How the New Unemployment Rate Affects Different Sectors of the Economy

The unemployment rate fell to 8.8 percent in March, its lowest point in two years. The Labor Department said employers added 216,000 jobs in March, more than February's gains of 192,000.

Here is how the report affected different groups and industries:

*Highlighted in red are the sectors that unemployment increased for the month.


UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BY GROUP:
(Numbers in percentages)

March 2011 Feb. 2011 March 2010
White: 7.9 8 8.7
Black: 15.5 15.3 16.5
Hispanic: 11.3 11.6 12.5
Asian (not seasonally adjusted): 7.1 6.8 7.5
Adult men: 8.6 8.7 10
Adult women: 7.7 8 8
Veterans of Iraq/Afghanistan 10.9 12.5 14.7
(not seasonally adjusted)
Teenagers: 24.5 23.9 26
20-24 years old: 15 15.4 15.7
25-54 years old: 7.8 7.9 8.7
55 and over: 6.5 6.4 6.9
No high school diploma: 13.7 13.9 14.4
High school graduates: 9.5 9.5 10.8
Some college: 7.4 7.8 8.2
College graduates: 4.4 4.3 4.8

DURATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT:

Average length (weeks): 39 37.1 33.9
Jobless 6 months or more (pct.): 45.5 43.9 43.9


JOB CHANGES BY SECTOR: March 2011 Feb. 2011 March 2010
(number of jobs)
Private-sector employers: 230,000 240,000 144,000
Construction: -1,000 37,000 17,000
Education and health care: 45,000 41,000 56,000
Financial services: 6,000 -3,000 -14,000
Leisure and hospitality: 37,000 48,000 31,000
Manufacturing: 17,000 32,000 9,000
Professional and business services: 78,000 44,000 2,000
Retail: 17,700 -7,800 24,900
Transportation and warehousing: -100 18,100 8,300
Temporary help: 28,800 22,700 30,000
State and local government: -15,000 -47,000 -6,000
Includes accounting, legal, management and temporary help[/b]