Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) today released its preliminary employment situation report for May 2024.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate remained unchanged over the month at 3.4% in May. This was the eighth consecutive month at 3.4% The U.S. unemployment rate rose by one-tenth of a percentage point from its April rate to 4.0%.
The Commonwealth’s unemployment rate was one-tenth of a percentage point above its May 2023 level of 3.3%, 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 9,000 over the month to a record high of 6,605,000 due entirely to growth in resident employment which also rose to a record high in May. Resident unemployment was unchanged from the April level.
Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 19,800 over the month to a record high of 6,167,700, setting the tenth consecutive record high for Pennsylvania’s jobs count. Jobs increased from April in nine of the 11 industry supersectors. The largest movement over the month was a gain of 8,700 leisure & hospitality jobs. Education & health services reached its 12th consecutive record high.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 97,100 with gains in six of the 11 supersectors. Education & health services (+61,000) 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. May 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.
| Current Labor Force Statistics |
| Seasonally Adjusted |
| (in thousands) |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | Change from | Change from |
| | May | April | May | April 2024 | May 2023 |
| | 2024 | 2024 | 2023 | volume | percent | volume | percent |
| PA | | | | | | | |
| Civilian Labor Force | 6,605 | 6,596 | 6,506 | 9 | 0.1% | 99 | 1.5% |
| Employment | 6,382 | 6,373 | 6,292 | 9 | 0.1% | 90 | 1.4% |
| Unemployment | 223 | 223 | 214 | 0 | 0.0% | 9 | 4.2% |
| Rate | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 0.0 | ---- | 0.1 | ---- |
| | | | | | | | |
| U.S. | | | | | | | |
| Civilian Labor Force | 167,732 | 167,982 | 166,823 | -250 | -0.1% | 909 | 0.5% |
| Employment | 161,083 | 161,491 | 160,707 | -408 | -0.3% | 376 | 0.2% |
| Unemployment | 6,649 | 6,492 | 6,117 | 157 | 2.4% | 532 | 8.7% |
| Rate | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 0.1 | ---- | 0.3 | ---- |
| | | | | | | | |
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| Note: June 2024 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on July 19th, 2024. |
| Pennsylvania Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment |
| Seasonally Adjusted |
| (in thousands) |
| | | | | Change from | Change from |
| | May | April | May | April 2024 | May 2023 |
| | 2024 | 2024 | 2023 | volume | percent | volume | percent |
| | | | | | | | |
| Total Nonfarm Jobs | 6,167.7 | 6,147.9 | 6,070.6 | 19.8 | 0.3% | 97.1 | 1.6% |
| | | | | | | | |
| Goods Producing Industries | 847.1 | 847.0 | 849.7 | 0.1 | 0.0% | -2.6 | -0.3% |
| Mining & Logging | 23.6 | 23.5 | 23.1 | 0.1 | 0.4% | 0.5 | 2.2% |
| Construction | 256.8 | 257.2 | 259.8 | -0.4 | -0.2% | -3.0 | -1.2% |
| Manufacturing | 566.7 | 566.3 | 566.8 | 0.4 | 0.1% | -0.1 | 0.0% |
| | | | | | | | |
| Service Providing Industries | 5,320.6 | 5,300.9 | 5,220.9 | 19.7 | 0.4% | 99.7 | 1.9% |
| Trade, Transportation & Utilities | 1,142.5 | 1,142.1 | 1,144.9 | 0.4 | 0.0% | -2.4 | -0.2% |
| Information | 93.3 | 93.5 | 94.0 | -0.2 | -0.2% | -0.7 | -0.7% |
| Financial Activities | 342.8 | 342.4 | 339.1 | 0.4 | 0.1% | 3.7 | 1.1% |
| Professional & Business Services | 834.0 | 832.9 | 842.8 | 1.1 | 0.1% | -8.8 | -1.0% |
| Education & Health Services | 1,365.2 | 1,357.8 | 1,304.2 | 7.4 | 0.5% | 61.0 | 4.7% |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 582.5 | 573.8 | 559.6 | 8.7 | 1.5% | 22.9 | 4.1% |
| Other Services | 262.3 | 261.2 | 257.0 | 1.1 | 0.4% | 5.3 | 2.1% |
| Government | 698.0 | 697.2 | 679.3 | 0.8 | 0.1% | 18.7 | 2.8% |
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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: June 2024 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on July 19th, 2024. | | | | |
