WASHINGTON, D.C. — Total nonfarm employment in the United States increased by 178,000 jobs in March, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This figure shows a reversal from the 133,000 decline in February (revised down from -93,000) and an improvement from the 59,000 figure expected by Dow Jones economists, according to CNBC.
February’s number was revised down by 41,000 while January was revised up by 34,000 to 160,000, putting the three-month average around 68,000, as reported by CNBC. The unemployment rate, currently sitting at 4.3 percent, changed little in March. Job gains primarily occurred in healthcare, construction, transportation and warehousing, while federal government employment continued to decline.
The healthcare sector led the way adding 76,000 jobs, including gains in ambulatory health care services (+54,000), reflecting an increase of 35,000 jobs in offices of physicians as workers returned from a strike. Employment also increased in hospitals (+15,000). Over the past year, healthcare has added an average of 29,000 jobs per month.
Construction grew by 26,000 jobs in March but has shown little new change over the previous 12 months. Transportation and warehouse added 21,000 jobs, with gains in couriers and messengers (+20,000); however, transportation and warehousing is down by 139,000 since reaching a peak in employment in February 2025.
Employment in social services continued to trend upward with a gain of 14,000 jobs, primarily in individual and family services (+11,000).
Federal government employment continued to decline in March (-18,000). Since reaching a peak in October 2024, federal government is down 355,000 jobs, according to the BLS. Many of the job cuts can be attributed to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative by the second Trump administration to streamline and reform government employment at the federal level.
Employment in financial activities edged down by 15,000, reflecting a loss in finance and insurance (-16,000). Employment in financial activities is down by 77,000 since reaching a peak in May 2025. Employment showed little change over the month