The healthcare sector continued to help drive job growth in the United States in March with 22,000 jobs added for the month.
The economy added 103,000 jobs in all, fewer than projected. But the overall unemployment rate remained at 4.1 percent for the sixth consecutive month.
The unemployment rate in the healthcare sector ticked up to 2.6 percent from 2.4 percent in February. That might be attributed to job losses in three major sub-sectors: nursing and residential facilities (lost 3,700 jobs), nursing care facilities (lost 2,900 jobs) and residential mental health facilities (lost 4,100 jobs).
On the other end of that spectrum, ambulatory health services added the most jobs of any sub-sector in the U.S. — nearly 16,000. Job growth at hospitals also remained robust, with 10,000 jobs added in March.
Dental offices also continued to grow, with 4,400 jobs added in March.
Outpatient care centers added 3,500 jobs and physicians offices added 3,700.
