The Bay State lost about 5,500 jobs in March, according to estimates from the federal bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), while the total unemployment rate edged down to 6.4 percent from a 6.5 percent rate in February.

Overall, through the first three months of 2013, Massachusetts added 12,600 jobs.

Compared to last year, the unemployment rate was down 0.2 percent from the March 2012 rate of 6.6 percent. Revised numbers from the BLS estimate Massachusetts lost 800 jobs in February.

The education and health services sector was healthiest in March, adding 2,200  jobs, while professional, scientific, and business services lost 3,400; financial activities lost 1,200; and construction lost 1,100.