– The state’s March total unemployment rate dropped by four-tenths of a percentage point at 4.3 percent over the month, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Friday. 
 
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts gained 21,000 jobs in March. This follows last month’s revised gain of 22,300 jobs. The largest over the month private sector job gains were in Professional, Scientific, and Business Services, Education and Health Services, and Leisure and Hospitality. Employment now stands at 3,651,100.  Since the employment trough in April 2020, Massachusetts gained 600,100 jobs. 
 
From March 2021 to March 2022, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 186,400 jobs. The largest over the year gains occurred in Leisure and Hospitality; Professional, Scientific, and Business Services; and Education and Health Services. Financial Activities was the only sector to see job losses. 
 
The March unemployment rate of 4.3 percent was 0.7 percentage point above the national rate reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  
 
The labor force grew by an estimated 2,700 from 3,772,500 in February, as 18,000 more residents were employed, and 15,300 fewer residents were unemployed over the month. 
 
Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was down by 2.1 percentage points.  
 
The state’s labor force participation rate – the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks – was up one-tenth of a percentage point at 66.0 percent over the month. Compared to March 2021, the labor force participation rate was up 0.8 percentage point.