How many jobs were lost in Pennsylvania last month?
Updated Apr. 14, 2026Refreshed annually
Pennsylvania gained 17,900 jobs in January 2026, ranking it sixth among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 9,400 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+17.9K
month to month change in number of jobs (January 2026)
6th
rank among states in monthly job growth (January 2026)
January 2026's gain of 17,900 jobs was the second consecutive month of positive job growth in Pennsylvania. Monthly job growth was up from the 10,000 new jobs in December 2025.
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), Pennsylvania gained jobs in 49 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 14th-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+54,500) while job growth was weakest in February 2025 (-6,600).
There were 17,900 more jobs in January 2026 in Pennsylvania than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, February 2021–January 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Pennsylvania sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in January 2026?
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), Pennsylvania gained jobs in 49 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 14th-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+54,500) while job growth was weakest in February 2025 (-6,600).
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in January 2026 were private educational services, construction, and accommodation and food services. Private educational services added 6,700 jobs, construction gained 4,600 jobs, while accommodation and food services added 3,700. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The health care and social assistance sector gained 3,300 jobs during January 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Pennsylvania (January 2026)
How does Pennsylvania's job growth in 2025 compare to previous years?
In 2025, the state has gained an average of 6,400 jobs every month. That's higher than the 2024 average monthly increase of 5,600, and the highest since 2022. The 2025 average ranks as fifth-highest in job growth since 2022.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 13,400 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 6,500 on average every month in 2010.
In 2025, Pennsylvania gained an average of 6,400 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among 16 metro areas at least partially in Pennsylvania during January 2026 ranged from a loss of 100 jobs in the Williamsport, PA area to a gain of 7,100 jobs in the Philadelphia, PA area metro area.
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
