This is the third consecutive month of record-high total nonfarm jobs.
Contact: Trevor Monk, dlipress@pa.gov
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) today released its preliminary employment situation report for March 2023.
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate declined two-tenths of a percentage point over the month to 4.2% in March. The U.S. unemployment rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point from February to 3.5%. The commonwealth's unemployment rate was two-tenths of a point below its March 2022 level, and the national rate was down 0.1 percentage points over the year.
Pennsylvania's civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – was up 5,000 over the month. Resident employment rose by 12,000 over the month and unemployment fell by 7,000.
Pennsylvania's total nonfarm jobs were up 12,500 over the month to a new record high of 6,108,900 in March, beating the previous record of 6,096,400 set the month prior. Jobs increased from February in seven of the 11 industry supersectors with the largest gain in leisure & hospitality (+4,500). Professional & business services rose to a record high level.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 159,000 with gains in all 11 supersectors. Education & health services (+52,000) had the largest volume over-the-year gain among supersectors with three other supersectors adding over 16,000 each.
Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. March data are preliminary and subject to revision.
# # #
| Current Labor Force Statistics |
| Seasonally Adjusted |
| (in thousands) |
| | | | | Change from | Change from |
| | March | February | March | February 2023 | March 2022 |
| | 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | volume | percent | volume | percent |
| PA | | | | | | | |
| Civilian Labor Force | 6,505 | 6,500 | 6,479 | 5 | 0.1% | 26 | 0.4% |
| Employment | 6,229 | 6,217 | 6,197 | 12 | 0.2% | 32 | 0.5% |
| Unemployment | 276 | 283 | 282 | -7 | -2.5% | -6 | -2.1% |
| Rate | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | -0.2 | ---- | -0.2 | ---- |
| | | | | | | | |
| U.S. | | | | | | | |
| Civilian Labor Force | 166,731 | 166,251 | 164,301 | 480 | 0.3% | 2,430 | 1.5% |
| Employment | 160,892 | 160,315 | 158,328 | 577 | 0.4% | 2,564 | 1.6% |
| Unemployment | 5,839 | 5,936 | 5,972 | -97 | -1.6% | -133 | -2.2% |
| Rate | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | -0.1 | ---- | -0.1 | ---- |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Note:
April 2023 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on May
19th, 2023. |
| | | | | | |
|
| Pennsylvania Nonagricultural Wage and
Salary Employment |
| Seasonally Adjusted |
| (in thousands) |
| | | | Change from | Change from |
| March | February | March | February 2023 | March 2022 |
| | 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | volume | percent | volume | percent |
| | | | | | | |
| Total Nonfarm Jobs | 6,108.9 | 6,096.4 | 5,949.9 | 12.5 | 0.2% | 159.0 | 2.7% |
| | | | | | | | |
| Goods Producing Industries | 854.8 | 853.6 | 844.0 | 1.2 | 0.1% | 10.8 | 1.3% |
| Mining & Logging | 22.9 | 23.1 | 22.0 | -0.2 | -0.9% | 0.9 | 4.1% |
| Construction | 264.5 | 264.9 | 261.9 | -0.4 | -0.2% | 2.6 | 1.0% |
| Manufacturing | 567.4 | 565.6 | 560.1 | 1.8 | 0.3% | 7.3 | 1.3% |
| | | | | | | |
| Service Providing Industries | 5,254.1 | 5,242.8 | 5,105.9 | 11.3 | 0.2% | 148.2 | 2.9% |
| Trade, Transportation & Utilities | 1,157.8 | 1,159.0 | 1,141.0 | -1.2 | -0.1% | 16.8 | 1.5% |
| Information | 97.6 | 96.6 | 91.9 | 1.0 | 1.0% | 5.7 | 6.2% |
| Financial Activities | 340.8 | 339.7 | 332.8 | 1.1 | 0.3% | 8.0 | 2.4% |
| Professional & Business Services | 859.0 | 858.1 | 839.5 | 0.9 | 0.1% | 19.5 | 2.3% |
| Education & Health Services | 1,298.9 | 1,295.4 | 1,246.9 | 3.5 | 0.3% | 52.0 | 4.2% |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 561.0 | 556.5 | 529.4 | 4.5 | 0.8% | 31.6 | 6.0% |
| Other Services | 254.2 | 254.2 | 247.5 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 6.7 | 2.7% |
| Government | 684.8 | 683.3 | 676.9 | 1.5 | 0.2% | 7.9 | 1.2% |
| | | | | | | |
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| For a more detailed breakdown of seasonally adjusted jobs data
at the sector level, please contact the Center for Workforce Information
& Analysis at 1-877-4WF-DATA, or visit www.paworkstats.pa.gov |
|
| | | | | | | |
| Note:
April 2023 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on May
19th, 2023. |
|