Maryland Unemployment Drops for 5th Straight Month
September Posts Continued Job Growth
BALTIMORE (Oct. 20, 2017) – Today, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released state jobs and unemployment data. According to the preliminary survey data, Maryland added 2,400 jobs over-the-month. September is the sixth month this year to post such gains.
Also in September, Maryland's unemployment rate further dropped to 3.8 percent, once again falling below the national average of 4.2 percent. This is the fifth straight month in 2017 in which Maryland’s unemployment rate has gone down.
“September’s job gains are a testament to Maryland’s growth and the diversity of our employment opportunities,” said Maryland Labor Secretary Kelly M. Schulz. “Workforce initiatives have never been more critical than they are now in satisfying the needs of new and expanding markets.”
Since January 2015, Maryland has gained 130,200 jobs. Of the 2,400 jobs gained last month, 1,800 were in the private sector. Compared with this time last year, Maryland jobs are up by 64,100, an over-the-year change of 2.4%.
According to the data released today, the Financial Activities sector posted the highest gains with an increase of 1,700 jobs: 900 jobs in the Finance and Insurance subsector and 800 jobs in the Real Estate and Rental and Leasing subsector. The Education and Health Services sector increased by 1,000 jobs, while the Leisure and Hospitality sector added 800 jobs. Other sectors that experienced growth in September include the Professional and Business Services, Other Services, and Information sectors.
Further, the state’s preliminary jobs estimate for August was revised upward by BLS from a gain of 14,200 to a gain of 14,400 jobs.
About the Maryland Department of Labor
The Maryland Department of Labor is committed to safeguarding and protecting Marylanders. We're proud to support the economic stability of the state by providing businesses, the workforce, and the consuming public with high-quality, customer-focused regulatory, employment, and training services. For updates and information, follow the Maryland Department of Labor on Twitter (@MD_Labor), Facebook and visit our website.
Note: Data is spidered in on the DLLR website directly from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) using Datazoa and a slight lag may exist as the database is refreshed.
For immediate access to this month's jobs data please go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website.
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