Maryland added 200 private sector jobs in September, according to new estimates released Dec. 11 by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The estimate of private sector employment in August was also revised upwards by 700 jobs, from a loss of 2,000 jobs to a loss of 1,300 jobs.
BLS estimates that Maryland lost 700 federal civilian jobs in September 2025, continuing the months-long trend in federal job cuts. BLS also revised federal civilian employment in August 2025 from a loss of 2,500 jobs to a loss of 1,300 jobs, a shift upwards of 1,200 jobs. In total, Maryland has lost an estimated 14,600 total federal civilian jobs since January.
These estimates do not include deferred resignations that went into effect on Oct. 1. Those job losses will be captured in future data releases from BLS. Similarly, the September job estimates do not capture any impacts associated with the federal government shutdown, which was Oct. 1 to Nov. 12.
BLS estimates suggest that local government employment in Maryland fell by 8,800 jobs in September. However, this loss is due to volatility in how BLS collects and processes data. The drop balances out an estimated gain of 8,800 jobs in July.
Volatility in data estimates between July and September is not uncommon in this sector, due to factors like the hiring of summer employees. Across 2025, local government employment has been steady in Maryland.
Despite the headwinds facing Maryland’s economy from federal actions, total nonfarm employment in Maryland has grown at a slightly faster rate than the nation as a whole (3.2% vs 3.1%) during the Moore-Miller Administration. Excluding federal jobs, Maryland has added 96,700 jobs in the private sector and state and local government since January 2023, and employment in these non-federal sectors has collectively grown by 3.7%, faster than the 3.2% rate nationwide.
BLS reported that Maryland’s unemployment rate increased from 3.6% in August to 3.8% in September. This rate remains below the national average of 4.4 percent.
The five sectors with the largest employment gains in September were: Accommodation and Food Services (1,400 jobs); Health Care and Social Assistance (1,200 jobs); Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (900 jobs); Other Services (800 jobs); and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (500 jobs).
The five sectors with the largest estimated employment losses in September were: Government (-9,200 jobs); Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation (-1,500 jobs); Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (-900 jobs); Retail Trade (-800 jobs); and Information (-600 jobs).
BLS will not publish a separate release for October’s employment numbers. Due to the government shutdown, data on unemployment and labor force participation was not collected in October. Employment by industry data will be released with November data in January 2026.
