California's Employment Development Department and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released California's February 2019 state jobs report last Friday. Statewide nonfarm employment grew by an estimated 14,600 in February, slightly below the average pace of the past 12 months. The official unemployment rate remained at 4.2 percent, which is low by historical standards but similar to what the state experienced for all of 2018.
The figure below summarizes nonfarm employment by sector based on the monthly survey of employers. Overall employment in the state grew 1.3 percent over the previous 12 months, somewhat below the nation’s 1.7 percent growth rate. The state’s growth rate has exceeded the nation’s in the key, high-paying information and professional/technical services sectors.
