HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania added jobs and saw its unemployment rate decline in January, with total employment reaching a record high, according to state labor officials.
What This Means for You
- More jobs are available as employment reaches a record high
- Unemployment declined slightly, matching the national rate
- Growth is strongest in health care, education, and construction
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry reported the state’s unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent in January, down one-tenth of a percentage point from December and equal to the national rate. The unemployment rate measures the share of people actively seeking work who are unable to find jobs.
Job Growth and Labor Force Trends
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force — the total number of people working or actively looking for work — increased by 12,000 over the month to 6,583,000.
Employment rose by 17,000, while the number of unemployed residents declined by 5,000.
Officials said the data reflects continued stability in the state’s labor market despite modest year-over-year changes.
Compared to January 2025, Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate increased by two-tenths of a percentage point, while the national rate rose by three-tenths over the same period.
Record High for Total Nonfarm Jobs
Total nonfarm jobs — a measure of employment across most industries excluding farm work — increased by 17,900 over the month to a record 6,201,900 in January.
Job gains were recorded in five of the state’s 11 major industry sectors.
The largest increase occurred in education and health services, which added 10,000 jobs and reached a record high.
Construction employment also reached a record level in January.
Year-Over-Year Employment Gains
Over the past year, Pennsylvania added 35,500 jobs, with growth spread across seven of the 11 industry sectors.
Officials said the gains reflect continued expansion in key service and infrastructure-related industries.
Data Revisions and Methodology
State officials noted that January’s report includes annual revisions based on updated data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
These revisions incorporate additional information and updated seasonal adjustment factors — statistical methods used to remove typical seasonal patterns, such as holiday hiring — to provide more accurate month-to-month comparisons.
January 2026 figures are preliminary and may be revised as additional data becomes available.
Where to Find More Information
Additional labor market data is available at www.dli.pa.gov.
Officials said the monthly report provides a snapshot of employment trends and will be updated as revised data is released.
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