The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) today released its preliminary employment situation report for June 2024.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate remained unchanged over the month at 3.4% in June. This was the ninth consecutive month at 3.4%. The U.S. unemployment rate rose by one-tenth of a percentage point from its May rate to 4.1%.

The Commonwealth’s unemployment rate was two-tenths of a percentage point above its record low June 2023 level of 3.2%, while the national rate was up one-half of a percentage point over the year.

Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – was down 2,000 over the month from May’s record high to 6,603,000 in June. The decline was due entirely to a drop in resident employment which also was down from a record high in May. Resident unemployment was unchanged over the month.

Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 15,600 over the month to a record high of 6,183,900, setting the 11th consecutive record high for Pennsylvania’s jobs count. Jobs increased from May in seven of the 11 industry supersectors. The largest movement over the month was a gain of 8,300 jobs in education & health services, which reached its 13th straight record high. Financial activities and leisure & hospitality both also reached record high levels in June.

Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 98,100 with gains in seven of the 11 supersectors. Education & health services (+60,600) had the largest volume over-the-year gain among supersectors.

“Pennsylvania added 15,600 jobs in June, the 11th monthly increase in a row,” said KRC Senior Research Analyst Claire Kovach. “Together with good news on inflation for June, today’s job report continued a long string of good news on the economy.”

“Over the past 12 months, U.S. hourly wages rose by 3.9% – that’s faster than prices rose. Workers saw an increase in their buying power,” said economic analyst Maisum Murtaza, “Except for the dip towards the end of the pandemic, wages for Pennsylvania workers have now been rising since 2014.”

“This is the longest period of steady wage growth and the strongest job market for workers since the 1960s and 1970s,” commented KRC Executive Director Stephen Herzenberg.

Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. June 2024 data are preliminary and subject to revision.

Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov