The state Labor and Industry Department said Thursday that many of the 19,500 jobs added in May were by the government, including temporary hiring by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Nonfarm jobs jumped to above a seasonally adjusted level of 5.62 million. However, Pennsylvania's unemployment rate rose to 9.1 percent from 9 percent, the highest mark in 26 years, as more people work more than one job to make ends meet.
The national unemployment rate was 9.7 percent in May.