By Ryan Wynne

Non-farm payroll employment rose by 290,000 in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.

That’s a high month-over-month increase not seen in about four years, said Laura Kelter, Current Employment Statistics (CES) branch chief. CES compiled much of the data for the report.

Kelter said the number includes 66,000 temporary census jobs, but non-government employment is still at a four-year high. The private sector’s payroll employment growth for April is 231,000, which is a gain larger than any since March 2006.

Sizable employment gains occurred in manufacturing, professional and business services, health care, and in leisure and hospitality.

The last two months have seen a significant amount of job growth. Since December, nonfarm payroll employment has expanded by 573,000, with 483,000 jobs added in the private sector.