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Pa. unemployment increases, but nonfarm jobs reach record high
Ed Gruver//May 16, 2025//
Listen to this articlePennsylvania’s unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point over the month to 3.9% in April, but the total nonfarm jobs reached a 12th straight record high, Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor & Industry reported.
The commonwealth’s rate remained below the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.2%. Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was three-tenths of a percentage point above the April 2024 level of 3.6 percent, mirroring the US rate increase from last April.
The state’s civilian labor force, which is the estimated number of residents working or looking for work, increased by 6,000 to 6,548,000 in April. Employment (+2,000) and resident unemployment (+4,000) increased from March.
Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 8,500 over the month to 6,223,800 in April, the 12th consecutive record high. Jobs increased from March in six of the 11 industry supersectors. The biggest gain was in education & health services, with 5,000 jobs added over the month. Rising to record high levels in April were education and health services, leisure and hospitality, and other services.
Jobs were up 95,700 over the year with gains in seven of the 11 supersectors. Education and health services had the largest volume increase since April 2024, with a gain of 50,900.
