COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina's jobless rate has remained unchanged as the state set a record for employment.

The Department of Employment and Workforce said Friday that South Carolina's unemployment rate in March held steady at 4.4 percent.

The number of people working went up by more than 9,500 in March, to a high of more than 2.2 million people. The biggest month-to-month job gains happened in trade, transportation and utilities and education and health services.

South Carolina's labor force also went up by nearly 10,000, to more than 2.3 million.

Nationally, unemployment continued to fall, sliding from 4.7 percent in February to 4.5 percent last month.