April 2025 | Released May 21, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 5, rose in 20, and remained unchanged in 26.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 40 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Mississippi. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

South Carolina Employment Snapshot

• In April, South Carolina added 6,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent. In the prior month, South Carolina added 11,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, South Carolina added 57,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 3.9 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, South Carolina’s private sector added 6,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 52,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, South Carolina added 11,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in South Carolina rose by 3,019, and over the past 12 months it rose by 22,204.

• South Carolina’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 57.5 percent in April and ranks 49th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.5 percentage points.

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South Carolina Payroll Employment

• South Carolina added 6,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, South Carolina added 11,200 jobs. South Carolina nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• South Carolina added 6,000 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, South Carolina added 11,300 jobs. South Carolina private sector payroll employment has increased in 11 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 167,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. South Carolina is tied for 2nd 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 April were Leisure and Hospitality (3,300) and Professional and Business Services (1,200).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Other Services (-300) and Education and Health Services (-1,200).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (10,800) and Professional and Business Services (10,700).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Mining and Logging (200) and Manufacturing (-300).

South Carolina 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 South Carolina remained unchanged at 57.5 percent in April.

• South Carolina ranks 49th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in South Carolina was 59.4 percent occurring in May 2015, and the 10-year low was 57.3 percent occurring in October 2022.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in April.