jobs Karen BleierAFPGetty Images.JPG

New Jersey's unemployment rate inched up last month.

(Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images)

Unemployment rose slightly in New Jersey last month as the state lost about 1,300 jobs, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The private sector shed 700 jobs, according to the report, and the public sector lost 600, bringing the state unemployment to 7.2 percent, up from 7.1 percent a month earlier. It was 8.7 percent in March 2013.

Nationwide, the jobless rate is 6.7 percent.

Charles Steindel, chief economist for the New Jersey Department of Treasury, said he anticipates job growth should kick into higher gear soon. “Recent weeks have seen some of the lowest numbers of applications for unemployment insurance that have been seen in many years,” he said.

New Jersey has regained 121,400 private sector jobs since February 2010, according to the BLS.

In a statement by the left-leaning New Jersey Policy Perspective, the state has recovered about 37 percent of the jobs it lost during the recession, compared to the 95 percent national rate of recovery.

Jon Witten, NJPP deputy director, said, “It's clear New Jersey continues to be stuck in a slow, sideways crawl out of the recession.”

February estimates were revised lower, according the federal data, showing 4,800 jobs were lost between January and February instead of the initial estimate of 3,700.

Job losses were reported in professional and business services (2,700), information (2,000), manufacturing (2,000), and construction (1,900).

Employment gains were reported in education and health services (2,600), other services (1,900), trade, transportation and utilities (1,800), leisure and hospitality (1,300), and financial activities (200).

Public sector employment was lower by 600. Contraction at the state (700) and federal government (200) levels were somewhat offset by a small gain in local government (300).

FOLLOW STAR-LEDGER BUSINESS: TWITTER • FACEBOOK