U.S. employers added 177,000 jobs in April, a slight dip compared to hiring in March, and the national unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday.
Employment continued to trend up in April in healthcare, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, and social assistance. Federal government employment declined.
The overall net employment gain of 177,000 jobs in April is slightly down from the 185,000 jobs created in March, but roughly in line with the average monthly gain of 152,000 jobs over the prior 12 months.
Healthcare added 51,000 jobs in April, about the same as the average monthly gain of 52,000 over the prior 12 months. In April, job growth continued in hospitals (+22,000) and ambulatory health care services (+21,000).
In a sign that companies may be trying to get ahead of tariffs that will impact supply chains, there was a notable jump in hiring in the transportation and warehouse sector. Employment in transportation and warehousing increased by 29,000 in April, following little change in the prior month (+3,000).
Job gains occurred in warehousing and storage (+10,000), couriers and messengers (+8,000), and air transportation (+3,000) in April. Transportation and warehousing have averaged a gain of 12,000 jobs per month over the prior 12 months.
In April, financial activities employment continued to trend up (+14,000). Employment in social assistance also increased in April (+8,000) but at a slower pace than the average monthly gain over the prior 12 months (+20,000).
Within government, federal government employment declined by 9,000 in April and is down by 26,000 since January. Federal employees on paid leave or receiving ongoing severance pay are still counted as employed in the BLS survey.
Employment showed little or no change over the month in other major industries, including mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; construction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; retail trade; information; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; and other services.
In April, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 6 cents, or 0.2% to $36.06. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.8%. In April, average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees rose by 10 cents, or 0.3%, to $31.06.
Friday’s report also revised downward the preliminary employment data previously reported for February and March. February employment numbers were revised down by 15,000, to 102,000. March was revised downward by 43,000 to 185,000. With these revisions, employment for February and March was a combined 58,000 lower than previously reported.
Stocks rose in early morning trading after the release of the April employment report showed hiring has remained steady despite the market turmoil and economic uncertainty over tariffs.
