California Unemployment Holds at 5.3 Percent as Tech Jobs Keep Sliding

Press release from the California EDD:

 

California’s unemployment rate stayed at 5.3 percent¹ in April 2026, matching the rate from the previous month. The State lost 3,300 nonfarm payroll jobs² in April 2026, according to recent data released by the Employment Development Department (EDD) coming from two separate surveys. Total nonfarm employment for March was revised up (+8,800) to a total gain of 37,500 jobs for the month.

California’s Labor Market, by the Numbers…

• California has added 97,200 jobs since the beginning of 2026, which averages out to 24,300 jobs per month.
• April’s number of unemployed Californians (-7,500 for the month) marks the sixth consecutive month of declines, totaling 51,400 persons over that timeframe.
• Four of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in April, led once again by gains in Private Education & Health Services (+11,500) with above-average gains being seen in Offices of Dentists, Home Health Care Services, Nursing Care Facilities, and Individual and Family Services as California’s population continues to age.
• Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+3,000) moved against trend and showed gains thanks to increased employment in Building Materials and Garden Equipment Supply Dealers, Gas Stations and Fuel Dealers, and Truck Transportation despite rising gas prices.
• Information (-7,400) suffered the largest month-over loss for the State as declines were experienced in Publishing Industries as well as with Broadcasting and Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services. Software Publishers has declined to its lowest employment level since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

1. <sub>The unemployment rate comes from a separate federal survey of 4,400 California households.
   2. The nonfarm payroll job numbers come from a federal survey of 80,000 California businesses.</sub>

For the full April 2026 labor statistics news release which includes local data and industry job trends, please visit the EDD website.

Important Note: The employment data for the month of April 2026 comes from the survey week that included April 12. The release date for May 2026 data is scheduled for release on June 19.