Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.2% in February 2026

As National Rate Increases, Pennsylvania Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.2 Percent in February

April 17, 2026
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Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) today released its preliminary employment situation report for February 2026.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point over the month to 4.2 percent in February. Over that same period, the U.S. unemployment rate increased one-tenth of a point from January to 4.4 percent.

Over the year, Pennsylvania’s rate again performs better than the national rate. The Commonwealth’s unemployment rate was a tenth of a point above its February 2025 level of 4.1 percent, while the U.S. rate was up two-tenths from last February.

Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force — the estimated number of residents working or looking for work — was up 5,000 over the month to 6,588,000 in February. Employment was up 7,000 and unemployment declined by 2,000 from January.

Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were at 6,178,600 in February. Jobs decreased in eight of the 11 industry supersectors. The largest volume gain was in other services, up 1,100 over the month, while the largest declines were in trade, transportation & utilities and education & health services (-5,900 each). Over the year, jobs were up 18,800 with gains in seven of the 11 supersectors. The largest volume gain from last February was in education & health services (+28,500).

Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or by following us on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. February 2026 data are preliminary and subject to revision.

#

| Current Labor Force Statistics |
| Seasonally Adjusted |
| (in thousands) |
| Change from | | Change from | |
| | February | January | February | January 2026 | | February 2025 | |
| | 2026 | 2026 | 2025 | volume | percent | volume | percent |
| PA |
| Civilian Labor Force | 6,588 | 6,583 | 6,527 | 5 | 0.1% | 61 | 0.9% |
| Employment | 6,308 | 6,301 | 6,257 | 7 | 0.1% | 51 | 0.8% |
| Unemployment | 280 | 282 | 270 | -2 | -0.7% | 10 | 3.7% |
| Rate | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.1 | -0.1 | ---- | 0.1 | ---- |

| U.S. |
| Civilian Labor Force | 170,483 | 170,465 | 170,441 | 18 | 0.0% | 42 | 0.0% |
| Employment | 162,912 | 163,097 | 163,338 | -185 | -0.1% | -426 | -0.3% |
| Unemployment | 7,571 | 7,368 | 7,104 | 203 | 2.8% | 467 | 6.6% |
| Rate | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 0.1 | ---- | 0.2 | ---- |

| Note: March 2026 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on May 1, 2026. |

| Pennsylvania Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment |
| Seasonally Adjusted |
| (in thousands) |
| Change from | | Change from | |

| Total Nonfarm Jobs | 6,178.6 | 6,197.6 | 6,159.8 | -19.0 | -0.3% | 18.8 | 0.3% |

| Goods Producing Industries | 836.1 | 841.8 | 842.1 | -5.7 | -0.7% | -6.0 | -0.7% |
| Mining & Logging | 21.3 | 21.4 | 20.8 | -0.1 | -0.5% | 0.5 | 2.4% |
| Construction | 263.0 | 266.0 | 261.6 | -3.0 | -1.1% | 1.4 | 0.5% |
| Manufacturing | 551.8 | 554.4 | 559.7 | -2.6 | -0.5% | -7.9 | -1.4% |

| Service Providing Industries | 5,342.5 | 5,355.8 | 5,317.7 | -13.3 | -0.2% | 24.8 | 0.5% |
| Trade, Transportation & Utilities | 1,125.4 | 1,131.3 | 1,139.3 | -5.9 | -0.5% | -13.9 | -1.2% |
| Information | 88.9 | 88.6 | 90.2 | 0.3 | 0.3% | -1.3 | -1.4% |
| Financial Activities | 342.4 | 342.6 | 340.8 | -0.2 | -0.1% | 1.6 | 0.5% |
| Professional & Business Services | 836.8 | 837.8 | 833.7 | -1.0 | -0.1% | 3.1 | 0.4% |
| Education & Health Services | 1,412.9 | 1,418.8 | 1,384.4 | -5.9 | -0.4% | 28.5 | 2.1% |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 574.9 | 576.7 | 567.9 | -1.8 | -0.3% | 7.0 | 1.2% |
| Other Services | 262.0 | 260.9 | 258.8 | 1.1 | 0.4% | 3.2 | 1.2% |
| Government | 699.2 | 699.1 | 702.6 | 0.1 | 0.0% | -3.4 | -0.5% |

| For a more detailed breakdown of seasonally adjusted jobs data at the sector level, please contact the Center for Workforce Information & Analysis at 1-877-4WF-DATA, or visit www.paworkstats.pa.gov |

DLI Media Contact Details

L&I Press Inquiries

dlipress@pa.gov Department of Labor and Industry Media

Trevor J. Monk

Communications Director dlipress@pa.gov Department of Labor and Industry Media

Danielle L. Woods

Press Secretary dlipress@pa.gov Department of Labor and Industry Media