April 3 (UPI) — Private payroll company ADP Wednesday reported that 184,000 U.S. private sector jobs were created in March, based on payroll data reported to ADP. Worker pay rose 5.1% year-over-year as inflation declined.
“March was surprising not just for the pay gains, but the sectors that recorded them,” ADP chief economist Nela Richardson said in a statement. “The three biggest increases for job-changers were in construction, financial services, and manufacturing. Inflation has been cooling, but our data shows pay is heating up in both goods and services.”
ADP reported in 140,000 jobs were created in February. Pay gains for that month were trending lower but still above inflation.
For March ADP found that 142,000 of the jobs created were in the service sector. There were 42,000 jobs added in goods-producing industries like manufacturing, construction and natural resources/mining.
The South had the most jobs created in March at 91,000 followed by the West with 53,000.
The Midwest added 28,000 while the Northeast created 20,000.
Medium sized companies added the most jobs at 93,000. Large companies created 87,000 while small businesses generated 16,000 new jobs in March.
Workers changing jobs in March gained a 10% wage increase compared ot the 5.1% rise in pay for workers who stayed in current jobs, according to ADP.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday that the total number of job openings changed little at 8.8 million on the last day of February.
“In February, job openings increased in finance and insurance (+126,000); state and local government, excluding education (+91,000); and arts, entertainment, and recreation (+51,000),” the BLS said in a statement “Job openings decreased in information (-85,000) and in federal government (-21,000).”
