The U.S. economy added 222,000 nonfarm payrolls in June, while Wall Street economists were expecting gains of 175,000.
The unemployment rate rose slightly from a 16-year trough of 4.3% to 4.4%, the Labor Department reported on Friday.
Earnings growth was weaker than anticipated. The average hourly wage rose by 0.2% in June compared to the previous month and 2.5% in annual terms.