Minnesota employers added 1,700 jobs in May, according to a press release from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

The state remained ahead of the U.S. pace for employment growth in the past year, expanding by 0.3 percent or 7,170 jobs since May 2007. The U.S. over-the-year growth rate was 0.1 percent during that period.

The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate climbed to 5.4 percent in May, an increase of 0.6 percent from the previous month but still behind the national rate of 5.5 percent for the month, the release stated.