Alaska Employment: Job Growth Trends Upward in March, Unemployment Rate Flat at 4.7%
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The first quarter of 2026 ended with Alaska’s unemployment rate holding at the same rate as nearly every month in 2025. The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) puts the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March at 4.7 percent, unchanged from the month before and equal to rates for almost every month for more than a year
Plateau Despite Public Sector Shrinkage
Alaska saw a streak of 4.7 percent unemployment every month since mid-2024, except for last July when it rose briefly to 4.8 percent, then again in December and January. (Data for September and October was unavailable due to the federal government shutdown.) Rates have been essentially flat since slowly climbing from a low point of 3.8 percent in August 2022.
The national unemployment rate returned to 4.3 percent in March after ticking up to 4.4 in February.
Seasonal adjustment means that labor economics use statistical methods to smooth the predictable fluctuations in, for example, the construction, fishing, and tourism sectors, which regularly peak in summer and decline in the winter. DOLWD says removing that expected seasonal fluctuation provides a clearer picture of whether rates are rising or falling, aside from normal ups and downs over the course of the year.
The unadjusted unemployment rate in the Anchorage/Mat-Su Region dropped in March to 4.2 percent from 4.5 percent in February. Every region of Alaska saw lower rates compared to the month before, except for the Northern Region, which was flat at a revised 7 percent, up slightly from 6.8 percent a year earlier.
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Total nonfarm employment stood at 329,000 in March, a rise of 2,700 jobs compared to a downward revision to 326,300 in February. Compared to a year earlier, Alaska gained 900 jobs for 0.3 percent growth. Although the rate is small, it is trending toward increase, after January’s 0.1 percent growth and 0.2 percent year-over-year increase in February.
Federal employment (excluding uniformed military) rose slightly in March to 13,300, but that figure was 1,900 fewer jobs than a year earlier, a decrease of 12.5 percent. Combined with 500 fewer jobs in the state government and 100 in local government, which includes public schools, losses in the government sector nearly wiped out private sector gains.
Although total employment in Alaska has returned to the pre-recession level from more than a decade ago, the Information sector continues to shed jobs. The 4,100 counted in that sector in March was the same as in January and February but 200 fewer than a year earlier, for a 4.7 percent loss. Professional and Business Services also lost 200 jobs, declining 0.7 percent to 27,900, a slight rise since February.
All other industry sectors saw year-over-year growth. Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added the most, with 1,200 more jobs compared to March 2025, for 5.2 percent growth. The Oil and Gas sector grew by 5.6 percent, adding 500 jobs in March compared to a year earlier. The Manufacturing sector saw an annual gain of 400 jobs, up 3.4 percent, and the Healthcare sector was up by 700 jobs for a 1.6 percent increase.
Now that DOLWD has finished catching up with first quarter figures, releases return to the regular monthly cycle, with April employment numbers scheduled in two weeks.
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