The monthly jobs report released Friday revealed that the U.S. economy added 228,000 jobs in March—far surpassing analyst expectations.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the strongest job gains came from the transportation and warehousing, healthcare, social assistance, and retail sectors. The unemployment rate remained relatively stable, inching up slightly to 4.2% from 4.1% in February.

March’s job growth significantly exceeded the Dow Jones forecast of a 140,000-job increase and was well above the 12-month average gain of 158,000 jobs, the Daily Wire reported.

The breakdown included 54,000 new jobs in healthcare, 24,000 in social assistance, 23,000 in transportation and warehousing, and 24,000 in retail. The boost in retail employment was partly driven by more than 10,000 grocery workers returning to work after a February strike.

The previous 12-month average for transportation and warehousing was a monthly gain of 12,000. 

One sector that experienced a notable decline in March was federal government employment, which dropped by 4,000 jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics clarified that this figure does not include employees on paid leave or receiving severance pay.

In February, federal government jobs had already declined by 11,000 following the Trump administration’s push to reduce the federal workforce through its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.

President Donald Trump praised the report, saying the numbers reflected the success of his economic policies.

“GREAT JOB NUMBERS, FAR BETTER THAN EXPECTED. IT’S ALREADY WORKING. HANG TOUGH, WE CAN’T LOSE!!!” President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social. 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the numbers showed that the “Golden Age of America is on its way!”

“The economy is starting to roar with a strong 228,000 jobs added in the month of March — well ahead of the market’s expectation,” said Leavitt. “There was also a sharp increase in transportation, construction, and warehousing employment. The President’s push to onshore jobs here in the United States is working.”