The number recorded as unemployed was "little changed" at 7.6 million, the report said.

The previous monthly unemployment rate was 5.1 percent. A year ago, 6.8 million were unemployed with an unemployment rate of 4.5 percent, the report said.

The U.S. economy, however, has lost 260,000 jobs since the beginning of the year.

Most groups showed little or no change in April. The unemployment rate for men stands at 4.6 percent, for teenagers 15.4 percent, for whites 4.4 percent, for blacks 8.6 percent and for Hispanics 6.9 percent.

The unemployment rate for women decreased slightly in April to 4.3 percent.

Those working part-time jobs to supplement their incomes rose in April by 306,000 people to a total of 5.2 million.

The number of discouraged workers, who have quit looking for jobs, is about the same as a year ago at 412,000. Another 1 million have stopped looking for work to attend school or tend to family responsibilities, the report said.