Minn. jobless rate steady at 3.7 percent in June; 4,400 jobs added

Minnesota's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady in June at 3.7 percent as employers added 4,400 jobs and the state's total unadjusted job count passed 3 million for the first time ever.

The state has gained 77,478 jobs over the past year, the biggest over-the-year job gain since May 1998, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development said in a statement.

The state's jobless rate remained significantly better than the U.S. unemployment rate of 4.4 percent, and its one-year job growth rate came in at 2.6 percent compared with a national job growth rate of 1.5 percent.

"The labor market continues to put up impressive numbers, with Minnesota adding 314,261 jobs since the recession ended eight years ago in June," DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy said in a statement. "All 11 of the state's industrial sectors have gained jobs in the past year, and nine of the 11 are growing faster than nationally."

Sectors that grew jobs in June include leisure and hospitality (up 4,500 jobs), professional and business services (up 2,300), and manufacturing (up 2,100).

Job-losing sectors included education and health services (down 2,700). Education and health services, however, led all industries over the past year with 24,790 new jobs.