State adds jobs
Education and health care are strengths in the state's economy.
The state added 5,200 jobs in March as part of 17,200 jobs employers added during the past year for a growth rate of 0.6 percent, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development reported this month.
A U.S. job growth rate of 0.4 percent was reported for the same period.
Minnesota's jobless rate for March was 5.4 percent. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.7 percent for March. Seasonal adjustment takes out employment changes that follow a regular or seasonal pattern each year. The government reports seasonal adjustments make it easier to observe the cyclical and other nonseasonal movements.
The national jobless rate is 5.2 percent for March, or 5.1 percent for the seasonally adjusted rate.
"Six of the state's major industrial sectors added jobs during the month," DEED reported this month. "Education and health services led the way, adding 2,300 jobs; followed by government, 1,400 jobs; manufacturing, and leisure and hospitality, 1,300 jobs each; other services, 600 jobs; and construction, 200 jobs.
"Sectors losing jobs were trade, transportation and utilities, down 1,200; information, down 400; and national resources and mining, financial activities, and professional and business services, each down 100 jobs."