by Nick Dobbins
February 2024
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Total nonfarm employment in Minnesota was up 3,000 (0.1%) over the month on a seasonally adjusted basis. Service providers added 3,700 jobs (0.1%) while goods producers lost 700 (0.2%).
Over the year the state added 29,045 jobs or 1%. Service providers added 34,336 jobs (1.4%), which was offset by the loss of 5,291 jobs (1.2%) among goods producers. Private sector employers added 14,894 jobs (0.6%), and public sector employers added 14,151 jobs (3.4%).
Employment in Mining and Logging was down 100 (1.4%) over the month on a seasonally adjusted basis in January. It was the first monthly decline in the supersector since September of 2023. Excepting last month, the January total of 6,800 jobs had not been met or exceeded since December of 2017.
On an annual basis employment in Mining and Logging was up 13% or 743 jobs. This was the highest proportional growth of any supersector in the state and the highest in Mining and Logging since July of 2021. It's possible that much of the over-the-year growth is owing to winter weather that was more favorable to the highly seasonal work being done in the supersector.
Construction employment was off by 100 (0.1%) in January. The supersector has posted negative seasonally adjusted growth in six of the past seven months.
Over the year employment in Construction was off by 1,773 jobs or 1.5%. This was a notable change from December, when the supersector posted annual growth of 1.6%. Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction posted strong growth on January, adding 2,214 jobs or 19.8%. These gains were erased by losses in every other published component. Specialty Trade Contractors lost 3,112 jobs (4%) over the year, and Residential Building Construction was off by 7.7% (1,144 jobs).
Employment in Manufacturing was off by 500 (0.2%) over the month of January. Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing was down 400 (0.3%), and their counterparts in Durable Goods Manufacturing lost 100 jobs (0.0%).
On an annual basis Manufacturing employers lost 4,261 jobs (1.3%). Both major component sectors lost jobs, with Durable Goods Manufacturing down 2,100 (1%) and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing down 2,161 jobs (1.9%). Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing was down 2.9% or 1,336 jobs; Animal Slaughtering and Processing was down 6.3% or 1,136 jobs.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employers added 1,100 jobs (0.2%) in January. Wholesale Trade was down by 100 (0.1%), but the losses were covered by growth in the other two component sectors. Retail Trade and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities each added 600 jobs, up 0.2% and 0.5%, respectively. The supersector has not posted negative seasonally adjusted monthly growth since July of 2023.
Over the year Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment was up 7,016 or 1.3%. Wholesale Trade was up 2% (2,603 jobs), and Retail Trade was up 2.4% (6,851 jobs) while Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities employment was off by 2.1% (2,438 jobs), with those declines coming entirely in Transportation and Warehousing (down 2,839 or 2.8%).
Information employers added 100 jobs (0.2%) over the month in January. It was the first month of seasonally adjusted growth for the supersector since September for the long-declining industry group.
Over the year employment in Information was down 2,336 jobs or 5.2%. Publishing Industries lost 1,137 jobs (5.8%), and Telecommunications was off by 446 or 4.8%.
Financial Activities employment was off by 300 (0.2%) in January. Finance and Insurance lost 200 jobs (0.1%), and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing lost 100 jobs (0.3%).
Over the year Financial Activities employment was down by 4,624 (2.4%). It was the seventh consecutive month of over-the-year job losses for the supersector. Finance and Insurance lost 4,515 jobs (2.9%), while Real Estate and Rental and Leasing lost 109 jobs (0.3%), with the Real Estate component off by 834 or 2.9%.
Employment in Professional and Business Services was up in January on a seasonally adjusted basis, adding 600 jobs (0.2%). Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services added 2,100 jobs (1.7%), while Management of Companies lost 1,400 (1.6%), and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services lost 100 (0.3%).
Over the year Professional and Business Services employment was off by 14,468 jobs or 3.8%. It was the largest real job loss of any supersector in the state. The decline was driven by Administrative and Support Services, which lost 11,047 jobs (8.7%) in large part because of the loss of 8,669 jobs or 14.8% in Employment Services.
Educational and Health Services employers added 2,600 jobs (0.5%) over the month in January. The growth came entirely in Health Care and Social Assistance, which added 2,800 jobs (0.6%), while their counterparts in Educational Services lost 200 jobs (0.3%).
Over the year the supersector added 23,649 jobs or 4.3%. It was the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the state. The growth was driven by Health Care and Social Assistance, which was up 23,361 or 4.9%. Nursing and Residential Care Facilities added 6,277 jobs or 6.2%. Educational Services added 288 jobs (0.4%) despite the loss of 404 jobs (1.5%) in Private Elementary and Secondary Schools.
Employment in Leisure and Hospitality was up by 800 (0.3%) in January. Accommodation and Food Services added 1,000 jobs (0.4%), while Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation lost 200 jobs (0.4%).
Over the year the supersector added 6,682 jobs (2.7%). Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation posted annual losses, down 504 jobs (1.2%). Accommodation and Food Services employment was up 7,186 jobs (3.5%). Accommodation was up 6.3% (1,460 jobs). Food Services and Drinking Places employment was up 3.1% (5,726 jobs).
Other Services employment was flat in January, holding at 115,500 jobs. Growth has been relatively flat in the supersector for the past three months, with zero added jobs in December and 100 added jobs in November.
Over the year Other Services employers added 4,266 jobs (3.9%). Personal and Laundry Services added 1,705 jobs (6.5%), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, and Professional Organizations added 2,125 jobs (3.5%), and Repair and Maintenance added 436 jobs (1.9%).
Government employers lost 1,200 jobs (0.3%) in January. The declines came entirely at the Local Government level, which was off by 1,300 or 0.4%. State employers added 100 jobs (0.1%), and Federal employment was flat.
Over the year Government employers added 14,151 jobs or 3.4%, with positive growth in all published component series. Local Government was up 9.887 jobs (3.5%), State Government was up 3,093 (3.1%), and Federal Government was up 1,171 (3.7%).
| Minnesota Seasonally Adjusted Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (In Thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Jan-24 | Dec-23 | Nov-23 |
| Total Nonfarm | 3003.2 | 3000.2 | 3000.4 |
| Goods-Producing | 464.3 | 465 | 465 |
| Mining and Logging | 6.8 | 6.9 | 6.6 |
| Construction | 133.8 | 133.9 | 133.8 |
| Manufacturing | 323.7 | 324.2 | 324.6 |
| Service-Providing | 2538.9 | 2535.2 | 2535.4 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 537.3 | 536.2 | 536.2 |
| Information | 43.2 | 43.1 | 43.3 |
| Financial Activities | 186.9 | 187.2 | 186.5 |
| Professional and Business Services | 379.5 | 378.9 | 380.7 |
| Educational and Health Services | 579.3 | 576.7 | 576.6 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 270 | 269.2 | 270.1 |
| Other Services | 115.5 | 115.5 | 115.5 |
| Government | 427.2 | 428.4 | 426.5 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2024. | |||
