Alaska Employment: 328,800 Jobs Keeps April Unemployment Steady at 4.6 Percent
FUNTAP P | DREAMSTIME
An increase of nearly 9,000 jobs compared to a year before—for a second month in a row—kept the state’s unemployment rate from rising. The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development puts the seasonally adjusted figure for April at 4.6 percent, the same as a month before.
2.8 Percent Job Growth
The statewide rate in April compares to the national rate of 3.9 percent, which was a slight increase from March. Rates have more than recovered from levels prior to the COVID-19 pandemic; unemployment rates were typically higher than 6 percent prior to the oil price crash of 2014.
The unadjusted unemployment rate in the Anchorage area fell to 4.1 percent in April, down from a revised figure of 4.2 in March. The region combining Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna Borough equaled the unemployment rate for Southeast, which saw a bigger month-to-month drop. The Southwest region contains both the lowest rate in the state, with 2.5 percent in the Aleutians East Borough, and the highest, with 14.5 percent in the Kusilvak Census Area of the Yukon Delta.
Current Issue
February 2025
The total number of nonfarm jobs in April was 328,800, up by more than 4,000 from March and an increase of 9,000 compared to April 2023. Jobs added in the past year represent 2.8 percent growth. Private sector employment grew by 3.2 percent since last year, outpacing government job growth of 1.6 percent.
The information services sector held steady month to month, but the drop from 4,600 jobs a year ago to 4,400 in April represents a 4.3 percent contraction. The retail sector was the only other industry to lose jobs year-over-year, from 34,900 to 34,700, yet retail employment was up by 200 in April compared to March.
The construction sector saw the biggest percentage gain, with 17 percent more jobs in April than the year before, climbing from 15,300 to 17,900. Those 2,600 new jobs outpaced strong growth in the healthcare and transportation, warehousing, and utilities sectors.
Path to Prosperity Awards $40,000 to Launch and Expand Two Southeast Businesses
A maker of Tlingit regalia and a manufacturer of hydrokinetic turbines each get $20,000 prizes in the Path to Prosperity business plan competition.
Kotzebue Branch Puts Credit Union 1 North of the Arctic Circle
A grand opening in Kotzebue on February 14 gives Credit Union 1 its fourteenth branch, while the thirteenth is under construction in Wasilla.
How Alaska Employers Can Prepare for Looming Sick Leave Requirement
Employers have until July 1 to implement a new paid sick leave requirement in Alaska. Lawyers have some tips on how to prepare.
Architecture & Engineering + Interior
February 2025
In our February 2025 issue, we highlight how architecture and engineering improve every facet of our daily lives, from increasing the availability and affordability of housing to building small businesses and improving community safety. Projects like these are helmed by Alaska’s exceptional professionals, including the 2024 Anchorage Engineer of the Year Nominees. In the Interior, Red Dog Mine and the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum are both making big moves. Enjoy!