The number of healthcare jobs rose by 40,000 in April compared with the average monthly gain of 47,000 over the prior six months, according to seasonally adjusted data released May 5 by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment trended higher in ambulatory healthcare services, up 24,000; nursing and residential care facilities, up 9,000; and hospitals, up 7,000.

There were nearly 16.8 million healthcare jobs in the US in April.

Overall, the US added 253,000 nonfarm jobs in April compared to March, but the number of temp jobs declined by 23,300 to a total of approximately 3.0 million.

Year over year, the number of temp jobs fell by 3.8%, and the BLS noted employment in temporary help services is down by 174,000 since its peak in March 2022.

“The April BLS numbers highlight the mixed nature of the current economic and employment situation, with relative strength in the overall employment picture but weak temporary help numbers,” said Barry Asin, president of Staffing Industry Analysts. “The temp numbers, which are typically a coincident indicator of overall economic growth, are consistent with the modest decline we have noted in 2023 in the SIA | Bullhorn Staffing Indicator.”

In addition, April’s gain in nonfarm employment is below the average monthly gain of 290,000 over the prior six months. The temp penetration rate — temp jobs as a percent of total nonfarm employment — was 1.93% in April, down from 1.95% in March. The BLS also announced revisions with total nonfarm employment in February and March combined approximately 149,000 lower than previously reported.

Nonfarm employment totaled nearly 155.7 million in April.

Meanwhile, the US unemployment rate edged down to 3.4% in April from 3.5% in March. And the college-level unemployment rate — which can serve as a proxy for professional employment — declined to 1.9% in April from 2.0% in March.