State adds nearly 30,000 jobs

California’s unemployment rate dropped to 6.3 percent in April, its lowest level in seven years and a year-over-year drop of 1.5 percent.

The state has added nearly 1.9 million jobs since the recovery began in February 2010, including the 29,500 non-agricultural jobs it added last month, according to data released Friday by the California Employment Development Department.

Compared with March, state unemployment was down slightly, from 6.5 percent.

Not as many jobs were created in April as were created in March: during the third month of the year, an estimated 40,500 jobs were added to payrolls statewide, according to revised data released by the development department.

Nationwide, unemployment in April fell to 5.4 percent.

Professional and business services added 14,500 jobs in April, the largest gain of any sector. The financial sector cut 2,800 jobs last month, the most of any sector, while leisure and hospitality also experienced job cuts.

Construction has added 42,600 jobs statewide during the past year, a 6.4 percent increase compared with April 2014, the development department stated.

In San Bernardino County, 55,800 people were unemployed last month, as the county registered a 6.1 percent unemployment rate. Riverside County recorded a 6.2 percent unemployment rate in April, with 63,300 of its residents out of work.

The county numbers are not seasonally adjusted, according to the development department.