Minnesota jobless rate steady at 4 percent; 1,900 jobs added

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File photo from the Minnesota State University Job and Internship Fair in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Feb. 6, 2015.
Jeffrey Thompson / MPR News File 2015

Minnesota's unemployment rate remained at a seasonally adjusted 4 percent in September as the state added 1,900 jobs, state officials said Thursday. Minnesota's year-over-year job growth, however, continues to lag the nation.

The September job additions, together with figures from August that were revised from 1,500 jobs lost to 500 jobs gained, brought total job growth in Minnesota to 40,899 in the past year, according to data released by the state Department of Employment and Economic Development.

"September marks seven years since employment levels in Minnesota bottomed out during the recession," DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy said in a statement.

Minnesota's unemployment rate remained significantly lower than the 5 percent U.S. rate. However, the state's 12-month job growth rate was 1.4 percent in September compared to a 1.7 growth rate for the country.

Educational and health services led all state employment sectors in the past year with 14,129 new jobs. Professional and business services gained 10,701 jobs.

Job losing sectors in the past 12 months include information services (down 977), logging and mining (down 950), and manufacturing (down 537).

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