LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska’s preliminary unemployment rate for March 2026 remained at 3.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, unchanged from February 2026 and up 0.2 percentage points from March 2025.
“Nebraska’s workers and employers are engaged, building careers and fueling economic growth across the state,” said Nebraska Commissioner of Labor Katie Thurber. “We continue to see over a million people employed, a low unemployment rate, and one of the highest labor force participation rates in the nation.”
Nebraska’s unemployment rate remained well below the national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.3 percent for March 2026. The national rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points from February 2026 and increased by 0.1 percentage points compared to March 2025.
Non-Farm Employment
Nebraska’s non-farm employment, a measure of the number of filled jobs, reached 1,048,039 in March 2026. That marked an increase of 7,697 jobs from February 2026 but a decrease of 2,065 jobs compared to March 2025.
Private industries reporting the largest over-the-month employment gains included:
- Leisure and hospitality, up 2,861 jobs
- Mining and construction, up 2,536 jobs
- Professional and business services, up 1,544 jobs
Industries posting the strongest year-over-year growth included:
- Mining and construction, up 3,678 jobs
- Private education and health services, up 3,640 jobs
- Leisure and hospitality, up 259 jobs
Top Nebraska Industries by Year-Over-Year Growth
| Industry | Year-Over-Year Change | February-March Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mining and Construction | +3,678 | +2,536 |
| Private Education & Health Services | +3,640 | +730 |
| Leisure & Hospitality | +259 | +2,861 |
| Statewide All Industries | -2,065 | +7,697 |
Upcoming Data Releases
The Nebraska Department of Labor will release additional labor market data on the following dates:
- May 22, 2026 — April 2026 preliminary and March 2026 revised labor force and non-farm employment data; 2016-2025 full substate benchmarked labor force data
- June 23, 2026 — May 2026 preliminary and April 2026 revised labor force and non-farm employment data
Benchmarking Information
Benchmarked unemployment data reflects annual updates by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics using verified employment records, including employer reports and tax filings. Monthly revisions and annual benchmarking adjustments help ensure labor market data accurately reflects current economic conditions.
Technical Notes
The labor force includes employed individuals and people actively seeking work, as determined through Census Bureau surveys. Individuals may be classified as unemployed regardless of whether they receive unemployment benefits. Those not working and not actively seeking employment are not included in the labor force or unemployment rate calculations.
Additional labor market information is available through the Nebraska Department of Labor and NEworks Labor Market Information resources.