Arizona Adds More Than 16,000 Jobs, Unemployment Falls To 6.7%

ARIZONA — The state of Arizona's unemployment rate fell to 6.7 percent in March with more than 16,100 jobs created during the month.

That's the takeaway from the state's Office of Economic Opportunity, which said on Thursday that the state's seasonally-adjusted labor force saw 6,749 jobs added during March, representing a .2 percent increase since February.

Other takeaways included the hospitality industry adding 6,900 jobs during March, the state said, more than double the next-highest industry (construction), which added 3,200 jobs during the month.

The latest jobs report shows a continued economic recovery for the Grand Canyon State, though the current unemployment rate is still well above where it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rate in March 2020, by comparison, was 5.2 percent, the state said.

Other industries that paced Arizona's unemployment drop were education and health services, which added 2,400 jobs in March, as well as trade, transportation and utilities, which added 2,000 jobs, according to the state.

The private sector industries that saw the largest drop in employment during March were the information sector, which lost 800 jobs in March, and financial activities, which lost 700 jobs, the state said.

For more information on the state of Arizona's unemployment rate and economic recovery, visit the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity website.