Ready to take the next step in your career? Visit the career center closest to you. Learn more.

July 19, 2013

With 9,800 college graduates recently added to the unemployment numbers, San Diego’s unemployment rate jumped up to 7.3 percent in June, increasing from a revised 6.8 percent in May.

This rate is not seasonally adjusted and does not account for the graduates and high school students who recently entered the labor force. Keep in mind that June’s unemployment rate is the preliminary estimate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics revises the previous month’s estimate each month to reflect information that was not previously available, creating a more accurate picture of the unemployment rate.

As for the employment outlook, increases in jobs came from leisure and hospitality (adding 1,900 jobs to the region), and trade, transportation, and utilities (adding 2,200 jobs). County employers added 7,500 nonfarm jobs to their payrolls.

While June was the first month to see job growth since March, employers only added about19,300 jobs from June 2012 to June 2013, a 1.52 percent growth. According to Alan Gin, economist at University of San Diego, a healthy growth should be closer to 25,000 jobs. Comparatively, March 2012 to March 2013, saw an increase of 32,600 jobs or a 2.6 percent growth.

Employment numbers may be slowing down due to sequestration with $1.2 trillion federal cuts across-the-board. However, the region may be seeing some positive signs, particularly with the housing market, which increased by 1,600 jobs in June—a total of 57,000 people working in that industry.

The slowdown should not discourage job-seekers, however. The Employment Development Department announced that California added more jobs than any other state in June, a total of 30,200. Still, the current unemployment rate is at its lowest level since November 2008 and that’s news to look forward to.

Horn, Jonathan. “San Diego Unemployment rises to 7.3%” U-T San Diego, July 18 2013.

Connect With Us
Stay in the know

The Workforce Partnership is dedicated to providing San Diego Residents with the most up-to-date resources for finding a career.

Subscribe to our newsletter.