Pennsylvania’s June unemployment rate at record low 3.8%

WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate declined two-tenths of a percentage point over the month to 3.8% in June, the lowest rate on record going back to January 1976.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Friday released its preliminary employment situation report for June 2023.

The U.S. unemployment rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point from May to 3.6%.

The Commonwealth’s unemployment rate was one-half of a percentage point below its June 2022 level of 4.3%, and the national rate was unchanged over the year.

Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force — the estimated number of residents working or looking for work — was down 4,000 over the month.

Resident employment rose by 10,000 over the month and unemployment fell by 13,000.

Pennsylvania’s total non-farm jobs were up 7,300 over the month to a new record high of 6,131,900 in June.

This was the sixth month in a row that jobs have hit a new all-time high level.

Jobs increased from May in six of the 11 industry super-sectors with the largest gain in professional & business services (+2,800), which rose to a record high level.

Over the year, total non-farm jobs were up 154,600 with gains in all 11 super-sectors. Education & health services (+49,400) had the largest volume over-the-year gain among super-sectors.

Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. June data are preliminary and subject to revision.