The number of private sector jobs in New York increased by 7,500, or 0.1%, in May, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted figures released Wednesday by the state Department of Labor.

These put the total number of private sector jobs in the state to 8,471,200 in May. The number of private sector jobs in the U.S. also increased 0.1% over the same period of time, the department said.

According to the state, private sector jobs (not seasonally adjusted) increased by 88,300, or 1.1%, over the year in May 2025, which is the same as the number of private sector jobs in the U.S over the year.

The statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 4.2% in April to 4.0% in May, while the state's labor force (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 200. New York City’s unemployment rate decreased from 5.0% in April to 4.8% in May. The rest of the state's unemployment rate also decreased from 3.5% to 3.4%.

The number of private sector jobs is calculated by a payroll survey of New York businesses conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).