Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 228,000 in March, while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.2 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Job gains were concentrated in health care, social assistance, and transportation and warehousing. Employment also increased in retail trade, partly due to the return of workers from a strike. Meanwhile, federal government employment declined.
Average hourly earnings rose by 0.3 percent to $36.00, marking a 3.8 percent increase over the past year. The unemployment rate has remained within a narrow range of 4.0 to 4.2 percent since May 2024.
Retail trade added 24,000 jobs in March, largely driven by a 21,000-job gain in food and beverage retailers as striking workers returned. However, general merchandise retailers lost 5,000 jobs. Overall, retail trade employment changed little over the year.
Employment in transportation and warehousing increased by 23,000—nearly double the average monthly gain of 12,0
