Washington's unemployment rate remained flat in June at 8.3 percent, while an above-average 10,200 jobs were added, according to Washington's Employment Security Department.

The state's workforce has grown by more than 10,000 jobs for two months in a row. Over the last 12 months the average job growth was 7,316.

"We're gradually building momentum on the job front," said Mark Berreth, an economist for the department. "We've now regained more than half the number of jobs we lost during the recession."

Since unemployment hit its peak rate in February 2010, the state has added 111,400 jobs, approximately half of the 205,000 jobs lost since February 2008.

Last month, the private sector added 12,000 jobs while the public sector lost 1,800. A total of 58,400 jobs were added over the past year.

The professional and business-services sector in the state grew the most, adding 5,000 jobs last month.

Other sectors that grew included manufacturing, 3,600; leisure and hospitality, 2,000; retail trade, 1,700; and wholesale trade 1,500.

In the public sector, Washington lost 500 federal jobs; 800 state jobs, and 500 jobs in local government. Private-sector education and health services lost the most jobs last month, 2,500.

Berreth said the range of added jobs — in higher-paying categories such as architecture, engineering and accounting and lower-paying ones such as leisure and hospitality — is "a pretty good mix, and we want that."

The unchanged unemployment rate could be explained by more people looking for work and returning to the labor force, Berreth said.

The state's unemployment rate was slightly higher than the national rate of 8.2 percent.

The unemployment rate in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett area was 7.2 last month, unchanged from May, which was revised upward to 7.2 from 7.1.

In June, roughly 293,200 people were unemployed and looking for work in Washington and 144,855 people were receiving benefits, the department said.

Last month, 4,584 ran out of unemployment benefits. Since July 2008, a total 101,028 unemployed workers exhausted their benefits.

The unemployment rate excludes people who are not looking for work or who are employed part time and would like a full-time job.

The broadest measure of joblessness, including both unemployed and underemployed workers, puts Washington's rate at 17.6 percent for the past 12 months ending March 31.

Johanna Somers: 206-464-3714 or jsomers@seattletimes.com