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Baltimore's Evolving Job Market: Trends, Sectors, and Opportunities
The job market in Baltimore has shown mixed trends in recent months. Between January 2023 and February 2025, Maryland, which includes the Baltimore area, added 99,000 total jobs, with employment expanding by 3.6 percent, above the national growth rate of 2.9 percent. However, the Baltimore metropolitan area itself has experienced minimal net job growth, with only a 0.0 percent change in employment from August 2023 to August 2024.
In terms of employment landscape, the education and health services sector has been a standout, adding 8,100 jobs and growing by 3.0 percent. Baltimore City has outpaced the larger metropolitan area with a 2.0 percent increase in total nonfarm employment, driven by strong growth in professional and business services and education and health services. Conversely, sectors such as trade, transportation, and utilities, and government have experienced declines.
The unemployment rate in Maryland, which includes Baltimore, remained at 3.0 percent in January and February 2025, significantly lower than the national rate of 4.0 and 4.1 percent respectively. In Baltimore City, the total labor force is approximately 281,482, with 269,525 employed and an unemployment rate of 4.2 percent.
Major industries in the area include health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. Recent developments include job gains in construction, health care, and accommodation and food services in February 2025, though these gains are threatened by federal layoffs and contract terminations that began in mid-February.
Seasonal patterns show variations in employment across different sectors, with construction and accommodation and food services typically experiencing fluctuations. Commuting trends are not explicitly detailed in recent data, but the region's workforce is influenced by its proximity to Washington, D.C. and other economic hubs.
Government initiatives aim to create an equitable and inclusive environment where residents can attain financial stability and businesses have access to skilled workforces. The Mayor's Office of Employment Development in Baltimore City works to understand and improve the city's workforce conditions through regular data updates.
Despite some regional economic stagnation, Baltimore is evolving towards knowledge-based and healthcare industries. Key findings indicate that while the broader Maryland area is experiencing job growth, the Baltimore metropolitan area faces challenges in traditional industries but shows promise in education, health, and professional services.
Current job openings include positions in health care, such as nurses and medical assistants, roles in education like teachers and administrative staff, and various positions in professional services, including software developers and data analysts.
In terms of employment landscape, the education and health services sector has been a standout, adding 8,100 jobs and growing by 3.0 percent. Baltimore City has outpaced the larger metropolitan area with a 2.0 percent increase in total nonfarm employment, driven by strong growth in professional and business services and education and health services. Conversely, sectors such as trade, transportation, and utilities, and government have experienced declines.
The unemployment rate in Maryland, which includes Baltimore, remained at 3.0 percent in January and February 2025, significantly lower than the national rate of 4.0 and 4.1 percent respectively. In Baltimore City, the total labor force is approximately 281,482, with 269,525 employed and an unemployment rate of 4.2 percent.
Major industries in the area include health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. Recent developments include job gains in construction, health care, and accommodation and food services in February 2025, though these gains are threatened by federal layoffs and contract terminations that began in mid-February.
Seasonal patterns show variations in employment across different sectors, with construction and accommodation and food services typically experiencing fluctuations. Commuting trends are not explicitly detailed in recent data, but the region's workforce is influenced by its proximity to Washington, D.C. and other economic hubs.
Government initiatives aim to create an equitable and inclusive environment where residents can attain financial stability and businesses have access to skilled workforces. The Mayor's Office of Employment Development in Baltimore City works to understand and improve the city's workforce conditions through regular data updates.
Despite some regional economic stagnation, Baltimore is evolving towards knowledge-based and healthcare industries. Key findings indicate that while the broader Maryland area is experiencing job growth, the Baltimore metropolitan area faces challenges in traditional industries but shows promise in education, health, and professional services.
Current job openings include positions in health care, such as nurses and medical assistants, roles in education like teachers and administrative staff, and various positions in professional services, including software developers and data analysts.
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By Quiet. PleaseThe job market in Baltimore has shown mixed trends in recent months. Between January 2023 and February 2025, Maryland, which includes the Baltimore area, added 99,000 total jobs, with employment expanding by 3.6 percent, above the national growth rate of 2.9 percent. However, the Baltimore metropolitan area itself has experienced minimal net job growth, with only a 0.0 percent change in employment from August 2023 to August 2024.
In terms of employment landscape, the education and health services sector has been a standout, adding 8,100 jobs and growing by 3.0 percent. Baltimore City has outpaced the larger metropolitan area with a 2.0 percent increase in total nonfarm employment, driven by strong growth in professional and business services and education and health services. Conversely, sectors such as trade, transportation, and utilities, and government have experienced declines.
The unemployment rate in Maryland, which includes Baltimore, remained at 3.0 percent in January and February 2025, significantly lower than the national rate of 4.0 and 4.1 percent respectively. In Baltimore City, the total labor force is approximately 281,482, with 269,525 employed and an unemployment rate of 4.2 percent.
Major industries in the area include health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. Recent developments include job gains in construction, health care, and accommodation and food services in February 2025, though these gains are threatened by federal layoffs and contract terminations that began in mid-February.
Seasonal patterns show variations in employment across different sectors, with construction and accommodation and food services typically experiencing fluctuations. Commuting trends are not explicitly detailed in recent data, but the region's workforce is influenced by its proximity to Washington, D.C. and other economic hubs.
Government initiatives aim to create an equitable and inclusive environment where residents can attain financial stability and businesses have access to skilled workforces. The Mayor's Office of Employment Development in Baltimore City works to understand and improve the city's workforce conditions through regular data updates.
Despite some regional economic stagnation, Baltimore is evolving towards knowledge-based and healthcare industries. Key findings indicate that while the broader Maryland area is experiencing job growth, the Baltimore metropolitan area faces challenges in traditional industries but shows promise in education, health, and professional services.
Current job openings include positions in health care, such as nurses and medical assistants, roles in education like teachers and administrative staff, and various positions in professional services, including software developers and data analysts.
In terms of employment landscape, the education and health services sector has been a standout, adding 8,100 jobs and growing by 3.0 percent. Baltimore City has outpaced the larger metropolitan area with a 2.0 percent increase in total nonfarm employment, driven by strong growth in professional and business services and education and health services. Conversely, sectors such as trade, transportation, and utilities, and government have experienced declines.
The unemployment rate in Maryland, which includes Baltimore, remained at 3.0 percent in January and February 2025, significantly lower than the national rate of 4.0 and 4.1 percent respectively. In Baltimore City, the total labor force is approximately 281,482, with 269,525 employed and an unemployment rate of 4.2 percent.
Major industries in the area include health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. Recent developments include job gains in construction, health care, and accommodation and food services in February 2025, though these gains are threatened by federal layoffs and contract terminations that began in mid-February.
Seasonal patterns show variations in employment across different sectors, with construction and accommodation and food services typically experiencing fluctuations. Commuting trends are not explicitly detailed in recent data, but the region's workforce is influenced by its proximity to Washington, D.C. and other economic hubs.
Government initiatives aim to create an equitable and inclusive environment where residents can attain financial stability and businesses have access to skilled workforces. The Mayor's Office of Employment Development in Baltimore City works to understand and improve the city's workforce conditions through regular data updates.
Despite some regional economic stagnation, Baltimore is evolving towards knowledge-based and healthcare industries. Key findings indicate that while the broader Maryland area is experiencing job growth, the Baltimore metropolitan area faces challenges in traditional industries but shows promise in education, health, and professional services.
Current job openings include positions in health care, such as nurses and medical assistants, roles in education like teachers and administrative staff, and various positions in professional services, including software developers and data analysts.