Pa. unemployment rate falls to 4.3% as nonfarm jobs hit record high
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry reports a one-tenth percentage point decline in January unemployment and record levels for total nonfarm jobs.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate decreased one-tenth of a percentage point in January to 4.3% and total nonfarm jobs set a record high, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) reported Friday.
The Pennsylvania rate matched the U.S. unemployment rate, which was also down one-tenth of a point from December. The L&I released its preliminary employment situation report for January 2026.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was two-tenths of a point higher than its January 2025 level of 4.1%. The U.S. rate increased three-tenths from last January.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force, which is the estimated number of residents working or looking for work, increased by 12,000 over the month to 6,583,000 in January. Employment was up 17,000 and unemployment declined by 5,000 from December.
Jobs increased from December in five of the 11 industry supersectors. The largest volume gain was in education and health services, which were up 10,000 over the month to a record high. Construction also set a record high in January. Over the year, jobs increased by 35,500, with gains in seven of the 11 supersectors.