Rhode Island-based Jobs fell by 500 from March; April Unemployment Rate decreased to 4.5 Percent

Rhode Island-based Jobs fell by 500 from March; April Unemployment Rate decreased to 4.5 Percent

Published on Thursday, May 21, 2026

CRANSTON, R.I. - Jobs at Rhode Island businesses fell by 500 in April as the state's unemployment rate decreased to 4.5 percent. Over the year, jobs were down 2,600 from April 2025, and the unemployment rate was up one-tenth of a percentage point.

Rhode Island's Labor Force

The April unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from the March rate. Last year, the rate was 4.4 percent in April.

The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in April, unchanged from March. The U.S. rate was 4.2 percent in April 2025.

The number of unemployed Rhode Island residents - those residents classified as available for and actively seeking employment - was 26,500, down 900 from March. The number of unemployed residents was up 100 over the year.

The number of employed Rhode Island residents was 557,400, down 2,400 over the month and down 10,700 over the year.

The Rhode Island labor force totaled 583,900 in April, down 3,300 over the month and down 10,600 from April 2025.

The labor force participation rate was 62.9 percent in April, down three-tenths from March and down from 64.3 percent in April 2025. Nationally, 61.8 percent of U.S. residents participated in the labor force.

Unemployment Insurance claims* for first-time filers averaged 661 in April, down from 1,457 in March. Claims were down an average of 118 a week from April 2025.

Rhode Island-based Jobs

The number of total nonfarm jobs in Rhode Island was 514,700 in April, a decrease of 500 jobs from the revised March jobs figure of 515,200. Over the year, total nonfarm jobs are down 2,600 or -0.5 percent. Nationally, jobs were up 0.2 percent or 251,000 from a year ago. The number of private sector jobs in Rhode Island was down 500 in April and down 1,400 from April 2025.

April Nonfarm Payroll Notes…

• The Health Care & Social Assistance sector lost 600 jobs in April, followed by a loss of 400 jobs in the Accommodation & Food Services sector.
• In addition, the Construction and Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sectors both lost 200 jobs from March.
• Offsetting the job losses was a gain of 400 jobs reported in the Educational Services sector, followed by a gain of 300 jobs in both the Manufacturing and Transportation & Utilities sectors.
• Over the past three months, the Rhode Island job count has been, on average, unchanged.
• The March job report was revised up to 515,200, an increase of 600 over the published job count of 514,600. The March over-the-month job change from February is now up 1,100 as opposed to the 500 originally reported.

Manufacturing Hours and Earnings

In April, production workers in the Manufacturing sector earned $25.91 per hour, up thirty-four cents from March but down 14 cents from April 2025. Manufacturing employees worked an average of 43.4 hours per week in April, up three-tenths of an hour over the month and up two and one-tenth hours from a year ago.

*The average number of verified initial claims filed during the week includes the 12th of the month and the previous three weeks. The Department of Labor and Training is scheduled to release the May 2026 labor force figures and job counts at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 18, 2026.