WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvania's unemployment rate remained at 3.4% in February, staying the same as the previous month.
This marks the fifth straight month at 3.4%.
The unemployment rate in the United States went up by two-tenths of a percentage point from January to 3.9% now.
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) released its initial job situation report for February 2024 on Friday.
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was three-tenths of a percentage point lower than its level in February 2023, while the national rate increased by the same amount compared to last year.
Pennsylvania's civilian labor force, which is the estimated number of residents working or seeking work, increased by 14,000 in the month due to resident employment growth.
The total non-farm jobs in Pennsylvania increased by 5,800 in the month to reach a record high of 6,131,700. This marked the seventh consecutive record high for job count in Pennsylvania.
Jobs grew in eight of the 11 industry super-sectors compared to January, with the largest increase in education & health services (+3,700), reaching a new record high.
Over the year, total non-farm jobs increased by 71,000 with gains in five of the 11 super-sectors. Education & health services (+58,700) had the highest volume gain among the super-sectors over the year.
Note: The above data has been adjusted for seasonal fluctuations. These adjusted figures offer the most accurate month-to-month comparison. The February 2024 data is preliminary and may be revised.
For more information, visit the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
