(The Center Square) – Louisiana’s job market continued to post year-over-year gains in June, though payroll employment dipped from the previous month even as the state’s unemployment rate edged lower.
The Louisiana Workforce Commission reported the state added 19,300 nonfarm jobs compared with June 2025, including 18,900 private-sector jobs, while the unemployment rate fell to 4.4% from 4.5% in May.
At the same time, total nonfarm employment declined by about 800 jobs from May to June on a seasonally adjusted basis, reflecting losses in several industries despite continued annual growth.
Construction led monthly job gains, adding 2,000 jobs in June. Manufacturing and professional and business services each added 400 jobs during the month.
Those gains were offset by losses in leisure and hospitality, which shed 1,600 jobs, and other services, which lost 1,000 jobs.
Over the past year, construction added 10,500 jobs, the largest increase among Louisiana industries. Professional and business services added 4,600 jobs, while manufacturing grew by 4,100 jobs.
The commission also reported approximately 2.02 million Louisianans were employed in June, about 25,900 more than a year earlier.
State officials highlighted record employment in two metro areas. Baton Rouge matched its all-time high with 437,800 jobs, while the Slidell metropolitan area reached a new record of 103,300 jobs.
While the unemployment rate improved slightly, labor force participation remained relatively weak. Louisiana’s participation rate slipped to 58.7% in June from 58.8% in May, according to federal labor data.
The unemployment rate and payroll employment are calculated using separate federal surveys, meaning the two measures do not always move in the same direction. Payroll employment counts jobs reported by employers, while the unemployment rate is based on a household survey measuring the number of people working or actively seeking work.
