Nonfarm Payroll Jobs Increase by 6,800 in March;
Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.8 Percent
Household survey data
- According to the survey of households, the number of unemployed individuals increased by 1,200 to 156,500 from February to March. Colorado’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point over the same time period to 4.8 percent. The national unemployment rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.2 percent from February to March.
- Colorado’s labor force decreased by 2,400 in March to 3,280,800. The share of Coloradans participating in the labor force decreased to 67.8 percent in March, compared to 67.9 percent the month prior. The U.S. labor force participation rate increased one-tenth of a percentage point to 62.5 percent in March.
- The number of individuals employed in Colorado decreased by 3,600 in March to 3,124,200, which represents 64.6 percent of the state’s 16+ population. Colorado’s employment-population ratio of 64.6 in March decreased one-tenth of a percentage point from the month prior. The national employment-population ratio was unchanged at 59.9 percent from February to March.
Establishment survey data
- Employers in Colorado gained 6,800 nonfarm payroll jobs from February to March for a total of 2,972,800 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased by 5,800, while government added 1,000 jobs.
- February estimates were revised down to 2,966,000, and the over the month change from January to February was a decrease of 11,600 jobs rather than the originally estimated decrease of 8,900 (monthly revisions are based on additional responses from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates).
- The private industry sectors with significant over the month job gains in March were: trade, transportation, and utilities (≈7,700); partially reflecting the return of workers from a strike within the retail sector, and professional and business services (≈1,000). The private industry sectors with significant over the month job losses were: education and health services (≈2,400), and leisure and hospitality (≈1,800).
- Since March 2024, nonfarm payroll jobs have increased 2,300, with the private sector declining by 11,500 and government adding 13,800 jobs. The largest private sector job gains were in educational and health services (≈1,500) and leisure and hospitality (≈1,400). During that same period, payroll jobs declined in professional and business services (≈8,400), trade, transportation, and utilities (≈1,900), information (≈1,300), financial activities (≈1,300), construction (≈1,100), and other services (≈1,100). Colorado’s rate of job growth over the past year is 0.1 percent, below the U.S. rate of 1.2 percent.
- Over the year, the average workweek for all Colorado employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased from 32.8 to 33.5 hours, while average hourly earnings grew from $37.74 to $39.20, three dollars and twenty cents more than the national average hourly earnings of $36.00.
###
Informational Section
All Colorado estimates from the establishment and household surveys, including greater geographic detail, are available at Colorado LMI Gateway. Estimates for all states and the nation are available at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For data visualizations, visit CDLE’s Labor Market Information on Tableau.
The April 2025 Colorado Employment Situation will be released at 8:00 AM on Friday, May 16, 2025. The full schedule of release dates for calendar year 2025 estimates is available at Labor Market Information.
Technical Notes
This release provides information on industry employment and labor force statistics for March 2025, the most current estimates available from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. The reference period for the establishment survey was the pay period or week that includes the 12th of the month.
The unemployment rate, labor force, labor force participation, total employment, and the number of unemployed are based on a survey of households. The total employment estimate derived from this survey is intended to measure the number of people employed.
Nonfarm payroll jobs estimates are based on a survey of business establishments and government agencies, and are intended to measure the number of jobs, not the number of people employed. Other series based on this survey include private sector average weekly hours, average hourly earnings, and average weekly earnings.
The business establishment survey covers about seven times the number of households surveyed and is therefore considered a more reliable indicator of economic conditions. Because the estimates are based on two separate surveys, one measuring jobs by worksite and the other measuring persons employed and unemployed by household, estimates based on these surveys may provide seemingly conflicting results.
Strike Activity during the reference week in February 2025
Note: Strike activity at a major retail grocery company lasted for the duration of the February reference week, which was February 9th through February 15th. These workers are not counted in payroll job estimates in the establishment survey for February. However, these workers returned to work prior to the March reference week and are reflected in payroll job estimates for March. For more information, visit BLS Current Employment Statistics Strike Report.
Resources Mentioned