by Nick Dobbins
April 2024
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in Minnesota was up by 11,000 (0.4%) over the month on a seasonally adjusted basis. Private sector employment was up by 8,000 (0.3%), and public sector employment added 3,000 (0.7%). Overall, five of 11 published supersectors grew, with five losing jobs and one remaining unchanged.
Over the year Minnesota employers added 47,508 jobs (1.6%). This was an increase over February's 1.3% growth. Service providers added 50,512 jobs (0.7%), while goods producers lost 3,004 (0.7%). The private sector added 23,161 jobs (0.9%), and the public sector added 24,347 jobs (5.8%).
Employment in Mining and Logging was flat over the month in March, holding at 6,800 seasonally adjusted jobs. Employment in the supersector is off by 100 jobs so far in 2024.
Over the year Mining and Logging employers added 557 jobs or 9.4%. This was greater than the national growth of 1.8%, although it is also the lowest annual proportional growth for the supersector since November of 2023.
Construction employers added 2,700 jobs (2%) in March. It was the first month of seasonally adjusted growth for the supersector since December. This also marks the highest employment level in the supersector since October.
Over the year Construction employers lost 366 jobs, or 0.3%. This was an improvement over February, when over-the-year growth was at -1.2%. Strong growth in Heavy and Civil Engineering (up 2,736 jobs or 23.7%) helped check the losses in the supersector as both other major component sectors, Construction of Buildings and Specialty Trade Contractors shed jobs on the year (off 692 or 2.4%, and 2,410 or 3.1%, respectively).
Employment in Manufacturing was off by 500 (0.2%) over the month of March. Both component sectors posted negative growth, with Durable Goods down by 400 jobs (0.2%) and Non-Durable Goods down by 100 jobs (0.1%). It was the first negative monthly growth for the supersector since December.
Over the year Manufacturing employment was down by 3,195 or 1%. Durable Goods manufacturers lost 2,196 jobs (1.1%) with losses coming primarily in Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (down 1,185 or 2.6%). Non-Durable Goods manufacturing was down by 999 jobs (0.9%), despite the fact that the only major published component sector, Food Manufacturing, added 590 jobs (1.3%).
Employment in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was mostly flat in March, down by 200 jobs (0.0%). Gains in Retail Trade (up 300 or 0.1%) were offset by losses in Wholesale Trade (down 200 0.1%) and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (down 300, 0.3%). The supersector has lost jobs in each of the last two months, but is still up slightly so far in 2024 on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Over the year Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employers added 8,153 jobs or 1.6%. This was stronger than the national growth of 0.5%. Wholesale Trade employment was up 3,665 (2.8%), and Retail Trade was up 5,499 (2%). Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities employment was off by 1,011 (0.9%), with Transportation and Warehousing down 1,372 or 1.4%.
Information employment was down by 700 (1.6%) over the month in March. It was the largest proportional decline of any supersector in the state, following two months of seasonally adjusted growth.
Over the year Information employers lost 2,198 jobs or 4.9%, a slight improvement over February's 5% decline. Publishing employers lost 999 jobs (5.1%), and Telecommunications was off by 305 (3.4%).
Employment in Financial Activities was down by 900 (0.5%) in March. Finance and Insurance lost 700 jobs (1.6%), and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing lost 200 jobs (0.6%).
Over the year Financial Activities employers lost 5,579 jobs or 2.9%, with declines in both published component sectors. The 2.9% decline is worse than February's 2.4% loss and marks the lowest proportional annual growth for the supersector. It was also the lowest over-the-year growth since 2009, as Financial Activities faced relatively fewer lost jobs than other supersectors from the 2020 COVID outbreak.
Professional and Business Services employers lost 700 jobs (0.2%) over the month of March. Management of Companies was off by 900 (1%) and Administrative and Support and Waste Management was down 500 (0.4%), while Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services added 700 jobs (0.4%).
On an annual basis the supersector lost 13,900 jobs (3.6%). It has not added jobs over a 12 month period since June of 2023. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services lost 1,823 jobs (1.1%), Management of Companies lost 2,746 jobs (3.1%), and Administrative and Support and Waste Management lost 9,331 jobs (7.4%). Employment Services was down 13.3% (7,539 jobs), the largest proportional loss of any published component sector but an improvement over February's 14% decline.
Educational and Health Services added 2,800 jobs, or 0.5%, in March. The supersector has added jobs in every month going back to November of 2022. The March growth came entirely in Health Care and Social Assistance, which added 4,000 jobs (0.8%), while Educational Services lost 1,200 jobs (1.6%).
Over the year the supersector added 24,552 jobs (4.4%). This was the largest real job growth of any supersector in the state and outpaced the national growth of 4.3%. Health Care and Social Assistance added 26,319 jobs (5.4%), with Nursing and Residential Care Facilities up 6.6%, while Educational Services employers lost 1,767 jobs (2.3%).
Employment in Leisure and Hospitality was up by 5,000 (1.9%) over the month in March. It was the most jobs added in any supersector in the state. Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation added 1,400 jobs, and Accommodation and Food Services added 3,600 jobs (1.6%).
Over the year the supersector added 10,990 jobs (4.4%), which was an improvement over February's 2.2% growth and better than the national 2.8% over-the-year growth. Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation employment was up 707 (1.7%), and Accommodation and Food Services was up 10,283 (4.9%).
Other Services employment was up by 500 (0.4%) in March. It was the second consecutive month of growth in the supersector, which has not lost jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis since April of 2023.
Over the year employment in Other Services was up 4,147 (3.7%). This was slightly down from February's 4% annual growth. All published component sectors added jobs on the year, with Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, and Professional Organizations up 2,271 jobs (3.7%), Personal and Laundry Services up 1,377 jobs (5.2%), and Repair and Maintenance up 499 jobs (2.1%).
Government employers added 3,000 jobs (0.7%) over the month of March. It was the eighth consecutive month of seasonally adjusted positive growth for the supersector. Every level of government added jobs on the month, with the most real and proportional growth coming at the Local Government level, up 2,400 jobs or 0.8%.
Over the year Government employers added 24,347 jobs (5.8%). This was greater than the national growth of 3%. Every published component sector added jobs on the year. Federal employers added 1,100 jobs (3.4%), State employers added 3,310 (3.2%), and Local employers added 19,937 jobs (7%). Educational and non-educational components at the state and local levels both added jobs on the year.
| Minnesota Seasonally Adjusted Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (In Thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Mar-24 | Feb-24 | Jan-24 |
| Total Nonfarm | 3022.1 | 3011.1 | 3008.1 |
| Goods-Producing | 465.1 | 462.9 | 464.2 |
| Mining and Logging | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.9 |
| Construction | 134 | 131.3 | 133.1 |
| Manufacturing | 324.3 | 324.8 | 324.2 |
| Service-Providing | 2557 | 2548.2 | 2543.9 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 536.5 | 536.7 | 537.1 |
| Information | 42.7 | 43.4 | 43.2 |
| Financial Activities | 185.2 | 186.1 | 186.8 |
| Professional and Business Services | 379.3 | 380 | 380 |
| Educational and Health Services | 583.6 | 580.8 | 578.9 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 274.7 | 269.7 | 269.8 |
| Other Services | 117 | 116.5 | 115.5 |
| Government | 438 | 435 | 432.6 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2024. | |||
