February Jobs Report: U.S. Adds 151,000 Jobs

The U.S. labor market added 151,000 jobs in February, reflecting a modest increase in employment growth.

This figure is slightly below the average monthly gain of 168,000 over the past 12 months but indicates continued expansion in key sectors.

The unemployment rate remained relatively stable at 4.1%, with 7.1 million unemployed individuals, marking little change from the previous month.

Is the U.S. Job Market Growing?

February’s job report suggests a steady but slowing pace of job growth, with gains concentrated in healthcare, financial activities, transportation and warehousing, and social assistance.

Additionally, the number of people employed part-time for economic reasons increased by 460,000 to 4.9 million, indicating that more workers are unable to find full-time jobs or had their hours reduced.

U.S. Unemployment Rates by Group

• Adult women: 3.8% (up from 3.7%)
• Adult men: 3.8% (up from 3.7%)
• Teenagers: 12.9% (up from 11.8%)
• Whites: 3.8% (up from 3.5%)
• Blacks: 6.0% (down from 6.2%)
• Asians: 3.2% (down from 3.7%)
• Hispanics: 5.2% (up from 4.8%)

Key Employment Statistics for February 2025

• Long-term unemployed: 1.5 million people were jobless for 27 weeks or more, making up 20.9% of the unemployed.
• Part-time employment for economic reasons: 4.9 million individuals reported working part-time due to reduced hours or inability to find full-time jobs, a 460,000 increase from January.
• Average hourly earnings: Increased by 10 cents to $35.93, reflecting a 4.0% year-over-year increase.

Sectors with Notable Job Trends in February

Healthcare

Healthcare remained a key source of job growth in February, adding 52,000 jobs, continuing its steady expansion.

The strongest gains were in ambulatory health care services (+26,000), hospitals (+15,000), and nursing and residential care facilities (+12,000), reflecting sustained demand for medical professionals and patient care services.

As the healthcare infrastructure expands, the sector remains a major driver of employment, consistently outpacing other industries in job creation.

Financial Activities

The financial activities sector experienced a notable increase of 21,000 jobs, well above its 12-month average of 5,000 jobs per month.

The majority of gains were seen in real estate and rental and leasing (+10,000), alongside steady growth in insurance carriers and related activities (+5,000).

However, commercial banking shed 5,000 jobs, reflecting shifting trends in the financial sector amid economic uncertainty and evolving consumer banking habits.

Transportation and Warehousing

Employment in transportation and warehousing grew by 18,000 jobs, closely aligning with its 12-month average of 13,000.

The most significant job growth occurred in couriers and messengers (+24,000), likely driven by continued e-commerce demand, while air transportation (+4,000) also saw moderate gains.

The sector’s steady expansion highlights the sustained reliance on logistics and delivery services, which remain integral to supply chain operations.

Social Assistance

The social assistance sector added 11,000 jobs, with individual and family services (+10,000) accounting for most of the growth.

However, these gains were below the 12-month average of 21,000 jobs per month, signaling a slowdown in hiring momentum for essential support services.

As demand for social programs remains high, the sector continues to play a critical role in providing assistance to vulnerable populations, though hiring trends may be stabilizing.

February Jobs Report Summary

The February jobs report reflects continued, but slower, growth in the U.S. labor market, with 151,000 new jobs added.

While healthcare, financial activities, and transportation and warehousing remained key sources of employment, federal government employment declined due in large part to mass layoffs, and retail trade remained largely stagnant.

A slight increase in part-time employment for economic reasons and a minor rise in the unemployment rate suggest underlying shifts in labor market conditions, even as wages increased by 10 cents per hour.