Contact: Trevor Monk, dlipress@pa.gov
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) today released its preliminary employment situation report for February 2024.
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was unchanged over the month at 3.4% in February. This was the fifth consecutive month at 3.4%. The U.S. unemployment rate rose by two-tenths of a percentage point from its January rate, up to 3.9%.
The Commonwealth's unemployment rate was three-tenths of a percentage point below its February 2023 level of 3.7%, while the national rate was up three-tenths of a percentage point over the year.
Pennsylvania's civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – was up 14,000 over the month due to growth in resident employment.
Pennsylvania's total nonfarm jobs were up 5,800 over the month to a record high of 6,131,700. This was the seventh consecutive record high for Pennsylvania's jobs count. Jobs increased from January in eight of the 11 industry supersectors with the largest gain in education & health services (+3,700), which rose to a record high.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 71,000 with gains in five of the 11 supersectors. Education & health services (+58,700) had the largest volume over-the-year gain among supersectors.
Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. February 2024 data are preliminary and subject to revision.
Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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| Current Labor Force Statistics |
| Seasonally Adjusted |
| (in thousands) |
| | | | | Change from | Change from |
| | February | January | February | January 2024 | February 2023 |
| | 2024 | 2024 | 2023 | volume | percent | volume | percent |
| PA |
| | | | | | |
| Civilian Labor Force | 6,558 | 6,544 | 6,501 | 14 | 0.2% | 57 | 0.9% |
| Employment | 6,338 | 6,324 | 6,262 | 14 | 0.2% | 76 | 1.2% |
| Unemployment | 220 | 221 | 239 | -1 | -0.5% | -19 | -7.9% |
| Rate | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 0.0 | ---- | -0.3 | ---- |
| | | | | | | | |
| U.S. | | | | | | | |
| Civilian Labor Force | 167,426 | 167,276 | 166,263 | 150 | 0.1% | 1,163 | 0.7% |
| Employment | 160,968 | 161,152 | 160,301 | -184 | -0.1% | 667 | 0.4% |
| Unemployment | 6,458 | 6,124 | 5,962 | 334 | 5.5% | 496 | 8.3% |
| Rate | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 0.2 | ---- | 0.3 | ---- |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Note: March 2024 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on April 19th, 2024.
|
| Pennsylvania Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment |
| Seasonally Adjusted |
| (in thousands) |
| | | | Change from | Change from |
| February | January | February | January 2024 | February 2023 |
| 2024 | 2024 | 2023 | volume | percent | volume | percent |
| | | | | | | |
| Total Nonfarm Jobs | 6,131.7 | 6,125.9 | 6,060.7 | 5.8 | 0.1% | 71.0 | 1.2% |
| | | | | | | | |
| Goods Producing Industries | 846.8 | 846.1 | 853.0 | 0.7 | 0.1% | -6.2 | -0.7% |
| Mining & Logging | 23.0 | 23.0 | 23.2 | 0.0 | 0.0% | -0.2 | -0.9% |
| Construction | 257.4 | 256.8 | 262.4 | 0.6 | 0.2% | -5.0 | -1.9% |
| Manufacturing | 566.4 | 566.3 | 567.4 | 0.1 | 0.0% | -1.0 | -0.2% |
| | | | | | | |
| Service Providing Industries | 5,284.9 | 5,279.8 | 5,207.7 | 5.1 | 0.1% | 77.2 | 1.5% |
| Trade, Transportation & Utilities | 1,133.7 | 1,134.6 | 1,142.6 | -0.9 | -0.1% | -8.9 | -0.8% |
| Information | 93.6 | 93.1 | 94.4 | 0.5 | 0.5% | -0.8 | -0.8% |
| Financial Activities | 342.4 | 342.2 | 338.8 | 0.2 | 0.1% | 3.6 | 1.1% |
| Professional & Business Services | 836.2 | 836.1 | 842.8 | 0.1 | 0.0% | -6.6 | -0.8% |
| Education & Health Services | 1,352.5 | 1,348.8 | 1,293.8 | 3.7 | 0.3% | 58.7 | 4.5% |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 570.8 | 568.9 | 556.8 | 1.9 | 0.3% | 14.0 | 2.5% |
| Other Services | 259.5 | 261.1 | 255.7 | -1.6 | -0.6% | 3.8 | 1.5% |
| Government | 696.2 | 695.0 | 682.8 | 1.2 | 0.2% | 13.4 | 2.0% |
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| For a more detailed breakdown of seasonally adjusted jobs data at the sector level, please contact the Center for Workforce Information & Analysis at 1-877-4WF-DATA, or visit www.paworkstats.pa.gov |
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| Note: March 2024 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on April 19th, 2024. | |
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