May 2 (Bloomberg) — The job-creation engine kicked into higher gear as U.S. employers boosted payrolls in April by the most in two years and the jobless rate plunged to the lowest since the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

The 288,000 gain in employment was the biggest since January 2012 and followed a 203,000 increase the prior month, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a 218,000 advance. Unemployment dropped to 6.3 percent, the lowest level since September 2008.

Households spent more freely as the first quarter drew to a close and manufacturing accelerated, helping explain why companies such as Ford Motor Co. are taking on more workers. The figures corroborate the Federal Reserve's view that the expansion is perking up after stagnating last quarter, indicating it will keep trimming stimulus.