BALTIMORE, Md. — Maryland added 88,300 jobs from January 2023 to January 2025, reflecting a 3.2% employment surge that outpaced the national growth rate of 2.8%, according to estimates released March 17, 2025, by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The figures, capturing the two years before the new federal administration took office, show the state thriving economically, with January 2025 alone adding 4,900 jobs—2,600 in the private sector—and an unemployment rate dipping to 3.0%, well below the U.S. average of 4.0%.
The BLS data, unaffected by recent federal actions like worker layoffs or contract terminations, highlights Maryland’s gains. January’s top job sectors included Other Services, adding 2,800 positions, followed by Government with 2,300, Accommodation and Food Services with 1,500, Private Educational Services with 1,300, and Health Care and Social Assistance with 700. Losses hit Construction, down 1,300 jobs, alongside Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities, shedding 1,000, and smaller declines in Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (800), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (500), and Administrative and Support roles (500).
Maryland’s unemployment rate, among the nation’s lowest, reflects a robust labor market, with a participation rate of 65.6% in December 2024, per prior BLS reports, exceeding the national 62.5%. The Maryland Department of Labor emphasized its mission to foster an inclusive economy, directing readers to its website and BLS servers for real-time data.
Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05) weighed in, tying the state’s success to past policies. “The February jobs report revealed that 151,000 jobs were added to the economy last month – a continuation of record job growth momentum that we saw under the Biden Administration thanks to Democrats’ Investing in America Agenda,” he said. “Last month, unemployment ticked up to 4.1%.” He warned of emerging federal policy shifts, citing inflation spikes and tariff threats under the new administration that could undo progress.
Maryland, home to over 6 million residents per the U.S. Census Bureau, leverages proximity to Washington, D.C., and a diverse economy. Its 3.2% growth over two years contrasts with national trends, where job gains averaged 186,000 monthly in 2024, per BLS national data. As federal changes loom, January’s numbers offer a benchmark of Maryland’s pre-transition strength.