It's the 11th straight month of robust healthcare job growth in 2024 and in line with the average 59,000 jobs the sector has created each month over the past year.
Healthcare created 54,000 jobs in November as the larger U.S. economy rebounded from weak job growth in October.
It's the 11th straight month of robust healthcare job growth in 2024 and in line with the average 59,000 jobs the sector has created each month over the past 12 months. The growth came from ambulatory services (22,000), hospitals (19,000), home healthcare services (16,000), and nursing home and residential care services (12,000), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' November jobs report.
The 227,000 jobs created in the overall economy in November was well above the average 186,000 jobs created on average over the past 12 months, and the upwardly revised 36,000 jobs created in October.
BLS had initially reported only 12,000 new jobs in the overall economy in October. Analysts had blamed the weak growth on disruptions that included two hurricanes that devastated Florida's Gulf Coast, western North Carolina and other Southeastern states, and a strike by about 40,000 workers at aircraft maker Boeing.
There were 17.9 million workers in the healthcare sector in November, an increase of 676,000 or 4% since November 2023, BLS data show.
The robust job growth in the healthcare, leisure and hospitality (53,000), and government (33,000) was offset by job losses mostly in retail services (-28,000).
The unemployment rate in the larger U.S. economy was unchanged at 4.2%, BLS says, with 7.1 million people reporting as unemployed in November. The jobless rate in November 2023 was 3.7%, with 6.3 million unemployed.
The average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls in November rose by 13 cents (0.4%) to $35.61. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 4%. The average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees in November rose by 9 cents (0.3%) to $30.57.
September and October job numbers are considered preliminary by BLS, and subject to revision. September job growth was revised up by 32,000 to 255,000 jobs and October job growth was revised upwards to 36,000 jobs The combined revision for the two months means that there were 56,000 more jobs than previously reported, BLS says.
John Commins is the news editor for HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The job growth came from ambulatory services (22,000), hospitals (19,000), home healthcare services (16,000), and nursing homes (12,000)
The 227,000 jobs created in the overall economy in November was well above the average 186,000 jobs created on average over the past 12 months.
There were 17.9 million workers in the healthcare sector in November, an increase of 676,000 or 4% since November 2023.