COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s unemployment rate was 4.1% in March, down from 4.2% in February, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday.

Ohio’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 12,500 over the month, from a revised 5,669,200 in February to 5,681,700 in March.

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in March was 243,000, down from 251,000 in February. The number of unemployed has decreased by 45,000 in the past 12 months from 288,000. The March unemployment rate for Ohio decreased 0.7 percentage points from 4.8% in March 2025.

The U.S. unemployment rate for March was 4.3%, down from 4.4% in February and up from 4.2% in March 2025.

In March, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 62.1%, down from 62.2% in February and down from 62.8% in March 2025. During the same period, the national labor force participation rate was 61.9%, down from 62% in February and down from 62.5% in March 2025.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 953,400, increased 3,600 over the month as gains in construction surpassed losses in manufacturing. Employment in mining and logging did not change over the month. The private service-providing sector, at 3,936,800, increased 6,900 as gains in trade, transportation and utilities; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; information; private educational and health services; and other services outpaced losses in financial activities. Government employment, at 791,500, increased 2,000 as gains in local and state government surpassed losses in federal government.

From March 2025 to March 2026, nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 18,200. Employment in goods-producing industries increased 9,000, led by construction, which added 11,200 jobs. Manufacturing lost 2,700 jobs, in nondurable goods and durable goods. Mining and logging gained 500 jobs over the year. Employment in the private service-providing sector increased 10,800 as gains in private educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and professional and business services surpassed losses in financial activities; trade, transportation and utilities; information; and other services. Government employment decreased 1,600 over the year, as losses in federal government outweighed gains in local and state government.