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March jobs report: 228,000 added, but unemployment climbs to 4.2%

The US labor market continued to show resilience in March, adding more jobs than expected.

However, a slight uptick in the unemployment rate and rising global trade tensions, driven by President Donald Trump’s surprise tariff announcements, have cast a shadow over the otherwise positive employment data.

Jobs report March 2025

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the US economy added 228,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in March—well above economists’ expectations of 140,000 and significantly higher than February’s revised total of 117,000.

Over the past 12 months, the monthly average has stood at 158,000, making March’s report a sign of stronger-than-average hiring momentum.