October’s statewide job count for Alaska was up by 7,000, or 2.1 percent, from October 2023.
North Slope oil and gas and federally funded infrastructure projects contributed to over-the-year growth, boosting construction (1,800 jobs), professional and business services (700), and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (900). Oil and gas employment was also up by 900.
Health care continued to show strong growth, adding 1,700 jobs from last October.
Most industries added jobs, but seafood processing disruptions drove losses in manufacturing (-600). The information sector (-100) and retail (-100) continued their long-term declines, and financial services remained flat.
The federal government increased by 400 jobs, the state government added 300, and the local government added 100.
Alaska’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 4.6 percent in October, and the comparable U.S. rate remained at 4.1 percent.
Unemployment on the Kenai Peninsula in October was up .3% from Oct. 2023. The year-over-year change was an increase from 4.6% in 2023 to 4.9% in 2024.