Sacramento tops 1 million jobs. These sectors are responsible for unemployment rate drop

Sacramento hit over 1 million jobs in August and the highest job total since before the beginning of the pandemic in February 2020, according to data from the Employment Development Department of Labor Market Information Division.

With a revised unemployment rate of 6.4% in August 2021 from 6.7% in July 2021 and below the year-ago estimate of 9.9%, Sacramento’s job market shows improvement. From July to August, employment in Sacramento increased by 8,300 jobs to a total of 1,004,900.

The last time the region hit 1 million jobs before the pandemic was in June 2021 with 1,003,000. Today, the number of jobs within the Sacramento region has grown by more than 2,000.

Here are the job sectors that contributed to Sacramento’s employment growth provided by the Department of Labor and Statistics, with average earnings for each sector provided by the U.S Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

Government

(5,900 jobs added): The government sector reported the largest gains in August. Within the sector, local government was responsible for the increase, with all of the job additions in local government education as public schools returned to session after summer recess.

The educational services sector comprises establishments that provide instruction and training in schools, colleges, universities and training centers.

The recent median annual earnings commonly found in education administrators is $98,490. Elementary, middle and secondary school teachers earn a median annual wage of between about $60,000 and $62,000.

Professional and business services

(2,100 jobs added): The professional and business services sector reported gains in professional, scientific and technical services. Jobs within the field may include legal advice and representation, accounting and booking to name a few.

Recent hourly earnings commonly found in professional, scientific and technical services is $45.47 an hour within about a 37-hour workweek.

Management of companies and enterprises also saw an increase in jobs. Professionals within this sector oversee and manage the establishments of the company. Recent hourly earnings commonly found within the profession are $44.87 an hour within a roughly 38-hour workweek.

Manufacturing

(500 jobs added): Manufacturing comprises establishments engaged in mechanical, physical or chemical transformation of materials, substances or components into new products.

Recent hourly earnings commonly found in manufacturing were $29.85 an hour within an approximate 40-hour week.

Farming

(400 jobs added): The agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in growing crops, raising animals, harvesting timber and harvesting fish and other animals from a farm, ranch or their natural habits.

The recent median hourly earnings commonly found in the farmworkers industry is $13.74

Trade, transportation and utilities

(300 jobs added): Trade, transportation and utilities sector include wholesale trade, retail trade, transportation and warehousing and utilities.

Recent hourly earnings commonly found within wholesale trade were $26.61 an hour within about a 35-hour workweek.

Construction

(200 jobs added): The construction sector comprises workers engaged in the construction of building or engineering projects including highways and utilities systems.

Recent hourly earnings commonly found within construction $30.70 an hour within about a 39-hour week.