U.S. Adds 178,000 Jobs in March as Unemployment Holds at 4.3%

Overview

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 178,000 new nonfarm jobs in March with the jobless rate at 4.3%, topping the roughly 59,000 increase economists expected.
• Revisions changed the recent picture, with February cut to a 133,000 loss and January raised to 160,000, which pulled the three‑month average down to about 68,000.
• Healthcare led hiring with 76,000 jobs as doctors’ offices added workers who returned from strikes, and construction added 26,000 jobs alongside a 21,000 gain in transportation and warehousing.
• Federal employment fell by 18,000 in March and is down 355,000 since October 2024, with some coverage tying many of those cuts to the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency initiative.
• The White House praised the report and credited President Trump’s policies for the strength, while neutral trade coverage highlighted the rebound and the role of sector shifts and data revisions.