The March 2025 Jobs Report & February 2025 JOLTS: The Current U.S. Employment Situation

The BLS March 2025 U.S. job numbers are out: Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 228,000, the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%, and the number of unemployed people remained at 7.1 million compared to February.

The February JOLTS, released Tuesday, April 1, reported 7.6 million job openings – a decline compared to January 2025’s job openings total, which was also revised up to 7.8 million. Hires and total separations were unchanged at 5.4 million and 5.3 million, respectively. The hires rate held at 3.4%, as did the quits rate at 2.0%.

Here are more key takeaways from the latest U.S. jobs data:

• Hires increased significantly in professional and business services (+82,000) and wholesale trade (+23,000) and decreased significantly in accommodation and food services (-35,000) and retail trade (-34,000).
• Total separations in federal government increased by 11,000.
• Average hourly earnings increased by $0.09, or 0.3%, to $36.00; wages have risen by 3.8% over the past 12 months.
• While March’s job gains outperformed economists’ expectations of 140,000, January and February’s jobs numbers were both revised down by 14,000 and 34,000, respectively.
• While the BLS Employment Situation Summary showed federal government jobs decreasing by only 4,000 last month, it’s important to note that the BLS counts workers on severance or paid leave as employed. According to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., DOGE actions led to more than 216,000 federal government job cuts in March.

What industries are hiring now? Healthcare jobs increased by 54,000 and retail trade added 24,000 jobs, due largely in part to the end of strikes within food and beverage retailers (21,000). Leisure and hospitality rebounded after losing jobs in February by gaining 43,000 jobs.

The promising March numbers are overshadowed by tariffs and the current trade war, with news of China’s retaliatory tariffs just breaking this morning. Yet it’s still a good sign that last month’s numbers held strong despite the uncertainties already in play.

iHire is here to help you meet your goals as we head into the second quarter of 2025. Explore our solutions today or get in touch with our HR pros for a free consultation. If you’re looking for your next opportunity, search our jobs database to get started.