U.S. unemployment rate edged down to 8.8 percent in March from 8.9 percent in the previous month, and nonfarm payroll employment rose by 216,000, reported the Labor Department on Friday.

In March, employment in manufacturing, professional and business services, mining, education and health care continued to trend up. However, state and local governments continued to cut jobs.

The unemployment rate is now at the lowest point since April 2009. It has been falling for four consecutive months, down from 9.8 percent in November 2010.

The total number of unemployed Americans dipped to 13.5 million, still almost double since before the recession.