NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. private employers added 200,000 jobs in March, above economists’ expectations, a report by a payrolls processor showed on Wednesday.

Job seekers work on applications during a job hiring event for marketing, sales and retail positions in San Francisco, California June 4, 2015. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

Economists surveyed by Reuters had forecast the ADP National Employment Report would show a gain of 194,000 jobs, with estimates ranging from 150,000 to 220,000.

Private payroll gains in the month earlier were revised down to 205,000 from an originally reported 214,000 increase.

The report is jointly developed with Moody’s Analytics.

The ADP figures come ahead of the U.S. Labor Department’s more comprehensive non-farm payrolls report on Friday, which includes both public and private-sector employment.

Economists polled by Reuters are looking for U.S. private payroll employment to have grown by 197,000 jobs in March, down from 230,000 the month before. Total non-farm employment is expected to be 205,000.

The unemployment rate is forecast to stay steady at 4.9 percent.

ADP private Month Reuters Prior month Prior Economists Low High

payroll Poll original month Polled Estimate Estimate

revised

200,000 March 194,000 214,000 205,000 38 150,000 220,000