by Nick Dobbins
September 2023
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Minnesota added 4,400 jobs (0.1%) over the month on a seasonally adjusted basis in August. Goods producers added 2,100 jobs (0.5%), and goods producers added 2,300 (0.1%). All of the growth came in the private sector, as public sector employers lost 400 jobs (0.1%).
Over the year the state added 46,114 jobs (1.6%). Service providers drove the growth, adding 42,146 jobs or 1.7%, while goods producers added 3,968 jobs or 0.8%. The private sector added 36,821 jobs (1.4%), and the government added 9,293 (2.4%).
Employment in Mining and Logging was flat in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, holding at 6,400 jobs. The supersector has been within 100 jobs of that mark for every month of 2023 save one - April, when it briefly jumped to 6,700.
Over the year employment in Mining and Logging was up by 3.7% (237 jobs). This was the highest annual growth the supersector had posted since February of 2022.
Construction employment was up by 1,700 (1.2%) in August. The supersector has posted seasonally adjusted gains in five consecutive months, adding a total of 6,100 jobs since March.
On an annual basis employers in Construction added 5,905 jobs (4%). Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction employment was up 11% (2,479 jobs). Specialty Trade Contractors added 3,126 jobs (3.3%), while Construction of Buildings was up 300 (0.9%).
Employment in Manufacturing was up by 400 (0.1%) over the month. Durable Goods manufacturers contributed all of the jobs to that growth, up 0.2%, while their counterparts in Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing added no jobs. August's growth marked the first time since February that the supersector posted seasonally adjusted monthly gains.
Over the year Manufacturing employers lost 2,174 jobs (0.7%). It was one of only three supersectors in Minnesota to post negative annual job growth. Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing was off by 1,746 jobs (1.5%) in large part from the loss of 1,483 jobs (8.3%) in component Animal Slaughtering and Processing.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employers lost 500 jobs (0.1%) on a seasonally adjusted basis in August. Retail Trade lost 800 jobs (0.3%), and Wholesale Trade lost 500 (0.1%), while Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 700 jobs (0.6%).
On an annual basis employment in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up 7,610 jobs or 1.4%. Wholesale Trade lost 2,021 jobs (1.5%) with declines among both Durable and Non-Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers. Retail trade added 3,096 (1.1%), while Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 6,535 jobs (5.9%).
Employment in Information was off by 200 (0.4%) over the month of August. It was one of five supersectors to post seasonally adjusted monthly job losses and has lost jobs in three of the past four months.
Over the year Information employers added 54 jobs or 0.1%. The gains came despite the fact that both published component sectors, Publishing and Telecommunications, posted annual job losses.
Employment in Financial Activities was off by 500 (0.3%) in August. Finance and Insurance employers lost 600 jobs (0.4%), while Real Estate and Rental and Leasing added 100 (0.3%). The supersector has not added jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis since December of 2022.
On an annual basis Financial Activities employers lost 3,945 jobs (2%), the largest proportional decline of any supersector in Minnesota. Finance and Insurance was off by 3,618 (2.3%), with losses in all published component sectors, while Real Estate and Rental and Leasing lost 327 jobs (0.9%).
Professional and Business Services employment was down by 1,000 (0.3%) over the month in August. Both Management of Companies and Administrative and Support and Waste Management Services lost 600 jobs, off by 0.7% and 0.5%, respectively, while Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services added 200 jobs.
Over the year Professional and Business Services employers lost 3,265 jobs (0.8%). The annual growth dynamic was similar to the monthly growth, as Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services posted modest growth (up 132 or 0.1%) but was buried under larger losses in Management of Companies (down 1,585 or 1.8%) and Administrative and Support and Waste Management Services (down 1,812 or 1.3%). The Employment Services component lost 1,231 jobs or 2.1%
Employment in Educational and Health Services was up by 1,700 or 0.3% in August. The supersector has not posted seasonally adjusted monthly declines since June of 2022. Educational Services lost 300 jobs (0.4%), but that loss was countered by the addition of 2,000 jobs (0.4%) in Health Care and Social Assistance.
On an annual basis Educational and Health Services employers added 19,463 jobs (3.6%). Educational Services was up 2,286 (3.8%). Health Care and Social Assistance added 17,177 jobs (3.5%) with growth in all published component sectors. Ambulatory Health Care Services was up 8,091 jobs or 5.1%.
Leisure and Hospitality added 2,600 jobs (1%) over the month of August. Both major components added 1,300 jobs, with Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation up 2.7% and Accommodation and Food Services up 0.6%. The growth came on the heels of two consecutive months of seasonally adjusted job losses.
Over the year the supersector added 11,693 jobs (4.2%). It remained the largest proportional growth of any supersector in the state, which it has maintained since the beginning of the pandemic recovery. Leisure and Hospitality was up 3,350 (6.3%) while Accommodation and Food Services was up 8,343 (3.7%).
Employment in Other Services was up 600 (0.6%). It has added jobs in every month of 2023 save for March, when it lost 700 jobs.
Over the year Other Services added 1,243 jobs (1.1%). Repair and Maintenance lost 397 jobs (1.7%). Personal and Laundry Services was up 983 (3.7%), while Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, and Professional Organizations added 657 jobs (1.1%).
Government employers lost 400 jobs (0.1%) in August. The declines came entirely at the Local Government level, which was off by 700 (0.2%). Federal employers added 300 jobs (0.9%), while State Government employment growth was flat.
Over the year Government employers added 9,293 jobs (2.4%) with growth at all three levels. Federal Government was up 1,267 (4%), State Government was up 646 (0.7%), and Local Government was up 7,380 (2.8%), with all of that growth coming in the non-education component (up 7,456 or 5%).
| Minnesota Seasonally Adjusted Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (In Thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Aug-23 | Jul-23 | Jun-23 |
| Total Nonfarm | 2987 | 2982.6 | 2983 |
| Goods-Producing | 468.6 | 466.5 | 467.2 |
| Mining and Logging | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.5 |
| Construction | 139.7 | 138 | 137.4 |
| Manufacturing | 322.5 | 322.1 | 323.3 |
| Service-Providing | 2518.4 | 2516.1 | 2515.8 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 534.2 | 534.7 | 532.9 |
| Information | 45.6 | 45.8 | 46.3 |
| Financial Activities | 188.8 | 189.3 | 189.8 |
| Professional and Business Services | 385.8 | 386.8 | 387 |
| Educational and Health Services | 567.8 | 566.1 | 563.9 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 268.4 | 265.8 | 268.8 |
| Other Services | 109.3 | 108.7 | 108.3 |
| Government | 418.5 | 418.9 | 418.8 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2023. | |||
