U.S. Added 178,000 Jobs In March As Unemployment Dropped

The U.S. economy added more jobs than expected in March as the unemployment rate dropped suddenly, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, marking a turnaround after labor market growth plummeted the previous month following a health care strike.

Job growth plummeted the previous month following a health care strike.

The U.S. added 178,000 nonfarm jobs in March, with the unemployment rate settling at 4.3%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported, surpassing consensus analyst estimates of 60,000 jobs and a 4.4% unemployment rate, according to FactSet.

That marks a sharp rebound from the revised-down 133,000 jobs shed in February, returning toward the revised-up 160,000 jobs added in January.

Following a series of revisions, March’s job growth is the largest since December 2024 (323,000).