A hiring sign shows in Wheeling, Ill., Sunday, March 21, 2021. The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid fell last week to 547,000, a new low since the pandemic struck and a further encouraging sign that layoffs are slowing on the strength of an improving job market. The Labor Department said Thursday, April 22, that applications declined 39,000 from a revised 586,000 a week earlier. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Total nonfarm jobs sets 12th consecutive record high adding 12,200 jobs over the month
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) today released its preliminary employment situation report for July 2024.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate remained unchanged over the month at 3.4% in July. This was the tenth consecutive month at 3.4% and remains well under the U.S. unemployment rate which rose by two-tenths of a percentage point from its June rate to 4.3%.
The Commonwealth’s unemployment rate was two-tenths of a percentage point above its record low July 2023 level of 3.2%, while the national rate was up eight-tenths of a percentage point over the year.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – was down 1,000 over the month to 6,602,000 in July. The decline was due to a drop in resident employment which also was down 1,000 from June.
Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 12,200 over the month to a record high of 6,191,000, setting the 12th consecutive record high for Pennsylvania’s jobs count. Jobs increased from June in six of the 11 industry supersectors. The largest supersector movement was a gain of 7,700 jobs in government. Education & health services reached a record high for the 14th consecutive month.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 105,000 with gains in eight of the 11 supersectors. Education & health services (+57,100) 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. July 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.
Pennsylvania Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment | |||||||
Seasonally Adjusted | |||||||
(in thousands) | |||||||
Change from | Change from | ||||||
July | June | July | June 2024 |
July 2023 |
|||
2024 | 2024 | 2023 | volume | percent | volume | percent | |
Total Nonfarm Jobs | 6,191.0 | 6,178.8 | 6,086.0 | 12.2 | 0.2% | 105.0 | 1.7% |
Goods Producing Industries | 849.6 | 848.3 | 848.0 | 1.3 | 0.2% | 1.6 | 0.2% |
Mining & Logging | 22.9 | 23.0 | 22.7 | -0.1 | -0.4% | 0.2 | 0.9% |
Construction | 259.1 | 258.3 | 260.0 | 0.8 | 0.3% | -0.9 | -0.3% |
Manufacturing | 567.6 | 567.0 | 565.3 | 0.6 | 0.1% | 2.3 | 0.4% |
Service Providing Industries | 5,341.4 | 5,330.5 | 5,238.0 | 10.9 | 0.2% | 103.4 | 2.0% |
Trade, Transportation & Utilities | 1,147.1 | 1,141.1 | 1,143.2 | 6.0 | 0.5% | 3.9 | 0.3% |
Information | 92.4 | 91.2 | 92.5 | 1.2 | 1.3% | -0.1 | -0.1% |
Financial Activities | 343.3 | 344.0 | 339.3 | -0.7 | -0.2% | 4.0 | 1.2% |
Professional & Business Services | 836.0 | 838.9 | 840.4 | -2.9 | -0.3% | -4.4 | -0.5% |
Education & Health Services | 1,373.1 | 1,370.5 | 1,316.0 | 2.6 | 0.2% | 57.1 | 4.3% |
Leisure & Hospitality | 587.9 | 590.3 | 561.6 | -2.4 | -0.4% | 26.3 | 4.7% |
Other Services | 262.6 | 263.2 | 257.4 | -0.6 | -0.2% | 5.2 | 2.0% |
Government | 699.0 | 691.3 | 687.6 | 7.7 | 1.1% | 11.4 | 1.7% |
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 | |||||||
Note: August 2024 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on September 20th, 2024. |