March 2026 | Released May 06, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In March, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 14, rose in 10, and remained unchanged in 27.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.3 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

• In March, payroll jobs rose in 35 states and fell in 15. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Tennessee. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Hawaii, Montana, and Oregon.

California

Employment snapshot

• In March, California added 28,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 5.3 percent. In the prior month, California lost 18,800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, California added 144,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point from 5.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. California is tied for 3rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In March, California’s private sector added 24,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 187,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, California lost 25,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In March, employment in California fell by 39,614, and over the past 12 months it rose by 4,081.

• California’s labor force participation rate fell to 62.3 percent in March from 62.4 percent and ranks 29th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has remained unchanged.

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California

Payroll employment

• California added 28,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, California lost 18,800 jobs. California nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. California is tied for 3rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• California added 24,100 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during March. In the prior month, California lost 25,300 jobs. California private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. California ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From February 2026 to March 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+27,800) and State and Local Government (+4,600).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-3,400) and Information (-2,300).

From March 2025 to March 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+160,400) and Leisure and Hospitality (+36,400).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-27,200) and State and Local Government (-15,700).

California

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 California fell to 62.3 percent in March from 62.4 percent in the prior month.

• California ranks 29th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in California was 63 percent in February 2020, and the 10-year low was 59.6 percent in May 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 61.9 percent in March.