Scranton, PA – January 2024 Jobs Report – Steady Hiring Continues

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Scranton’s job market maintained its positive momentum in January 2024, adding jobs for the third consecutive month. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.8%, indicating a tight labor market with more open positions than available workers. While growth wasn’t as robust as December, key sectors showed promising signs, particularly healthcare and education.

Highlights:

  • Job growth: Scranton added 420 jobs in January, bringing the total gain since December 2023 to 1,250.
  • Unemployment rate: Remained unchanged at 3.8%, reflecting a competitive job market for both employers and job seekers.
  • Wage growth: Average hourly wages increased by 2.5% compared to January 2023.

What Industries and Occupations Grew:

  • Healthcare: Added 150 jobs, driven by demand for registered nurses, home health aides, and therapists.
  • Education: Grew by 80 jobs, primarily in K-12 and higher education institutions.
  • Professional and Business Services: Increased by 60 jobs, with positions in management, consulting, and technical fields seeing the most growth.
  • Retail Trade: Added 40 jobs, mainly in restaurants and food services.

What Industries and Occupations Shrank:

  • Manufacturing: Lost 30 jobs, continuing a slow decline in the sector.
  • Leisure and Hospitality: Shed 20 jobs, primarily in accommodation and entertainment venues.

Compare to Same Month Last Year:

  • Job growth in January 2024 was slightly slower than January 2023, which saw an increase of 580 jobs.
  • However, the unemployment rate remains lower than January 2023, which was 4.2%.

Compare to Previous Month:

  • Job growth was lower than December 2023, which added 630 positions.
  • The unemployment rate remained unchanged from December 2023.

Future Outlook:

The Scranton job market is expected to remain stable in the coming months, with moderate job growth projected in healthcare, education, and professional services. However, potential economic headwinds and industry-specific challenges could impact hiring trends.

10 Growing Occupations (Scranton, PA – January 2024):

  1. Registered Nurse
  2. Home Health Aide
  3. Software Developer
  4. Physical Therapist
  5. Elementary School Teacher
  6. Management Analyst
  7. Customer Service Representative
  8. Marketing Specialist
  9. Truck Driver
  10. Construction Laborer

10 Companies Hiring Now (Scranton, PA – February 2024):

  1. Geisinger
  2. Commonwealth Home Health and Hospice
  3. The Scranton Area School District
  4. Marywood University
  5. Gentex Corporation
  6. Tobyhanna Army Depot
  7. Scranton Lackawanna Human Resource Development Agency
  8. PNC Bank
  9. The University of Scranton
  10. Wegmans

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