After two straight months of net job losses, New Jersey employers added 5,700 jobs in December and the state’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.4%, according to new data released Thursday by state officials.
The preliminary New Jersey employment estimates, produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, showed five of nine private industry sectors recording job gains in December. These sectors were leisure and hospitality (+3,000); private education and health services (+2,800); professional and business services (+2,500); financial activities (+600); and information (+300).
Job losses occurred in trade, transportation, and utilities (-3,200); manufacturing (-500); construction (-100); and other services (-100). The public sector gained 400 jobs in December.
Over the past 12 months, New Jersey has added 9,000 non-farm jobs, with private sector employment increasing by 9,200 jobs. Only two out of nine private industry sectors recorded net gains in 2025: private education and health services (+28,400) and professional and business services (+8,900).
Net losses over the past 12 months occurred in construction (-10,200); trade, transportation, and utilities (-9,800); other services (-3,500); information (-3,400); manufacturing (-600); financial activities (-300); and leisure and hospitality (-200). The public sector recorded a loss of 200 jobs over the past 12 months.
The data released Thursday also revised the previously reported preliminary New Jersey employment estimates for November. Instead of a net loss of 1,700 jobs in November, the revised figure shows a loss of 1,200 jobs. This follows 3,600 jobs reported lost in October.
The national unemployment rate (4.4%) in December was a full percentage point lower than New Jersey’s 5.4% jobless rate. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is scheduled to release a state-by-state comparison of December unemployment rates on Jan. 27.
In November, New Jersey had the second-highest state unemployment rate in the country behind California (5.5%).
