DENVER (AP) — Officials say Colorado's economy is growing at a steady rate.

The Denver Post reports a monthly update Friday from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment says Colorado employers added 5,400 nonfarm jobs in March from February, down from the 9,200 jobs added in February from January.

But department senior economist Ryan Gedney says February's outsized gain, the fastest the state has seen since February 2012, was ahead of the 12-month average of 5,200 jobs added.

Trade, transportation and utilities added 2,500 jobs in March, making it the leader among sectors.

The report showed continued gains in pay, with the average weekly wage rising from $27.26 an hour in March 2017 to $28.38 last month. Over the year, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased to 33.4 hours from 32.9.

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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com