Contact: Trevor Monk, dlipress@pa.gov
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) today released its preliminary employment situation report for April 2024.
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was unchanged over the month at 3.4% in April. This was the seventh consecutive month at 3.4%. The U.S. unemployment rate rose by one-tenth of a percentage point from its March rate to 3.9%.
The Commonwealth's unemployment rate was equal to its April 2023 level of 3.4%, while the national rate was up one-half of a percentage point over the year.
Pennsylvania's civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – was up 17,000 over the month due entirely to growth in resident employment while unemployment was unchanged from the March level.
Pennsylvania's total nonfarm jobs were up 2,600 over the month to a record high of 6,149,500. This was the ninth consecutive record high for Pennsylvania's jobs count. Jobs increased from March in six of the 11 industry supersectors. The largest movement over the month was a gain of 4,000 jobs in education & health services which rose to a record high for the 11th consecutive month.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 81,000 with gains in six of the 11 supersectors. Education & health services (+58,000) had the largest volume over-the-year gain among supersectors.
Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. April 2024 data are preliminary and subject to revision.
Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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| Current Labor Force Statistics |
| Seasonally Adjusted |
| (in thousands) |
| | | | | Change from | Change from |
| | April | March | April | March 2024 | April 2023 |
| | 2024 | 2024 | 2023 | volume | percent | volume | percent |
| PA | | | | | | | |
| Civilian Labor Force | 6,596 | 6,579 | 6,508 | 17 | 0.3% | 88 | 1.4% |
| Employment | 6,373 | 6,356 | 6,286 | 17 | 0.3% | 87 | 1.4% |
| Unemployment | 223 | 223 | 222 | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.5% |
| Rate | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 0.0 | ---- | 0.0 | ---- |
| | | | | | | | |
| U.S. | | | | | | | |
| Civilian Labor Force | 167,982 | 167,895 | 166,678 | 87 | 0.1% | 1,304 | 0.8% |
| Employment | 161,491 | 161,466 | 160,962 | 25 | 0.0% | 529 | 0.3% |
| Unemployment | 6,492 | 6,429 | 5,715 | 63 | 1.0% | 777 | 13.6% |
| Rate | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 0.1 | ---- | 0.5 | ---- |
| | | | | | | |
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Note: May 2024 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on June 21st, 2024.
|
| Pennsylvania Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment |
| Seasonally Adjusted |
| (in thousands) |
| | | | Change from | Change from |
| April | March | April | March 2024 | April 2023 |
| | 2024 | 2024 | 2023 | volume | percent | volume | percent |
| | | | | | | |
| Total Nonfarm Jobs | 6,149.5 | 6,146.9 | 6,068.5 | 2.6 | 0.0% | 81.0 | 1.3% |
| | | | | | | | |
| Goods Producing Industries | 848.1 | 847.3 | 849.2 | 0.8 | 0.1% | -1.1 | -0.1% |
| Mining & Logging | 23.3 | 23.2 | 23.2 | 0.1 | 0.4% | 0.1 | 0.4% |
| Construction | 258.6 | 257.7 | 259.0 | 0.9 | 0.3% | -0.4 | -0.2% |
| Manufacturing | 566.2 | 566.4 | 567.0 | -0.2 | 0.0% | -0.8 | -0.1% |
| | | | | | | |
| Service Providing Industries | 5,301.4 | 5,299.6 | 5,219.3 | 1.8 | 0.0% | 82.1 | 1.6% |
| Trade, Transportation & Utilities | 1,141.4 | 1,139.1 | 1,143.7 | 2.3 | 0.2% | -2.3 | -0.2% |
| Information | 93.9 | 93.9 | 94.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | -0.1 | -0.1% |
| Financial Activities | 342.1 | 343.0 | 339.4 | -0.9 | -0.3% | 2.7 | 0.8% |
| Professional & Business Services | 835.0 | 838.1 | 842.4 | -3.1 | -0.4% | -7.4 | -0.9% |
| Education & Health Services | 1,358.6 | 1,354.6 | 1,300.6 | 4.0 | 0.3% | 58.0 | 4.5% |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 573.3 | 574.5 | 558.3 | -1.2 | -0.2% | 15.0 | 2.7% |
| Other Services | 260.4 | 259.9 | 256.6 | 0.5 | 0.2% | 3.8 | 1.5% |
| Government | 696.7 | 696.5 | 684.3 | 0.2 | 0.0% | 12.4 | 1.8% |
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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 |
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| Note: May 2024 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on June 21st, 2024. | |
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