by Nick Dobbins
May 2024
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Total nonfarm employment was up 3,900 (0.1%) over the month in April. Private sector employment was up 5,500 (0.2%) while government employers lost 1,600 jobs (0.4%). Goods producers added 2,300 jobs (0.5%), and service providers added 1,600 (0.1%).
Over the year Minnesota employers added 44,507 jobs (1.5%). The growth came from service providers, which added 46,024 jobs (1.8%) while goods producers lost 1,517 jobs (0.3%). Private sector employers added 23,889 jobs (0.9%), and public sector employers added 20,618 (4.9%).
Employment in Mining and Logging was off by 100 (1.5%) over the month in April. The supersector has lost 100 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis in each of the past three months and has not added jobs in any month of 2024 after adding 400 jobs over the last three months of 2023.
Over the year employers in Mining and Logging added 188 jobs or 3%. This was down from March's 9.8% over-the-year growth, as annual growth in the supersector has declined in each of the past three months.
Construction employers added 1,100 jobs or 0.8% over the month in April. They have added jobs in two consecutive months, after losing jobs in the first two months of 2024.
Over the year employment in Construction was up by 201 or 0.2%. This was the first month of positive annual growth in the supersector since December. Heavy and Civil Engineering drove all of the growth, adding 2,356 jobs (16.5%), while every other published component sector lost jobs on the year. Specialty Trade Contractors were off by 1,613 jobs (2%), and Construction of Buildings employment was down by 542 (1.8%).
Employment in Manufacturing was up by 1,300 (0.4%) in April. Most of that growth came in Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, which added 1,200 jobs (1%), while employment in Durable Goods Manufacturing was mostly flat, up 100 jobs or 0.0%.
On an annual basis the supersector lost 1,906 jobs or 0.6%. The declines were entirely among Durable Goods Manufacturers, which lost 2,309 jobs4, or 1.1% as Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing lost 706 jobs (1.6%),nd Machinery Manufacturing lost 598 jobs (1.6%). Employment in Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing was up 403 (0.4%) thanks to the addition of 982 jobs (2.1%) in Food Manufacturing.
Trade, Transportation and Utilities employment was up by 500 (0.1%) over the month in April. Growth in Retail Trade (up 500 or 0.2%), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (up 800, or 0.7%) were tempered by the loss of 800 jobs (0.6%) in Wholesale Trade.
Over the year the supersector added 4,899 jobs or 0.9%. Retail Trade drove the growth, adding 5,230 jobs (1.9%), and Wholesale Trade added 940 jobs (0.7%), while Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities employment was down by 1,271 jobs or 1.1%, with that decline coming entirely in the Transportation and Warehousing component (off by 1,577 or 1.6%).
Information employment was off by 200 (0.5%) in April, after being off by 1.6% in March. The 42,500 total seasonally adjusted jobs was the lowest for the supersector since March of 2021.
Over the year Information employers lost 2,253 job or 5%, the largest annual decline of any supersector in the state. Publishing was down 999 (5.1%), and Telecommunications was off by 316 (3.5%).
Employment in Financial Activities was up by 1,800 jobs or 1%. It was the largest proportional growth of any supersector in the state. The growth came primarily in Finance and Insurance, which added 1,700 jobs (1.1%), while Real Estate and Rental and Leasing added 100 jobs (0.3%).
Over the year Financial Activities employers lost 3,543 jobs, or 1.9%. Finance and Insurance was off by 3,715 jobs (2.4%), while Real Estate and Rental and Leasing added 172 jobs (0.5%) with all of that growth coming in the Rental and Leasing segment of the industry group.
Professional and Business Services employers added 700 jobs (0.2%) over the month in April. It was the first month of growth for the supersector since January. Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services added 1,600 jobs (1.3%) while the other two component sectors (Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services and Management of Companies) each lost jobs on the month.
Over the year the supersector lost 10,196 jobs or 2.6%. This was an improvement over March's 3.8% decline and the lowest annual job loss since November of 2023. The largest annual job losses came in Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, which was off by 5,961 or 4.7 owing to the loss of 6,760 jobs (11.8%) in Employment Services.
Employment in Educational and Health Services was up by 300 (0.1%) in April. Educational Services added 100 jobs (0.1%), and Health Care and Social Assistance added 200 jobs (0.0%). The supersector has added jobs in 18 consecutive months, dating back to October of 2022.
Over the year employment in Educational and Health Services was up by 25,018 or 4.5%. The growth came entirely in Health Care and Social Assistance, which was up 25,287 (5.2%) with growth in every published component sector. Educational Services employment was down by 269 (0.4%).
Leisure and Hospitality employment was up by 600 (0.2%) over the month in April. The growth came entirely in Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, which added 1,400 jobs or 3.1%. Accommodation and Food Services lost 800 jobs or 0.4%.
Over the year employment in Leisure and Hospitality was up by 8,722 or 3.4%. This was slightly down from March's 3.7% over-the-year growth. Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation was up 1,957 (4.6%), and Accommodation and Food Services was up 6,765 or 3.2%. Every published component in the supersector added jobs on the year.
Employment in Other Services was off by 500 (0.4%) in April after losing 100 jobs in March. So far in 2024, employment was up by 400 in the supersector.
Over the year Other Services employment was up by 2,759 (2.5%). Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, and Professional Organizations added 1,861 jobs (3%), Personal and Laundry Services was up 665 (2.5%), and Repair and Maintenance was up 233 jobs (1%).
Government employers lost 1,600 jobs (0.4%) over the month of April. The declines came primarily in Local Government, which was off by 1,500 or 0.5%. Federal employers lost 200 jobs (0.6%), and State employers added 100 jobs (0.1%).
Over the year employment in Government was up by 20,618, or 4.9%. It was the largest annual proportional growth of any supersector in the state. All three levels of government posted positive growth, with most coming in Local Government, which was up 16,136 or 5.7%.
| Minnesota Seasonally Adjusted Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (In Thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Apr-24 | Mar-24 | Feb-24 |
| Total Nonfarm | 3023.9 | 3020 | 3011.1 |
| Goods-Producing | 467.1 | 464.8 | 462.9 |
| Mining and Logging | 6.6 | 6.7 | 6.8 |
| Construction | 135 | 133.9 | 131.3 |
| Manufacturing | 325.5 | 324.2 | 324.8 |
| Service-Providing | 2556.8 | 2555.2 | 2548.2 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 536.7 | 536.2 | 536.7 |
| Information | 42.5 | 42.7 | 43.4 |
| Financial Activities | 187 | 185.2 | 186.1 |
| Professional and Business Services | 379.7 | 379 | 380 |
| Educational and Health Services | 584.7 | 584.4 | 580.8 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 273.9 | 273.3 | 269.7 |
| Other Services | 115.9 | 116.4 | 116.5 |
| Government | 436.4 | 438 | 435 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2024. | |||
