New York City‘s private sector job market has successfully rebounded to pre-COVID-19 levels, although the recovery varies significantly across different industries. The recent analysis was hailed as positive news for the city’s economic outlook by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. He emphasized that while sectors like securities, transportation, warehousing, and offices have displayed resilience and growth, others such as retail, restaurants, construction, and tourism are still struggling to catch up with the national recovery pace.

This study sheds light on the ongoing challenges that New York City continues to grapple with following the economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis comes shortly after the conclusion of a three-year-long national emergency officially declared by the federal government.

As of March 2023, New York City has managed to restore 99.4% of its total private sector employment figures from March 2020, when the initial cases of coronavirus were reported in the state. Specifically, the analysis reveals a 6.41% surge in securities-related positions, totaling 192,700 jobs, between March 2019 and March 2023. Office jobs also experienced a 3.72% increase during the same period, amounting to a total of 1,513,100 positions, despite a 22% current vacancy rate in commercial office spaces. Transportation and warehousing sectors exhibited modest growth, reaching 130,300 positions. However, the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry underwent a substantial decline of 14.59%, leaving a total of 79,600 jobs, down from 93,200 in 2019.

Tourism faced a similar setback, losing 14.50% of its workforce, which now stands at 243,153 jobs. Retail experienced a reduction of 12.65%, with employment dropping from 343,900 jobs in March 2019 to 300,400 jobs in March 2023. Construction jobs saw an 8.07% decrease, totaling 145,900 positions across the city’s five boroughs. Furthermore, the restaurant sector encountered a 4.54% decrease in staffing.

In total, New York City’s private sector employment currently stands at 4,078,300 jobs, reflecting a 1.06% overall increase compared to the 4,035,500 jobs recorded four years ago. DiNapoli cautioned that industries facing ongoing challenges, including the arts, hospitality, and retail sectors, must regain a substantial number of jobs to ensure the stability and long-term growth of the positions that have already been restored. He emphasized the importance of these sectors, which collectively employ hundreds of thousands of workers, in contributing to a robust and inclusive economic recovery that benefits all residents of New York City.