Paul Davidson

USA TODAY

The labor market rebounded sharply in September as employers added 248,000 jobs, but wage growth remained weak despite a tightening supply of workers.

The unemployment rate fell to 5.9% from 6.1%, lowest since July 2008, the Labor Department said Friday.

Both numbers were better than forecasts. Economists surveyed by Action Economics had estimated that 215,000 jobs were added last month and that the unemployment rate was unchanged.

August's initially disappointing job gains were revised to 180,000 from 142,000. July's count was revised to 243,000 from 212,000, boosting gains for the two summer months by 69,000.

That brings total payroll gains for the year above 2 million.

Last month, businesses added 236,000 jobs, fueled by strong gains in professional and business services, retail and healthcare. Federal, state and local governments added 12,000.

Monthly employment gains have averaged for 227,000 so far this year, up from 194,000 for all of 2013.

Hourly earnings rose, however, dipped one cent to $24.53 and are up just 2% over the past year, in line with the modest increases so far in the five-year-old recovery.

"The labor market is clearly tightening but there's still no wage pressures," says economist Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors. "When do businesses start dealing with labor shortages by raising wages?"

He added: "The only way we're going to get stronger economic growth is if people have money to spend."

Like many economists, Naroff still expects wage growth to pick up later this year.

Some other labor market indicators in September were encouraging.

The average work week rose to 34.6 hours after being unchanged at 34.5 hours for six straight months. Increased hours could signal that continued strong hiring lies ahead.

And the so-called underemployment rate -- which includes discouraged workers who've stopped looking for jobs and part-time employees who prefer full-time work as well as the unemployed – fell to 11.8% from 12%.

Professional and business services led the job gains with 81,000. Retail added 35,000; leisure and hospital, 33,000; and health care, 23,000.

Construction, meanwhile, added 16,000 jobs and manufacturing, just 4,000.

Even with the latest revision, monthly job growth slowed in August after averaging well over 200,000 for six months. But some economists considered the disappointing tally an anomaly, noting that other labor market indicators have been positive.

The Labor Department said Thursday that initial jobless claims continue at prerecession levels, and private payroll processor ADP this week estimated that businesses added 213,000 jobs in September.

Economists also expected Labor's survey to be bolstered by the return of about 20,000 striking workers.