By Nick Dobbins
January 2022
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
| Minnesota Seasonally Adjusted Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (in thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Dec-21 | Nov-21 | Oct-21 |
| Total Nonfarm | 2,887.4 | 2,889.4 | 2,875.8 |
| Goods-Producing | 458.2 | 458.8 | 455.3 |
| Mining and Logging | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| Construction | 132 | 131.7 | 130.2 |
| Manufacturing | 319.9 | 320.8 | 318.7 |
| Service-Providing | 2,429.2 | 2,430.6 | 2,420.5 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 515.2 | 516 | 513.1 |
| Information | 40.2 | 39.9 | 40.5 |
| Financial Activities | 189.8 | 190.7 | 191.1 |
| Professional and Business Services | 376.8 | 378.6 | 377 |
| Educational and Health Services | 538 | 536.2 | 535 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 256.1 | 256.7 | 252.1 |
| Other Services | 107.4 | 107 | 105 |
| Government | 405.7 | 405.5 | 406.7 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2021. | |||
Employment in Minnesota was off by 2,000 (0.1%) over the month on a seasonally adjusted basis. Private sector employers shed 2,200 jobs (0.1%). Goods producers lost 600 jobs (0.1%) and service providers lost 1,400 (0.1%).
Over the year the state added 168,247 jobs (6.2%). Service providers added 145,356 (6.4%), and goods producers added 22,891 (5.4%).
Employment in Mining and Logging was flat in December on a seasonally adjusted basis, holding at 6,300 jobs. Employment in the supersector has bounced between a low of 6,200 and a high of 6,400 for 17 months.
Over the year Mining and Logging employers lost 28 jobs (0.5%). It was one of only two supersectors to lose jobs on an annual basis, the other being Financial Activities.
Construction employment was up by 300 (0.2%) over the month.
On an annual basis Construction employers added 8,894 jobs (7.7%) as every component sector posted positive growth. It was the third-highest proportional growth rate of any supersector in the state. Employment in Heavy and Civil Engineering was up 19.4% (2,472 jobs) and Building Construction was up 10.9% (2,937 jobs).
Manufacturing employers shed 900 jobs (0.3%) over the month in December. Both component sectors were off by 0.3%, with Durable Goods losing 300 jobs and Non-Durable Goods losing 600.
Over the year the supersector added 14,025 jobs (4.6%). Durable Goods Manufacturing added 11,182 jobs (5.8%), with Transportation Equipment Manufacturing up 9.8% (1,039 jobs). Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing added 2,843 jobs (2.5%), with component Food Manufacturing up 3.8% (1,792 jobs).
Employment in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was off by 800 (0.2%) in December. Both trade components added 500 jobs each, with Wholesale up 0.4% and Retail up 0.2%. Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities lost 1,800 jobs (1.6%).
On an annual basis the supersector added 12,861 jobs (2.5%). All three component sectors added jobs, but growth was driven by Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities, which added 6,336 jobs or 5.9%. Retail Trade added 5,025 jobs or 1.8%.
The Information supersector added 300 jobs (0.8%) over the month in December, jumping back above 40,000 after dipping to 39,900 in November.
Over the year the supersector added 207 jobs or 0.5%. This was the first time the supersector had posted positive annual growth since April of 2017, although it is likely that this over-the-year growth is in large part from a large temporary job loss that occurred in December of 2020.
Financial Activities employers shed 900 jobs (0.5%) over the month in December. All of the losses came in Finance and Insurance (down 0.6%) as employment in Real Estate and Rental and Leasing held steady at 34,100 jobs.
Over the year the supersector lost 4,890 jobs or 2.5%. It was one of only two supersectors to post negative annual growth, the other being Mining and Logging, dropping by -0.5%. The supersector has had annual job losses for most of the year, in part because they were not as impacted by the immediate fallout of the ongoing pandemic. The Finance and Insurance component lost 5,162 jobs (3.2%), while Real Estate and Rental and Leasing added 272 jobs (0.8%).
Employment in Professional and Business Services was off by 1,800 (0.5%) in December. It was the first negative monthly growth for the supersector since February. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services lost 2,300 jobs (1.4%), and Management of Companies added 1,100 (1.3%).
On an annual basis the supersector added 20,739 jobs or 5.8%. All three component sectors posted positive growth, with the lion's share of that growth coming in Administrative and Support and Waste Management Services, up 10,902 jobs (9.3%) thanks in large part to component Employment Services, which added 6,105 jobs (12.1%).
Educational and Health Services employers added 1,800 jobs (0.3%) over the month. Both Educational Services and Health Care and Social Assistance added 900 jobs, up 1.2% and 0.2%, respectively.
Over the year Educational and Health Services added 6,055 jobs (1.1%). All of the growth came in Educational Services, which added 9,290 jobs (14%). Health Care and Social Assistance lost 3,235 jobs or 0.7%. Nursing and Residential Care Facilities continued to struggle to add jobs, off by 5,096 (4.9%), although in a hopeful sign, this is better than November's mark of -5.3% growth. Production worker earnings in the sector also continue to improve, moving from $19.77 an hour in October to $20.39 in November and $21.13 in December.
Leisure and Hospitality employment was down slightly in December, off by 600 or 0.2%. It was the first seasonally adjusted monthly decline of 2021 for the supersector, which has been rebuilding from significant COVID-related losses. The declines were entirely in Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, which was off by 1,600 (3.5%) while Accommodation and Food Services added 1,000 jobs (0.5%).
Over the year the supersector added 95,072 jobs or 64.2%. This is a very large jump from November's 28.4% over-the-year growth, although it is largely from major job losses in December of 2020, when pandemic guidelines were briefly tightened. The 95,072 jobs added represent more than half of the state's overall annual growth of 168,247.
Employment in Other Services was up by 400 (0.4%) over the month in December. It was the third consecutive month of seasonally adjusted growth for the supersector, during which time it has added 2,800 jobs.
Over the year Other Services employers added 10,542 jobs or 10.9%. It was the second-largest proportional growth of any supersector, trailing only Leisure and Hospitality. Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations added 7,542 jobs or 14.7%, representing the lion's share of the growth in the supersector.
Government employers added 200 jobs (0.0%) over the month in December. Local employers added 400 jobs (0.1%), and Federal employers shed 200 (0.6%) while State employment remained flat.
Over the year Government employers added 4,770 jobs (1.2%). The growth came entirely at the Local Government level, which added 7,640 jobs or 2.8%. State employers shed 2,397 jobs (2.5%), and Federal employers lost 473 (1.4%).
