The Phoenix Business Journal

Arizona’s economy added another 22,600 jobs in March, pushing down the state’s unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points to 4.1 percent.

With these new jobs, Arizona’s overall nonfarm job count stands at a record 2.6 million, according to the Department of Economic Security Research Administration.

Most of the job growth last month came from the service-providing industries, up 18,400 positions.

Construction employment reached another record level at 234,800 positions, with a 1,300-job gain in March. Other industries posting new record levels were: leisure and hospitality (a gain of 5,200); professional and business services (plus 5,900); and educational and health services ( up 1,300).

However, manufacturing job levels reflected no change.

Unemployment in the Phoenix metro area dropped to 3.5 percent in March from 3.9 percent in February. Tucson’s unemployment rate also fell month to month, to 3.9 percent from 4.4 percent.