By Nick Dobbins
April 2022
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Seasonally adjusted employment in Minnesota was up 5,200 (0.2%), with growth of 0.2% among both goods producers and service providers (up 700 and 4,500 jobs, respectively). Private sector employment was up 5,100 (0.2%) while public sector employment was up 100 (0.0%).
Over the year state employers added 60,909 jobs (2.2%). Goods producers added 15,696 jobs (3.7%) while service providers added 45,213 jobs (1.9%).
Seasonally adjusted employment growth in Mining and Logging was flat over the month in February, holding at 6,700 jobs. The supersector has not posted negative monthly growth since August 2021.
Over the year Mining and Logging employers added 420 jobs (7.1%). This was an improvement over January's 5% over-the-year growth, and the highest over-the-year growth in the supersector since July 2021.
Construction employment was down in January as the employers shed 1,400 jobs (1.1%). After strong performances in the spring and summer of 2021, the supersector posted seasonal losses in five of the past six months.
On an annual basis Construction employers lost 75 jobs (0.1%). Specialty Trade Contractors added 718 jobs (1%), but those gains were countered by the loss of 200 jobs (0.8%) in Construction of Buildings and 593 jobs (4.3%) in Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction.
Manufacturing employment was up by 2,300 (0.7%) over the month in March. It was the second-largest real job growth of any supersector save Leisure and Hospitality (up 2,800).
On an annual basis employment in Manufacturing was up 12,944 jobs or 4.2%, tied with Mining and Logging for the second-largest proportional over-the-year growth of any supersector in the state, trailing only Leisure and Hospitality. Durable Goods manufacturers added 7,586 jobs (3.8%), while their counterparts in Non-Durable Goods added 5,358 jobs (4.9%).
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employers added 2,000 jobs (0.4%) over the month in March. Retail Trade did most of the growing, up 1,600 or 0.6%. Wholesale Trade and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities employment were each up 0.2% or 200 jobs.
Employment in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up by 8,705 (1.7%) over the year in March, an improvement over February's 1.1% growth, with positive movement in all three component sectors. Wholesale Trade added 282 jobs (0.2%), Retail Trade added 2,742 (1%), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 5,681 (5.5%).
Employment in Information was up 500 (1.2%) over the month in March, after losing 200 jobs in February.
Over the year Information employers added 1,556 jobs (3.7%) in March. It marked the fourth consecutive month of positive over-the-year growth and the highest proportional growth for the long-declining supersector since March of 2001.
Financial Activities employers added 1,800 jobs (1%) in March. Finance and Insurance was up 1,200 (0.8%), and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing was up 600 (1.7%).
On an annual basis Financial Activities employment was down by 1,562 jobs or 0.8%. It was one of only two supersectors to post negative annual growth along with Health Care and Social Assistance. Real Estate and Rental and Leasing employment was up by 1,929 jobs (5.9%), but that growth was erased by the loss of 3,491 jobs (2.2%) in Finance and Insurance.
Employment in Professional and Business Services was down by 300 (0.1%) on a seasonally adjusted basis in February. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services lost 200 jobs (0.1), and Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services lost 500 (0.4%), while Management of Companies added 400 jobs (0.5%).
Over the year the supersector added 5,600 jobs (1.5%), with all three component sectors posting positive growth. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services led the way, adding 3,467 jobs or 2.2%.
Employment in Educational and Health Services was up 900 (0.2%) in March. Educational Services shed 100 jobs (0.1%) while Health Care and Social Assistance added 1,000 (0.2%), after adding 2,900 jobs in February. This recent uptick may be evidence of some improvement in the staffing shortage health care employers have been struggling with lately.
On an annual basis Educational and Health Services employers lost 326 jobs (0.1%). While it was one of only two supersectors to post negative annual growth, -0.1% marks an improvement over recent month and is the best mark the supersector has posted since September of 2021. Educational Services added 2,610 jobs (3.7%) while Health Care and Social Assistance lost 2,936 (0.6%), due in large part to the loss of 5,905 jobs (5.6%) in Nursing and Residential Care Facilities.
Leisure and Hospitality employment was up by 2,800 (1.1%) over the month in March, the largest real monthly job growth of any supersector in the state. It was the sixth consecutive month of seasonally adjusted growth for the industry group.
Over the year employment in Leisure and Hospitality was up by 36,198 jobs or 18.1%. This was the highest proportional growth of any supersector in the state, although it is down slightly from February's 20.1% growth. Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation added 8,450 jobs (28.9%), and Accommodation and Food Services added 27,748 jobs (16.3%).
Over the month in March Other Service employment was down by 200 (0.2%). It was the only supersector to shed jobs on the month and the second consecutive month of negative growth.
On an annual basis Other Services employers added 3,872 jobs (3.8%), down from February's 5.1% growth. All three published component sectors added jobs, with the largest real and proportional growth coming in Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations, which added 2,219 jobs or 3.9%.
Government employers added 500 jobs (0.1%) over the month in March. It was the third consecutive month of growth for the supersector. The gains came entirely at the Local Government level, which added 700 jobs (0.3%), while Federal and State employers each lost 100 jobs (0.3% and 0.1%, respectively).
Over the year Government employers added 956 jobs (0.2%). While State and Federal employers both posted negative growth (down 0.7% and 2.8%, respectively), Local Government employers made up for the losses with the addition of 2,522 jobs or 0.9%, with all of that growth coming in Local Government Educational Services (up 2,699 or 1.9%).
