Economists expect the U.S. to add an average of 170,000 jobs a month in 2012 with stronger job growth in 2013, according to the National Association for Business Economics’ new outlook survey of 45 professional forecasters.

The economists also predict growth of 2.4 percent in real gross domestic product in 2012.

 “Economists responding to the latest NABE outlook survey are seeing strength in a number of economic measures and have subsequently increased their expectations for employment, housing starts, and business spending,” said NABE President Gene Huang, chief economist at FedEx. “Despite increases in a number of forecasts, however, economists remain guarded on U.S. economic growth, with the median forecast of respondents calling for inflation-adjusted gross domestic product — real GDP — of 2.4 percent for the year in 2012.”