By Manuel Gutierrez, Consulting Economist to NKBA

Total employment is within 1.6 million of its 152.5 million pre-pandemic peak.

• The private sector, which represents 85 percent of all jobs, accounted for nearly all 2022 job growth.
• Gains were led by Hospitality, which added 66,000, followed by Manufacturing (+55,000), and Transportation and Warehousing (+52,000). Construction was far behind with just 2,000 jobs added.
• Several key industries are still well below their 2020 highs, including Leisure & Entertainment, down by almost 10 percent, and Hospitality, off by over 8 percent.
• Unemployment remained unchanged at 3.6 percent, just above its 3.5 percent historic low.
• By sex, unemployment improved slightly to 3.5 percent for women, while it edged up to 3.8 percent for men.
• Within our industry, 900  Interior Designer jobs were added for the month, bringing the total to 51,800, the highest ever and 5,400 above the same period last year. Females currently hold just over two-thirds of the interior designer jobs.