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.

Pennsylvania Employment Snapshot

• In March, Pennsylvania added 20,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.8 percent. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 5,000 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Pennsylvania added 86,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points from 3.6 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 228,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Pennsylvania is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In March, Pennsylvania’s private sector added 20,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 77,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 8,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In March, employment in Pennsylvania rose by 180, and over the past 12 months it fell by 80,163.

• Pennsylvania’s labor force participation rate rose to 61.6 percent in March from 61.5 percent and ranks 34th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.9 percentage points.

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Pennsylvania Payroll Employment

• Pennsylvania added 20,900 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 5,000 jobs. Pennsylvania nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 228,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Pennsylvania is tied for 5th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Pennsylvania added 20,500 private sector jobs, or 0.4 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 8,000 jobs. Pennsylvania private sector payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 209,000 jobs in March, or 0.2 percent. Pennsylvania is tied for 7th 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 Education and Health Services tied with Leisure and Hospitality (6,500) and Professional and Business Services (6,400).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities tied with Financial Activities (-500) and Manufacturing (-600).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (48,500) and Leisure and Hospitality (12,900).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-2,900) and Manufacturing (-3,300).

Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania rose to 61.6 percent in March from 61.5 percent in the prior month.

• Pennsylvania ranks 34th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Pennsylvania was 63.4 percent occurring in March 2016, and the 10-year low was 60.8 percent in April 2020.

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