SPRINGFIELD, IL (Chambana Today) – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced Thursday that nonfarm payrolls in the state reached a new record high in March, with 6,172,300 jobs — an increase of 14,800 (+0.2%) from the previous month. This surpasses the state’s prior record set in December 2024.
In a revision to earlier data, February’s payroll change was adjusted from a loss of 6,500 jobs to a gain of 900. “Today’s data is a marked bright spot for the Illinois labor market,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “The new high in job growth underscores the resolve of our state labor force.”
The state’s unemployment rate held steady at 4.8% in March, unchanged from February. The number of unemployed workers slightly increased to 321,500 (+0.1%), though that figure is down 2.5% from a year ago. Overall, the labor force shrank slightly over the month but remains up 0.6% year-over-year.
Leading March’s job gains were the Government (+4,500), Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+2,600), and Private Education and Health Services (+2,200) sectors. Job losses were seen in Information (-400) and Financial Activities (-300).
Compared to March 2024, Illinois has added 34,200 jobs. Notable year-over-year increases came from Government (+20,900), Private Education and Health Services (+19,800), and Leisure and Hospitality (+5,800). However, Professional and Business Services (-12,900), Manufacturing (-5,500), and Construction (-900) saw declines.
IDES continues to connect jobseekers with opportunities through hiring events and its job portal, Illinois JobLink, which currently lists more than 77,000 available jobs and over 62,000 active resumes.