May 2025 Jobs Day Analysis

The Joint Center analyzes the employment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and showcases how the numbers impact Black workers. Our May Jobs Day analysis is below.

From April to May, the unemployment rate for Black workers slightly decreased from 6.3 percent to 6 percent.

In May, the unemployment rate for Black women increased to 6.3 percent, and for Black men, it declined to 5.7 percent, but labor force participation for Black men decreased to 65 percent, the lowest since 64.8 percent in Oct. 2023.

From April to May, the unemployment rate for young Black workers decreased from 12.7 percent to 11.6 percent, while the overall unemployment rate for all young workers increased from 8.5 percent to 9.7 percent.

From April to May, the number of Black workers employed increased by 56,000.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps has paused operations at contractor-operated Job Corps centers nationwide. Since 50 percent of the 60,000 annual program participants are Black and between the ages of 16 and 24, this pause may strain an already fragile labor market for young Black workers.

Follow the Joint Center on Twitter/X for monthly Jobs Day updates.