BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Maryland added 2,700 total jobs in September, all in the private sector, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

So far in 2024, Maryland’s employment has grown by 1.2%, slightly ahead of the national rate of 1.1%.

The preliminary data from BLS also suggest that Maryland’s labor force expanded by just over 1,000 new workers.

Although BLS estimates that the number of unemployed workers actually fell slightly in September, the State’s unemployment rate remains at 2.9%.

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This rate remains one of the lowest in the nation and well below the national rate of 4.1%.

In September, the top five sectors that contributed to Maryland’s job growth were: Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (2,100 jobs), Health Care and Social Assistance (1,800 jobs), Accommodation and Food Services (1,600 jobs), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (1,300 jobs), and Retail Trade (600 jobs).

The five sectors losing the most estimated jobs in September were: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation (-2,500 jobs), Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (-1,500 jobs), Construction (-400 jobs), Manufacturing (-300 jobs), and Other Services (-200 jobs).