Private-sector employment in the U.S. rose by 191,000 jobs in March from February, slightly above the 12-month average, according to Automatic Data Processing Inc.’s (NASD: ADP) national employment report released today. Additionally, February’s private-sector jobs figure was revised up to 178,000.

The figure exceeds the six-month average of 187,000 and the three-month average of 164,000.

“The job market is coming out from its deep winter slumber,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, which produces the report with ADP. “Job gains are consistent with the pace prior to the brutal winter. The gains are broad based across industries and business size classes. Even better numbers are likely in coming months as the weather warms.”

According to ADP's report, the service-providing sector added 164,000 jobs in March, up from an upwardly revised February figure of 153,000. The goods-producing sector added 28,000 jobs in March, up from an upwardly revised figure of 25,000 in February.

Small firms added the most jobs in the month with 72,000. Large companies followed with 67,000, and medium-sized businesses added 52,000 jobs.

The report is derived from a sample of ADP data from 411,000 U.S. business clients representing nearly 23 million U.S. employees. The report’s methodology utilizes ADP payroll data, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data, and the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank’s Aruoba-Diebold-Scotti Business Conditions Index.