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Industrial Analysis

By Nick Dobbins
September 2021

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 Aug-21 Jul-21 Jun-21
Total Nonfarm 2852.7 2848.4 2831.3
Goods-Producing 449.3 446.5 442.1
Mining and Logging 6.3 6.4 6.3
Construction 127.9 127.3 126.5
Manufacturing 315.1 312.8 309.3
Service-Providing 2403.4 2401.9 2389.2
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 511.3 509.8 512.3
Information 39.9 40.5 39.9
Financial Activities 192.2 190.9 189.8
Professional and Business Services 371.2 370.3 369.7
Educational and Health Services 534 535.2 535.9
Leisure and Hospitality 239 237 229.5
Other Services 105.4 105.9 105.1
Government 410.4 412.3 407
Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2021.

Overview

Minnesota employment was up by 4,300 (0.2%) on a seasonally-adjusted basis in August. It was the eighth consecutive month of growth for the state. Private sector employers added 6,200 jobs (0.3%).

Over the year employment in the state was up by 4% or 109,834 jobs. Goods producers added 18,594 jobs (4.1%), and service providers added 91,330 (3.9%).

Mining and Logging

Employment in Mining and Logging was down over the month in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, as the supersector lost 100 jobs (1.6%). Monthly growth in Mining and Logging has fluctuated between 100 and -100 for the past year.

On an annual basis the supersector added 286 jobs (4.4%). This was a large drop-off from July's over-the-year growth, which was at 18.3%.

Construction

Employment in Construction was up by 600 (0.5%) in August after adding 800 jobs in July.

Over the year Construction employers added 7,022 jobs (5.2%). It was the second largest proportional over-the-year growth of any supersector in the state after Leisure and Hospitality). Building Construction was up 5.9% (1,713 jobs), and Specialty Trade Contractor employment was up 6.2% (5, 368 jobs). Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction was down by 0.3% or 59 jobs.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing employers added 2,300 jobs (0.7%) over the month in August. Durable Goods Manufacturers added 2,100 jobs (1.1%), while their counterparts in Nondurable Goods added 200 (0.2%).

On an annual basis the supersector added 11,196 jobs (3.6%). Nondurable Goods led the way, adding 4,977 jobs (4.5%) thanks to strong growth in Food Manufacturing, while Durable Goods Manufacturers added 6,219 jobs (3.1%) with growth across a wide range of component sectors.

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment was up by 1,500 (0.3%) in August, with all of that growth coming in Wholesale Trade (up 2,300 or 1.8%). Retail Trade and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities each lost 400 jobs (down 0.1 and 0.4%, respectively).

Over the year the supersector added 10,780 jobs or 2.1%. All three component sectors added jobs on the year, led in both real and proportional growth by Wholesale Trade, which was up 4,426 jobs or 3.6%, with most of that growth coming among Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers (up 3,174 or 7.2%). Retail Trade added 3,422 jobs (1.2%), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 2,932 jobs (3%).

Information

Employment in Information was off by 600 (1.5%) in August after a brief respite from the supersectors long decline in July, when they added 600 jobs.

Over the year Information employers lost 2,501 jobs or 5.9%. Not only was this the largest proportional loss of any supersector in the state, it was also the largest amount of real jobs lost on the year, which is telling for a supersector that was already quite small in terms of real jobs compared to others in the state.

Financial Activities

Financial Activities employment was up by 1,300 (0.7%) in August, with growth in both component sectors. Real Estate and Rental and Leasing employment was up 1.8% (600 jobs) while Finance and Insurance was up 700 (0.4%).

Over the year the supersector lost 748 jobs (0.4%). It was one of just two supersectors to lose jobs on the year, primarily because it was much less hard-hit by the original wave of COVID19-related job losses than most supersectors and as such had less ground to make up to get back to pre-COVID levels. Finance and Insurance lost 1,488 jobs (0.9%), while Real Estate and Rental and Leasing added 740 jobs (2.2%).

Professional and Business Services

Employment in Professional and Business Services was up by 900 (0.2%) in August, thanks in large part to the addition of 1,300 jobs (1%) in Administrative and Support Services. Management of Companies was up 200 (0.2%) while Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services lost 600 jobs (0.4%).

Over the year the supersector added 18,307 jobs or 5.1%, the third-largest proportional over-the-year increase of any supersector in the state. Administrative and Support Services added 11,331 jobs (9.5%) with growth of 6,020 (12.8%) in its component Employment Services.

Educational and Health Services

Educational and Health Services employment was down by 1,200 (0.2%) in August. Health Care and Social Assistance lost 1,800 jobs (0.4%), while Educational Services added 600 jobs (0.9%).

Annually, Educational and Health Services employers added 9,800 jobs (1.9%). Educational Services drove the annual growth, adding 9,003 jobs or 16.6%, while Health Care and Social Assistance added 797 jobs (0.2%). The largest component sector, Ambulatory Health Care Services, added 5,490 jobs (3.6%), but that growth was countered by the loss of 5,190 jobs (4.9%) in Nursing and Residential Care Facilities.

Leisure and Hospitality

Leisure and Hospitality employers added 2,000 jobs (0.8%) in August. It was the eighth consecutive month of seasonally adjusted growth for the supersector as it continues to dig out of the deep hole it was put in by the ongoing pandemic.

Over the year Leisure and Hospitality employers added 43,879 jobs or 19.9%. It was the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the state by a large margin. Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation added 15,569 jobs (42.2%), while Accommodation and Food Services added 28,310 jobs (15.5%).

Other Services

Employment in Other Services was off by 500 (0.5%) in August. It was the first over-the-month job loss in for the supersector since February, a span of time during which they added 5,500 jobs.

On an annual basis Other Services added 4,991 jobs (4.9%). Repair and Maintenance employment was up 9.7% (2,003 jobs), Personal and Laundry Services was up 5.6% (1,391 jobs) and Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, and Professional Organizations was up 2.9% (1,597 jobs).

Government

Government employment was off by 1,900 jobs (0.5%) in August, as all three levels of government shed jobs.

Over the year Government employers added 6,822 jobs (1.8%). Both Federal and State-level employers lost jobs (down 11.2% and 3.2%, respectively), but those losses were more than offset by the addition of 13,795 jobs (5.5%) among Local Government employers. Non-education local government was particularly strong, adding 9,964 jobs or 7.1%.

Minnesota Employment Growth

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