NEW JERSEY – Preliminary employment estimates for March, produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, showed continued month-over-month volatility as total nonfarm employment in New Jersey decreased by 2,700 jobs.
This followed a revised gain of 13,700 jobs in February; over the year, New Jersey payrolls have grown by 33,800 jobs. The March unemployment rate was 4.7 percent.
Revised employment estimates for February were adjusted downward by 5,500 jobs, resulting in a monthly gain of 13,700 from January to February (compared to the preliminary estimates of +19,200 jobs). The state’s unemployment rate for February remained unchanged at 4.6 percent.
In March, two out of nine private industry sectors recorded employment gains compared with February. Those sectors were education and health services (+2,700) and other services (+1,000). Sectors that recorded job losses over-the-month included leisure and hospitality (-3,600), construction (-1,200), professional and business services (-1,000), manufacturing (-600), financial activities (-400), trade, transportation, and utilities (-100), and information (-100). The public sector added 700 jobs during March.
Over the past 12 months, and as mentioned above, New Jersey has added 33,800 nonfarm jobs, with 76 percent of those gains in the private sector. Five out of nine private sector industries recorded a gain between March 2024 and March 2025. These include private education and health services (+35,800), other services (+2,600), trade, transportation, and utilities (+900), manufacturing (+500), and financial activities (+100). Losses were recorded year-over-year in information (-4,900), professional and business services (-4,900), construction (-2,400), and leisure and hospitality (-1,900). The public sector has recorded a gain of 8,000 jobs over the past 12 months.
Preliminary BLS estimates data for April 2025 will be released on May 15.
