Your chances of getting a job last month were best if you were seeking work in healthcare, retail or social assistance. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the economy added 143,000 jobs last month as the unemployment rate dipped to 4%.
Health care added 44,000 jobs in January, with gains in hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, and home health care services adding the most jobs. Job growth in health care averaged 57,000 per month in 2024.
Employment in retail trade increased by 34,000 last month. Job gains occurred in general merchandise retailers and furniture and home furnishings retailers. At the same time, electronics and appliance retailers lost 7,000 jobs. Retail trade employment had shown little net change in 2024.
Social assistance added 22,000 jobs in January, led by individual and family services. Employment also rose in the community food and housing, emergency, and other relief services industries. Employment in social assistance grew by an average of 20,000 per month in 2024.
Government employment continued to trend up in January, similar to the average monthly gain in 2024. However, that was before the Trump administration began offering federal workers buy-out packages.
There were fewer available jobs mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction. Hiring in those industries declined by 8,000. There was little change in hiring in other major industries, including construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, information, financial activities, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and other services.
People with jobs earned more last month. Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 17 cents, or 0.5%, to $35.87.