WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was the same at 3.4% in March, marking the sixth straight month at 3.4%.
The U.S. jobless rate fell by one-tenth of a percent from February to 3.8%.
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) issued its initial employment situation report for March 2024 on Friday.
The state's jobless rate was 0.1% lower than in March 2023, while the national rate increased by 0.3% from last year.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force — the estimated number of residents working or looking for work — increased by 20,000 in March, mainly due to growth in resident employment.
Pennsylvania’s total non-farm jobs reached a record high of 6,148,900, up by 15,300 over the month.
This marked the eighth consecutive record high for Pennsylvania’s job count.
Employment rose in eight of the 11 industry super-sectors from February, with the largest increase seen in leisure & hospitality. In March, two super-sectors — financial activities and education & health services — reached record high levels.
Over the year, total non-farm jobs increased by 78,200, with gains in five of the 11 super-sectors. Education & health services saw the largest volume gain among super-sectors, with a rise of 55,700.
Note: The above information is seasonally adjusted, providing the most accurate month-to-month comparison. March 2024 data is preliminary and may be revised.
For more details, visit the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or follow the department on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Note: Labor force and non-farm jobs statistics for April 2024 will be released on May 17th, 2024.
