New Jersey added an estimated 19,200 jobs in September to reach a seasonally adjusted level of 4,393,600, according to a recent announcement from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate decreased a percentage point from August and now sits at 4.7%.
In September, seven out of nine private industries recorded employment gains compared to August. Sectors that recorded employment gains include education and health services (+10,100), trade, transportation, and utilities (+3,800), construction (+1,700), leisure and hospitality (+1,500), manufacturing (+1,300), professional and business services (+1,300), and other services (+200). Sectors that recorded job losses include financial activities (-600), and information (-300). Public sector jobs increased by 200 for September.
Over the past 12 months, New Jersey has added 51,600 nonfarm jobs. About eighty-eight percent of those gains were in the private sector, with four out of nine private sector industries recording a gain between September 2023 and September 2024. These include private education and health services (+45,500), trade, transportation, and utilities (+11,200), construction (+2,000), and other services (+1,300). Losses were recorded year-over-year in information (-4,700), financial activities (-3,300), manufacturing (-2,400), professional and business services (-2,200), and leisure and hospitality (-2,200). The public sector has recorded a gain of 6,400 over the past 12 months.