The United States added 228,000 jobs in March despite nearly 4,000 federal workers losing their positions, a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates.
In Friday's report, the BLS reported a slight increase in the unemployment rate from 4.1% in February to 4.2% in March.
The U.S. government has been in the midst of shrinking its workforce after President Donald Trump took office in January. But the report notes that federal employees who have been placed on paid leave or severance are counted as employed.
But the announcement comes at a time of uncertainty for the future of the economy. President Trump implemented tariffs earlier this week that could have a profound impact on the economy. Whether that impact is a positive or a negative for the U.S. job market remains to be seen, but it has prompted anxiety on Wall Street as the stock market has tumbled amid the president's announcement.
On average, the U.S. has added 158,000 jobs per month in the last year. In the last decade, the U.S. typically added 1.9 million jobs per year, or 160,000 workers per month. The unemployment rate has generally held steady over the last two years. The unemployment rate was around 4% throughout all of 2023 and 2024.
After February was a strong month for the manufacturing industry, the new report shows that March was a big period for the health care sector, which added 52,000 jobs in March. There were also 24,000 social assistance jobs added during the month. The retail trade added 23,000 jobs, and likewise, the transportation and warehousing sector added 23,000 positions.
U.S. workers also continued to see their earnings improve relative to inflation. U.S. workers were making 3.8% more per hour in March 2025 compared to March 2024. Workers were also earning 3.2% more per week last month compared to a year prior.
The most updated consumer inflation rate, which was reflected in February's consumer price index report, was 2.8%.
