DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment says nonfarm jobs increased 8,000 from October to November.

The department said Friday more than 2.3 million people were employed in Colorado at the beginning of last month.

Private sector payroll jobs increased 7,000 and government jobs were up 1,000 during the month-long period.

The department says the state’s unemployment rate dropped two tenths of one percentage point over the month to 7.7 percent. Those figures were in line with national unemployment rates.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)