March 2025

Released April 18, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In March, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 15, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 19.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In March, payroll jobs rose in 38 states and fell in 12. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Connecticut.

Kansas Employment Snapshot

• In March, Kansas added 900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.8 percent. In the prior month, Kansas added 1,300 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Kansas added 2,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 3.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 228,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Kansas is tied for 44th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In March, Kansas’s private sector added 600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Kansas lost 100 net private payroll jobs.

• In March, employment in Kansas fell by 1,265, and over the past 12 months it rose by 11,093.

• Kansas’s labor force participation rate fell to 67.1 percent in March from 67.2 percent and ranks 8th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.2 percentage points.

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Kansas Payroll Employment

• Kansas added 900 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Kansas added 1,300 jobs. Kansas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 228,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Kansas is tied for 44th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Kansas added 600 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Kansas lost 100 jobs. Kansas private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 209,000 jobs in March, or 0.2 percent. Kansas is tied for 46th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during March were Leisure and Hospitality (1,100) and Financial Activities (400).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Education and Health Services (-300) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,000).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (4,000) and Government (3,400).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Leisure and Hospitality (-2,400) and Professional and Business Services (-4,500).

Kansas Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Kansas fell to 67.1 percent in March from 67.2 percent in the prior month.

• Kansas ranks 8th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Kansas was 67.9 percent in March 2015, and the 10-year low was 66.3 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.5 percent in March.