U.S. Economy Added 228,000 Jobs in March 2025
By Tom Burnett CFA
On April 4, 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics issued its Employment Report for March 2025. Total employment rose by 228,000 jobs from the prior month. The unemployment rate increased from 4.1% in February to 4.2% in March. The rate has ranged between 4.0% and 4.2% since May 2024. The number of job seekers was 7.1 million, still below the latest job openings figure of 7.6 million (JOLTS report April 1, 2025). Over the latest 12-month period, new jobs averaged 158,000 per month.
Average hourly earnings for nonfarm payrolls rose $0.09 to $36.00, up 3.8% from one year ago.
Revisions to previous reports totaled a reduction of 48,000 jobs for January and February.
The next Employment Report will be issued on May 2, 2025.
Tom Burnett CFA is Director of Research