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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday (May 6, 2011) that employers added 244,000 jobs in  April.   In another positive development, the employment gains in both February and March were revised upward by a cumulative total of  46,000 jobs.  Private sector employment has now averaged over 250,000 job growth the past three months.  April’s unemployment rate rose to 9 % from March’s 8.8%, however, many economists discounted the rise noting the data is derived from the more volatile household survey sample.   Public sector jobs continued to shrink in April by 22,000.

Economists estimate that employers will continue to add about 200,000 jobs a month through the remainder of the year.  That compares to last year’s average of 78,000 job growth per month.  The unemployment rate is expected to drop to 8.5% by year’s end.

Moody’s Analytics, as illustrated in USA Today, has forecast U.S. job growth by geographic region, state and industry.