ROSELAND, N.J., Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Payroll company Automatic Data Processing said Wednesday the private sector added 91,000 jobs in September, almost identical to gains made in August.
The firm also reported a revised figure for August, dropping the estimate from 91,000 to 89,000.
The figure for September came in substantially higher than the 75,000 expected.
It also came in lower than the estimated 130,000 jobs required per month for the nation's 9.1 percent unemployment rate to decrease.
ADP said small businesses added 60,000 jobs, while businesses with 50 to 499 employees added 36,000. Larger firms, those with 500 or more workers, saw payrolls decline by 5,000.
The hiring pattern has held through the recovery. Major corporations remain reluctant to hire with small firms doing the bulk of the new hiring.
ADP said service sector jobs gained by 90,000 in September, up 10,000 from August, while goods-producing firms added only 1,000 jobs after adding 11,000 jobs in August.
