Florida adds jobs in most major sectors in January 2025; Manufacturing reaches 430,800 jobs
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida’s labor force exceeded 11.1 million in January 2025, reinforcing the state’s economic strength. Job growth continued across most major industries, including manufacturing, which reached 430,800 jobs.
Additionally, newly revised data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that Florida’s labor force has been consistently larger than previously estimated, with an upward revision of 162,000 workers. The updated data shows that the state’s labor force grew or remained stable in 10 of the past 12 months, underscoring Florida’s sustained economic momentum.
“Florida continues to prove that leadership and conservative fiscal policies drive success,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We will keep the momentum going by insisting on reducing government spending, continuing to eliminate bureaucracy, and finding more tax reductions for Floridians.”
Florida added 113,600 jobs (+1.3%) over the year in January 2025. Since May 2020, employers across the state have expanded their workforce in 54 of the past 57 months. Florida’s private sector job growth rate of 1.3% outpaced the national rate of 1.2% over the same period. Additionally, Florida’s statewide unemployment rate has remained below the national average for 51 consecutive months since November 2020.
“Under Governor DeSantis’ decisive leadership, Florida continues to generate wins,” said Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “These revised numbers demonstrate Florida’s unique resiliency and the strength and efficacy of Governor DeSantis’ approach to economic and workforce development—creating an environment that promotes future growth and builds confidence in job seekers and job creators.”
The education and health services sector gained the most jobs among all major industries, adding 7,200 jobs (+0.5%) from the previous month; followed by leisure and hospitality, adding 6,100 jobs (+0.5%).
Resources for Job Seekers:
- Florida’s Labor Exchange Marketplace, Employ Florida, connects job seekers to employment, training, and education and job creators to skilled talent.
- CareerSource Florida’s network of local career centers offers tailored career counseling, skills assessments, resume assistance, and job placement support.
- Apprentice Florida is a partnership between the Florida Department of Education, Florida Commerce, and CareerSource Florida to expand apprenticeship programs across the state.
- Veterans Florida works to help military veterans transition to civilian life, connecting them with employers who are eager to hire them for jobs that align with the skills they gained serving in the military.
- The Military Family Employment Advocacy Program delivers priority workforce services to active-duty military spouses and family members through Military Family Employment Advocates located in local career centers throughout Florida.
- The Military Spousal License Reciprocity Matrix, a one-stop reference source for helping military spouses transfer, renew, or reissue professional licenses they need for work after relocating to Florida.
- The Talent Pipeline Portal for Aerospace and Defense, a career advancement platform that connects job seekers and job creators within the aerospace and defense industry – propelling Florida forward.
Data in the month of January continues to indicate there are jobs available for every Floridian who wants to work, with more than 393,000 jobs posted online. Floridians in search of work and new job opportunities can utilize the CareerSource Florida network for help. Floridians can find guidance on how to register with Employ Florida and search listings of available local job openings. Career seekers also can improve their employability by perfecting resume writing and interviewing skills, establishing career goals, and pursuing customized career training. These services are provided at no cost to job seekers.
To view the January 2025 jobs reports by region, please see below:
To view January 2025 employment data, click here.
Visit Florida Insight for more information on the labor market and economic data. Additionally, FloridaCommerce has provided a video to assist users in explaining the data provided through Florida Insight.
###
