TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa metropolitan area continues to demonstrate robust economic activity, adding a significant 13,700 private sector jobs (+1.0%) over the year in March 2025, according to a recent report from the Florida Commerce Department. This impressive figure positions Tampa as having the third-highest private sector job growth among all metro areas in the state for the same period.
The region’s labor force also saw positive movement, expanding by 7,206 individuals (+0.4%) over the past year. Leading the charge in job creation was the education and health services sector, which added a substantial 6,100 positions.
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While the job market experienced considerable growth, the Tampa area’s unemployment rate stood at 3.5% in March 2025, a slight increase of 0.3 percentage points from the 3.2% recorded in March 2024.
The positive news for Tampa mirrors a broader trend of job growth across the Sunshine State. Florida’s manufacturing industry has now experienced five consecutive months of job gains, adding 1,900 jobs in March 2025 alone. The state’s total labor force reached nearly 11.2 million, marking an increase of 62,000 individuals (+0.6%) over the year.
Florida’s manufacturing sector reached a total of 434,600 jobs in March 2025, representing an over-the-year increase of 5,700 jobs (+1.3%). Notably, the state is home to a growing manufacturing base, with 27,310 establishments, a remarkable 32% increase since the first quarter of 2019.
Statewide data reveals that Florida employers have added jobs in 56 of the last 59 months since May 2020. Total private employment has increased by 113,600 jobs (1.3%) over the year, outpacing the national rate of 1.2%. Florida’s statewide unemployment has remained below the national average for an impressive 53 consecutive months since November 2020.
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Furthermore, Florida’s private sector job growth rate has exceeded the national rate for 46 of the last 48 months since April 2021. The sectors experiencing the most significant job gains statewide in March 2025 were trade, transportation, and utilities, adding 5,800 jobs, followed closely by education and health services with 5,600 new positions.
FloridaCommerce emphasized the abundance of opportunities available for job seekers, with nearly 411,000 jobs posted online as of March 2025.
Floridians seeking employment or new career paths are encouraged to utilize the CareerSource Florida network for assistance with job searching, resume writing, interview skills, career goal setting, and customized career training – all available at no cost.
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