Nationwide Job Growth Reported for November
November’s job growth was 32 percent higher than October’s revised employment number of 243,000 new jobs, and an 18.5 percent increase over September’s revised number of 271,000 jobs. Employment gain revisions for September and October combined were 44,000 more than previously reported.
November’s unemployment rate remained at 5.8 percent, while the number of unemployed persons changed little at 9.1 million. Over the last year, the unemployment rate and the number of unemployed persons decreased by 1.2 percentage points and 1.7 million, respectively.
Job gains for the month occurred in virtually every sector, while professional and business services, retail trade, health care, and manufacturing led the growth.
Professional and business services increased by 86,000 jobs, an increase over the average monthly gain of 57,000 jobs of the past 12 months. Temporary help services, and accounting and bookkeeping services were responsible for the largest gains of the month at 23,000 and 16,000 jobs, respectively. Management and technical consulting services and computer-systems design and related services both increased by 7,000 jobs, while architectural and engineering services increased by 5,000 jobs.
Retail trade increased by 50,000 jobs compared to the monthly average gain of 22,000 jobs over the past 12 months. Both motor vehicle and parts dealers, and clothing and accessories stores gained 12,000 jobs over the course of the month. Other increases occurred within sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores at 9,000 jobs, and non-store retailers at 6,000 jobs.
Gains in other industries include health care at 29,000 jobs, manufacturing at 28,000 jobs, food services and drinking places at 27,000 jobs, construction employment at 20,000 jobs, financial activities at 20,000 jobs, and transportation and warehousing at 17,000 jobs.