The jobs figure improved in the U.S. last month, according to figures released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The agency said non-farm payrolls increased by 235,000 in February and the unemployment rate was 4.7% in the first full month of President Donald Trump's term.
Average hourly earnings increased by a healthy 2.8% on an annualized basis.
The bureau said construction jobs led the way, growing by 58,000, while manufacturing also posted strong gains with 28,000 new jobs.
Economists had expected the economy to add 190,000 jobs and for the unemployment rate to ease to 4.7%, compared to the upwardly revised January numbers of 238,000 new positions and an unemployment rate of 4.8%.
The numbers come amid heightened expectations for economic growth as the president pushes an agenda of tax cuts, less regulation and higher domestic spending. Earlier in the week, ADP and Moody's Analytics reported that private payrolls increased in the States by a surprising 298,000.
