Highlights

• According to March 2008 estimates, Kansas businesses added approximately 9,900 jobs compared to March 2007, a 0.7% increase. All metropolitan areas and five of 11 major industries added jobs during the year.
  
  
• Government, specifically local government, reported the highest gains over the year, adding 3,500 jobs, a 1.3% increase. The increased number of jobs in this area may be attributed to increases in staffing by school districts during the 2007-08 school year.
  
  
• The professional and business services industry reported the second largest gain of 3,300 jobs over the year. Most of these gains were in the administrative support services sector which includes temporary service agencies. The education and health services industry saw the next highest gains, adding 2,400 jobs over the year, mostly in health care.
  
  
• The Wichita MSA continues to see an increase in jobs, by 1.1%, largely in the transportation equipment manufacturing industry, which includes aerospace production.
  
  
• The March unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, up from 4.0 last month and last year. Kansas’ unemployment rate continues to remain below the national average which was 5.1 percent in March.
  
  

Labor Report Data Bank

Overview        PDF

Unemployment in Kansas and MSAs    PDF       Excel      Historical Data

Nonfarm Jobs in Kansas and MSAs    PDF       Excel      Historical Data

County Unemployment Map    HTML

County Unemployment Rates    PDF       Excel

Quotes

Labor Economist Daniel Nibarger (nī´ bär gər)
"This month Kansas outpaced the nation in over the year percentage growth. Those industries which have seen over the year employment declines nationwide – manufacturing, including durable goods, and administrative and support services, such as temporary services – are some of the fastest growing industry sectors in Kansas."

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Audio clip for radio stations by Sue Henke, KDOL spokesperson
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