Joint Center April 3, 2026The Joint Center analyzes unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and shows how these numbers affect Black workers. Our March Jobs Day analysis is below.
From February to March, the unemployment rate for Black workers decreased from 7.7 percent to 7.1 percent.
In March 2025, the unemployment rate for Black workers was 0.9 percentage points lower at 6.2 percent.
From February to March, the number of Black workers employed increased by 42,000.
At 7.1 percent, the Black unemployment rate is the highest among all racial groups: White 3.6 percent, Hispanic 4.8 percent, and Asian 3.7 percent.
From February to March, the unemployment rate for Black men increased from 7.6 percent to 7.9 percent.
The unemployment rate for Black women decreased from 7.7 percent to 6.3 percent, a 1.4 percent drop.
From February to March, the unemployment rate for young Black workers decreased from 14.7 percent to 12.3 percent, the lowest since March 2025 (12.3 percent). The overall unemployment rate for all young workers also decreased from 9.7 percent to 8.2 percent.
In March, the overall unemployment rate was 4.3 percent, while the Black unemployment rate was 7.1 percent.
The U.S. economy added 178,000 jobs in March, a higher-than-expected amount. CNN reports that construction jobs and the healthcare and social assistance sector helped to lift the employment numbers.
