February 2025 Jobs Report: Employers Add 151,000 Jobs

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that U.S. employers added 151,000 jobs in February, falling short of economists’ expectations of about 170,000 jobs.

The agency also shared revised job numbers for December 2024 and January 2025, showing that those two months combined saw 2,000 fewer positions added than previously reported.

Employers in private education and health services added 73,000 jobs in February

The private education and health services industry led the way in payroll expansion last month, with employers adding 73,000 jobs. These industries also saw notable job gains in February, according to the latest jobs report from the BLS:

Financial activities: 21,000 jobs added

Construction: 19,000 jobs added

Transportation and warehousing: 17,800 jobs added

Government: 11,000 jobs added

Manufacturing: 10,000 jobs added

Wholesale trade: 8,800 jobs added

Information: 5,000 jobs added

Mining and logging: 5,000 jobs added

National unemployment rate ticks up to 4.1%

The national unemployment rate was 4.1% in February, up slightly from 4.0% in January.

The unemployment rate for college-degreed workers who are 25 or older also increased in February, rising to 2.5%. In January, the rate was 2.3%. These professionals are the most highly sought-after by employers.

Other recent BLS data shows many highly skilled jobs in fields such as finance and accounting, technology, legal, marketing and creative, healthcare, human resources, and administrative and customer support have even lower unemployment rates.

Learn more about industries hiring right now.

Job openings trends indicate many employers are still in a hiring mode

Job opening levels in the U.S. remain high, signaling that employers are hiring but also may be facing challenges recruiting candidates with the right requirements for many roles. There were 7.6 million job openings at the end of December, according to the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS ) report from the BLS.

For many employers, business growth has been adding to the demand for skilled talent in recent months. Robert Half’s State of U.S. Hiring Survey found that 63% of managers at companies of all sizes plan to add new permanent positions to their workforce in the first half of this year. That’s up from 52% in midyear 2024.

However, many employers may find it challenging to meet their near-term hiring goals. Recent Robert Half research found that only 29% of workers plan to search for a new job in early 2025. Many workers cite satisfaction with compensation, fair workloads and job expectations, and a positive workplace culture as contributors to their desire to stay in their current job.

When employers do find promising candidates who meet their requirements, they should move quickly to make an offer. If they delay, they may risk missing out on a great hire, especially if they are recruiting for roles that require specialized skills. Other downsides of a protracted recruitment process include employee burnout, delayed project timelines, decreased productivity and other downsides, according to our company’s research.

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The 2025 Salary Guide From Robert Half covers hiring and compensation trends across seven professional fields: finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, healthcare, and human resources.

Our annual guide features exclusive data and input from employers and workers, and from our recruiters who staff tens of thousands of jobs each year. The Salary Guide can be a valuable resource, whether you’re launching a job search, actively hiring talent or developing a staffing strategy for your business.

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