The healthcare industry added an estimated 24,400 jobs in April, according to employment situation figures released today by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Overall, the U.S. economy added 164,000 jobs and the unemployment rate dropped to 3.9 percent after six consecutive months at 4.1 percent. The unemployment rate in healthcare dipped to 2.2 percent after nudging upward in March to 2.6 percent.
That 2.2 percent unemployment rate in the healthcare industry is the lowest in at least 10 years, according to data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The healthcare sector has added jobs in 57 consecutive months, since August 2013. The total estimated healthcare jobs in the U.S. through April stood at more than 15.9 million, a gain of 305,000 from April 2017.
Ambulatory and hospital jobs continued to pace the job growth in healthcare. April saw 16,900 ambulatory care jobs added, including 7,100 in physician offices and 5,900 in offices of other healthcare providers.
Hospitals added 8,000 jobs. While residential mental health facilities added 1,500 jobs and community care facilities for the elderly added 1,100, nursing care facilities shed 2,700 jobs.
