ATLANTA (AP) — State labor officials say metro Atlanta's unemployment rate has increased to 7.3 percent.

The May jobless rate was released early Thursday by the Georgia Department of Labor.

The May rate is up from 6.5 percent in April. The rate was 8 percent in May a year ago.

Officials said the increase was a seasonal one, and rose as new graduates entered the labor force looking for full-time work and other students searched for part-time summer jobs.

Elsewhere in Georgia, metro Athens had the lowest area jobless rate at 5.7 percent.

The Heart of Georgia-Altamaha region had the highest at 9.8 percent.

The metro area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.