To arrange interviews with KRC researchers, contact John Neurohr at jneurohr@clearpointpa.com; 717-364-6452.
Keystone Research Center Statement on the March 2025 PA Jobs Report
With the release this morning of the Pennsylvania employment situation report by March 2025 by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Keystone Research Center economist and executive director Stephen Herzenberg released the following statement:
“So far, the Pennsylvania labor market has remained far more resilient than expected given the economic turmoil fostered by recent policy decisions. While there were downward revisions to topline numbers in prior months, job growth came in at 20,900 for March resulting in the 11th consecutive record high.
In March, jobs gains were strongest in education and health, and in leisure and hospitality, each of which added 6,500 jobs. Professional and business services also saw a significant increase of 6,400. Overall, government employment in Pennsylvania increased by 400 jobs from February 2025 despite decreases in federal employment nationally (and probably in Pennsylvania). (Data on Pennsylvania government employment broken down into local, state, and federal employment are not yet available.)
The unemployment rate in Pennsylvania remained unchanged from February 2025 at 3.8%. The unemployment rate in Pennsylvania continues to be consistently lower than the national level (4.2%) and two-tenths of a percentage point above the unemployment rate of 12 months ago in March 2024 (3.6%). Economic uncertainty has increased because of recent policy changes. For example, Mack Truck just announced it will lay off 250 to 350 people at its Lehigh Valley operations center. These and other layoffs, however, do not impact the March numbers and the Pennsylvania March jobs report remained robust.”