Listen to this articleThe Pennsylvania unemployment rate for March remained steady at 3.8%, while an 11th consecutive record high was reached by the total of nonfarm jobs, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry reported Friday.
The commonwealth’s unemployment rate in March was unchanged and remains below the national unemployment rate, which increased by one-tenth of a percentage point over the month to 4.2 percent.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was two-tenths of a percentage point above the 3.6% recorded last year at this time, The national rate rose three-tenths of a percentage point over the year.
The commonwealth’s civilian labor force, which is the estimated number of residents working or looking for work, increased 3,000 in March to 6,542,000. Driving the increase was resident unemployment, which increased by 4,000.
Total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania increased by 20,900 in March to 6,217,700, the 11th consecutive record high. Seven of the 11 supersectors saw jobs increase from February. Education and health services and leisure and hospitality each added 6,500 jobs over the month. Education and health services and other services rose to record high levels in March.
Over the year, jobs were up 86,700 with gains in seven of the 11 supersectors. Education and health services increased by 48,500, the largest volume increase since March 2024.
