U.S. Adds 178K Jobs, Unemployment Falls to 4.3%
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- U.S. added 178,000 jobs in March, pulling the unemployment rate down to 4.3%.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics revised prior months, adding 34,000 jobs to January and subtracting 41,000 jobs from February.
- Health care posted the biggest job gains, with construction and transportation and warehousing also seeing notable increases.
- Movies and music employment fell by 1,100 jobs to 337,400, while broadcasting and content providers were flat, adding about 100 jobs to 334,200.
- Average hourly earnings rose 9 cents to $37.38, marking a 3.5% annual increase that outpaces inflation.
Why it matters: Job seekers gain from the net hiring surge of 178,000 jobs and a dip in unemployment to 4.3%, especially in health‑care and construction, while entertainment workers lose about 1,100 jobs; the 9‑cent rise in average hourly earnings to $37.38, a 3.5% annual gain that outpaces inflation, boosts real purchasing power.
