New Jersey added just under 5,000 jobs in April while the state’s unemployment rate rose to 4.8%, according to preliminary labor market estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as employment in the Garden State continues to stagnate. The bureau also revised downward the state’s employment estimates for March.
Total nonfarm employment increased by just 4,800 jobs to a seasonally adjusted level of 4,398,300 jobs. The state’s jobless rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.8%, more than half a percentage above the national unemployment rate of 4.2% in April.
Revised employment estimates for March were adjusted downward by 3,000 jobs (preliminary estimates were -2,700).
In April, five out of nine private industries posted employment gains compared with March. Those sectors were education and health services (+7,100), financial activities (+1,600), manufacturing (+900), information (+300), and other services (+200). Sectors that recorded job losses include leisure and hospitality (-2,800), professional and business services (-1,900), trade, transportation, and utilities (-1,100), and construction (-800). The public sector added 1,200 jobs for April.
Over the past 12 months, New Jersey has added 36,000 nonfarm jobs, with 76% of those gains in the private sector. Four out of nine private sector industries recorded a gain between April 2024 and April 2025. These include private education and health services (+41,300), other services (+2,500), financial activities (+1,700), and manufacturing (+700). Losses were recorded year-over-year in leisure and hospitality (-4,800), information (-4,400), professional and business services (-3,900), construction (-3,300), and trade, transportation, and utilities (-2,400). The public sector has recorded an increase of 8,600 jobs over the past twelve months.
The state’s labor force participation rate stands at 63.9%, above the national average of 62.6%. The state’s rate has been above the national average for at least the last 12 months, however, that gap is narrowed.
