NYS Private Sector Employment Up 14,500 Jobs in January 2025

 

Unemployment Rate Held Steady for Seventh Consecutive Month

According to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures released today by the New York State Department of Labor, the number of private sector jobs in New York State increased over the month by 14,500, or 0.2%, to 8,466,400 in January 2025. The number of private sector jobs in the U.S. increased by 0.1% in January 2025.

New York State's private sector jobs (not seasonally adjusted) increased by 155,400, or 1.9%, over the year in January 2025, exceeding the 1.3% increase in the number of private sector jobs in the U.S.

New York State's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held constant at 4.4% in January 2025. At the same time, New York State's labor force (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 900. The statewide labor force participation rate decreased to 60.8% in January 2025.

The number of private sector jobs in New York State is based on a payroll survey of New York businesses conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Monthly payroll employment estimates are preliminary and subject to revision as more complete data become available the following month. The BLS calculates New York State’s unemployment rate based partly upon the results of the monthly Current Population Survey (CPS) of approximately 3,100 households in the State.

Jobs data are revised at the end of each year for all states and the nation as more complete information becomes available from employers’ Unemployment Insurance records. This process is called “benchmarking” and is federally mandated. For a comparison of 2023 – 2024 annual data after benchmarking, see Summary of Annual Results beginning on page 14.

Labor force data, including unemployment rates, are also revised at the end of each year, using methods established by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The revised labor force data show that New York State’s annual average unemployment rate increased from 4.1% in 2023 to 4.3% in 2024.

Note: Seasonally adjusted data are used to provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. Non-seasonally adjusted data are valuable in year-to-year comparisons of the same month – for example, January 2024 versus January 2025.

Statewide Industry Employment

January 2025 – Seasonally Adjusted

• On a net basis, the total number of nonfarm jobs in the state increased by 20,100 over the month, while private sector jobs increased by 14,500 in January 2025.
• At the same time, the total number of nonfarm jobs in the nation increased by 143,000, while private sector jobs increased by 111,000.

NYS Exceeded Nation in Job Growth

Over-the-Month % Change in Total Nonfarm & Private Sector Jobs, December 2024 – January 2025  

Total Nonfarm and Private Sector Jobs Increased in January 2025 Total Nonfarm and Private Sector Jobs (in 1000s), January 1990 – January 2025 Statewide Unemployment January 2025 – Seasonally Adjusted The statewide unemployment rate held constant at 4.4% in January 2025. New York City’s unemployment rate decreased from 5.6% to 5.5%. In the rest of the state, the unemployment rate held constant at 3.5% in January 2025. The number of unemployed New Yorkers decreased over the month by 1,200 from 434,900 in December 2024 to 433,700 in January 2025. NYS Unemployment Rate Unchanged Over the Month Labor Force Statistics, January 2024, December 2024 - January 2025 Labor Force and Number of Unemployed Decreased in January Total Labor Force & Number of Unemployed, January 2009 - January 2025 Unemployment Rate Unchanged in NYS, Decreased in US Unemployment Rate, NYS & US, January 2009 - January 2025 Unemployment Rate Decreased in NYC, Unchanged in Balance of State Unemployment Rate, NYC & BOS, January 2009 - January 2025 Substate and Industry Employment  January 2025 – Not Seasonally Adjusted New York State Gains Private Sector Jobs Over the Year Over-the-Year Change in Total Nonfarm & Private Sector Jobs, January 2024 – January 2025 Note: New York State is adopting the July 2023 Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) definitions from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 23-01 for CES MSA publication. This change will be effective with the release of data for January 2025. MSAs delineations are determined using decennial census data. Changes in January 2025 New York data include the removal of Yates County from the Rochester, NY MSA and the creation of the Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA, which includes Dutchess and Orange counties. More detailed information about MSA redefinition can be found in the OMB bulletin here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/OMB-Bulletin-23-01.pdf The sum of sub-state area job estimates will usually differ from the New York State total. This is because the State total is calculated separately from the sub-state areas and is estimated based on an independent sample. Private Education & Health Services Jobs Increased by 4.6% Over the Year Over-the-Year Change in Jobs by Major Industry Sector, January 2024 – January 2025 *Government includes public education and public health services. Note: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is responsible for the production of monthly estimates of state and metro area nonfarm employment by industry. More detailed information is available on the BLS web site. Many economic data series have a seasonal pattern, which means they tend to occur at the same time each year (e.g., retail jobs usually increase in December). Seasonal adjustment is the process of removing seasonal effects from a data series. This is done to simplify the data so that they may be more easily interpreted and help to reveal true underlying trends. Seasonal adjustment permits comparisons of data from one month to data from any other month. In New York State, payroll jobs data by industry come from a monthly survey of business establishments conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data are preliminary and subject to revision. Jobs data by industry do not include agricultural workers, the self-employed, unpaid family workers, or domestic workers in private households. Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, for New York and every other state are based on statistical regression models specified by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s unemployment rate is based partly upon the results of the Current Population Survey, which contacts approximately 3,100 households in New York each month. Jobs and Unemployment Fact Sheet This fact sheet conveys important technical information that will contribute to a better understanding of labor force data (“household survey”), including resident employment/unemployment rates, and jobs by industry data (“business survey”), which are presented in the New York State Department of Labor’s monthly press release. State Unemployment Rates Based on Regression Model Beginning with data for January 1996, unemployment rates for New York State and all other states (as well as New York City and the City of Los Angeles) have been estimated using time-series regression statistical models developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Advantage of Regression Model Use of a time-series regression model reduces the month-to-month variation in unemployment rates and resident employment by reducing variation caused by sampling errors and other components of statistical noise (irregularities). Benchmarking of Estimates Once each year, labor force estimates, such as civilian labor force and the unemployment rate, are revised to reflect updated input data including new Census Bureau populations controls, newly revised establishment jobs data and new state-level annual average data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). As part of this procedure, all state figures are reviewed, revised as necessary and then re-estimated. This process is commonly referred to as “benchmarking.” Changes in Methodology Labor force estimates are now produced with an improved time-series regression model, which utilizes “real-time” benchmarking. “Real-time” benchmarking reduces end-of-year revisions, which also means that major economic events will be reflected in a more-timely manner in state labor force estimates. In addition, the new methodology includes an updated way of estimating for sub-state areas (e.g., counties, metro areas) the number of unemployed who are new entrants or re-entrants into the labor force. This change in methodology will result in lower unemployment rates in some areas and increased rates in others. Unemployed and UI Beneficiaries The estimate of the number of unemployed includes all persons who had no employment during the reference week (the week including the 12th of the month), were available for work, except for temporary illness, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the reference week. Unemployment insurance (UI) beneficiaries include those who apply for and qualify for UI benefits. Consequently, the estimate of the number of unemployed and the number of UI beneficiaries do not necessarily move in tandem. Jobs Data Jobs data are obtained from a separate joint federal-state survey of business establishments. The survey, called the Current Employment Statistics of Establishments, samples establishments in New York State. It excludes self-employed workers, agricultural workers, unpaid family workers and domestic workers employed by private households. This data represents a count of jobs by place of work. Data for each month is revised the following month as more complete information becomes available. Summary of Annual Results New York City Saw the Fastest Private Sector and Total Nonfarm Job Growth in 2024  % Change in Annual Average Jobs, U.S., New York State & Metro Areas, 2022-2023 & 2023-2024 Two New York State Metro Areas and Seven Non-Metro Counties Lost Private Sector Jobs in 2024 % Change in Annual Average Private Sector Jobs, New York State Metro Areas & Non-Metro Counties, 2023-2024 Job highlights for New York State metro areas: In 2024, private sector jobs increased most rapidly in these New York State metro areas: New York City (+2.3%) Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh Metro Area (+1.3%) Syracuse Metro Area (+1.1%) Glens Falls Metro Area (+0.7%) Nassau-Suffolk Metro Division (+0.7%) In addition, private sector employment grew by 0.9% in New York State’s non-metro counties in 2024. More than Half of the State’s Private Sector Job Gains were in Private Education and Health Services Change in Annual Average Jobs by Industry, New York State, 2023-2024 Job highlights for statewide industries: The state’s annual average private sector employment increased by 118,800,or 1.4%, to 8,377,600 in 2024. Private education and health services added the most jobs (+101,800) of any industry sector in the state in 2024. Sector job gains were concentrated in health care and social assistance (+102,200), especially ambulatory health care services (+47,900). The second largest increase was in leisure and hospitality (+15,700). Sector gains occurred in accommodation and food services (+9,000) and arts, entertainment, and recreation (+6,700). The third largest increase occurred in professional and business services (+13,100). Sector gains were greatest in administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (+5,500) and management of companies and enterprises (+4,300). The New York State Department of Labor is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program.