December jobs up 1.9 percent from December 2023

Jan. 24, 2024
No. 25-2

JUNEAU, Alaska — December’s statewide job count was 1.9 percent above December 2023, an increase of 6,000 jobs.

Construction added 1,100 jobs over the year, boosted by North Slope oil and gas projects and, to a lesser degree, off-season federally funded infrastructure projects. Those projects also supported growth in professional and business services (600) and the transportation, warehousing and utilities sector (1,000). Oil and gas employment was up by 600.  

Health care continued its upward trajectory, adding 1,400 jobs from last December.

Most industries added jobs, but seafood processing disruptions drove manufacturing losses (-400). Retail lost 400 jobs over the year and the information sector and financial services were flat.

Federal government added 200 jobs, followed by state government (600) and local government (300).

Alaska’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate ticked up from 4.6 percent in November to 4.7 in December. The U.S rate dipped from 4.2 percent to 4.1.