Tourism, healthcare help push Arkansas’ March job numbers higher

A similar story continues for the Arkansas economy, with the healthcare and tourism sectors driving job growth. The March jobs report shows a year-over-year jobs gain of 0.5%, with the jobless rate pegged at 4.3%, up from 3.9% in March 2025.

Estimated nonfarm payroll jobs in March totaled 1,344,100, up 6,900 jobs, or 0.5% compared with 1,337,200 in March 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report posted Wednesday (May 6). The nonfarm jobs number set a record of 1,345,900 in January. The U.S. jobless rate in March was 4.3%, up from 4.2% in March 2025. The March numbers are preliminary and subject to revision.

The state’s labor force in January was 1,455,362, up 1.9% from 1,427,746 in March 2025, and a new record. The labor force participation rate was 59.2%, up from 58.5% in March 2025. The number of unemployed was 63,045, up 13.7% compared with March 2025.

The biggest year-over-year sector gains with nonfarm employment were in Leisure and Hospitality (4,100 more jobs), Education and Health Services (3,800 more jobs), and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (2,000 more jobs). Manufacturing jobs declined 1.05% to 158,700.

Dr. Michael Pakko, chief economist and state economic forecaster with the Arkansas Economic Development Institute at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, said state job growth is declining.

“The year-over-year growth rate of Arkansas payroll employment in March was only 0.5%,” Pakko said. “By this measure of growth, both Arkansas and the U.S. have been experiencing a notable downward trend. Nevertheless, the growth rate in Arkansas remains higher than the rest of the nation. The U.S. growth rate from March 2025 to March 2026 was only 0.2%.”

ARKANSAS JOB SECTOR NUMBERS
(nonfarm employment, seasonally adjusted)
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities
March 2026: 272,600
March 2025: 270,600
The sector posted record jobs of 275,100 in December 2025.

Education and Health Services
March 2026: 213,000
March 2025: 209,200
March employment marked a new record for the sector.

Government
March 2026: 204,400
March 2025: 205,900
The sector set a record of 224,100 in May 2010.

Professional and Business Services
March 2026: 165,400
March 2025: 163,700
February employment of 165,400 first marked a new record for the sector.

Manufacturing
March 2026: 158,700
March 2025: 160,400
The sector set a record of 247,600 in February 1995.

Leisure and Hospitality
March 2026: 134,900
March 2025: 130,800
February employment of 135,100 marked a new record for the sector.

Financial Activities
March 2026: 59,300
March 2025: 59,900
The sector set a record of 60,200 in May 2025.

Construction
March 2026: 66,700
March 2025: 66,900
The sector set a record of 67,600 in August 2025.

NATIONAL NUMBERS
Unemployment rates were little changed in March in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to the BLS report. Fourteen states had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, two states had decreases, and 34 states and the district had little change.

Over the year, nonfarm payroll employment decreased in three states and the district, increased in three states, and was essentially unchanged in 44 states.

South Dakota had the lowest jobless rate in March at 2.3%, followed by Hawaii at 2.4%, and North Dakota at 2.5%. The District of Columbia had the highest unemployment rate at 6.3%. The next highest rate was in Delaware at 5.4%, followed by California and Nevada at 5.3% each. In total, 17 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 4.3%, eight states and the district had higher rates, and 25 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.