(RALEIGH) -- The unemployment rate fell last month in more than three quarters of our nation's states. North Carolina Employment Security Commission's Larry Parker says they are seeing slow and steady improvement in hiring.

"Manufacturing is up just slightly over the year. Retail trade has been another one that's gained a lot of jobs - 9,500 over the year - and had a really large gain over the month, actually, 2,700 jobs," Parker said.

North Carolina's unemployment rate was unchanged in April at 9.7 percent as the state added nearly 3,000 jobs. The greatest growth in jobs last month was in trade, transportation and utilities.