U.S. Surprises with 228K New Jobs, Topping All Expectations

The Labor Department’s March report revealed a robust 228,000 positions added to the nation’s payrolls—far outpacing expectations of 130,000. Healthcare, hospitality, and retail led the charge, offsetting a small drop in federal positions tied to ongoing budget cuts. Average hourly wages nudged higher by 0.3%, bringing annual pay growth to nearly 3.8%.

Economists say these numbers show that U.S. businesses were still eager to hire in March, despite persistent headlines about looming policy shifts. The mild uptick in the unemployment rate, from 4.1% to 4.2%, actually signaled a healthy expansion of the labor force, with more Americans jumping back into the job hunt.

Some analysts see a note of caution on the horizon, however. President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs on foreign imports could weigh on hiring plans if trade partners retaliate or consumer spending slows. For now, employers remain cautiously optimistic, using strong consumer demand and still-low borrowing costs to fuel their expansions across multiple sectors.