December 2022 Closes Out a Year of Consecutive Monthly Job Growth in California

SACRAMENTO – In December 2022, California saw job growth for the fifteenth consecutive month, adding 16,200 jobs and bringing year-over-year job growth to 621,400. The continued job gains were reflected across California’s diverse economy as nine of the eleven industry sectors added jobs.

“California continues leading the nation’s economy,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “December closed out a year of consecutive monthly job growth in 2022 – all as the state continues sending unprecedented support to working families with the largest tax refund in California history.”

2022 by the Numbers:

  • Year-over-year, California added 621,400 jobs and grew at a 3.6% annual pace in December 2022, outpacing the nation’s 3.0% annual gain.

  • The education and health services, leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and trade transportation and utilities sectors had the highest year-over-year job growth in 2022.

December 2022 by the Numbers:

  • California added 16,200 jobs in December – the fifteenth consecutive month of job growth in the state.

  • California’s December job gains reflected California’s diverse economy, as gains remained well-distributed amongst nine of the eleven industry sectors.

  • California’s unemployment rate held steady at 4.1% in December – equaling the February 2020 unemployment rate, which is the month before the pandemic outbreak occurred.

  • The state had 70,000 more jobs in December 2022 than it had entering the pandemic in February 2020.

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