Source: Current Population Survey
Veterans with a disability 5.4%,
Nonveterans with a disability 8.3%,
Veterans with no disability 3.3%,
Nonveterans with no disability 4.0%.
*12-month moving average generated using unpublished data tables from the Disability package obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Table 16. Employment status of persons 18 years and over by veteran status, period of service, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and disability status. The unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted for individuals aged 18 years and over in the civilian non-institutional population.
Unemployment Rates by Race, Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity and Veteran Status
White Veterans 3.0%
White Nonveterans 3.6%
Black or African American Veterans 5.6%
Black or African American Nonveterans 7.0%
Asian Veterans 4.9%
Asian Nonveterans 3.5%
Hispanic or Latino Veterans 6.5%
Hispanic or Latino Nonveterans 4.7%
Unemployment Rates by Race, Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity, and Veteran Status. The unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted for individuals aged 18 years and over in the civilian non-institutional population. Source: bls.gov (Current Population Survey)
Annual Employment Situation of Veterans – 2025
In 2025, there were 17.26 million veterans in the civilian non-institutional population 18 years and over. Of those veterans, 8.34 million were in the civilian labor force and 8.04 million were employed. The annual average unemployment rate was 3.5% in 2025 for veterans, up from 3.0% the prior year.
Read the full report for 2025.
Federal Government Shutdown Impact on Veterans Data
The CPS for October 2025 was not collected due to the federal government shutdown. As a result, annual estimates for 2025 household survey data were produced using 11-month averages that exclude October. Consequently, 2025 annual estimates are not strictly comparable with annual averages for other years. Veterans supplement data collected in August 2025 were not affected. For information about the impact of the federal government shutdown on CPS data, see
www.bls.gov/cps/methods/2025-federal-government-shutdown-impact-cps.htm.
