New Jersey’s job market grew in February, following positive results from full-year 2017 and January, according to the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The department said Friday that data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated the state added 15,800 nonfarm jobs last month.
The unemployment rate, according to the data, dropped to 4.6 percent — 0.1 of a point below January’s rate.
For the month, all new jobs came from the private sector.
They were:
- Transportation and utilities, 6,700 jobs;
- Education and health services, 2,400 jobs;
- Construction, 2,100 jobs;
- Leisure and hospitality, 1,700 jobs;
- Manufacturing, 1,700 jobs;
- Other services, 1,200 jobs;
- Financial activities, 500 jobs;
- Information, 300 jobs;
- Professional and business services, 300 jobs.
In the public-sector, employment dropped by 1,200 jobs from January.
The state also did more complete reporting and revised its January numbers.
Total nonfarm employment estimates for January were higher by 2,400, an increase to 15,400 jobs gained.
The DOL said the employment in New Jersey was higher by 63,200 jobs since last February, with the majority of gains by private sector employers. Since February 2010 (the low point of the last recession), New Jersey’s private sector employers have added 372,400 jobs.
