by Nick Dobbins
October 2024
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Seasonally adjusted employment was up 6,300 (0.2%) over the month in Minnesota in September. The growth came entirely among service providers, which added 6,800 jobs (0.3%) while goods producers lost 500 jobs (0.1%). Both private and public sector employers added jobs on the month.
Annually the state added 37,566 jobs (1.3%). Five supersectors added jobs, and six lost jobs. Service providers added 46,313 jobs (1.8%) while goods producers lost 8,747 jobs (1.8%). Public sector employers drove growth, adding 21,498 jobs (5.1%), while private sector employers added 16,068 jobs or 0.6%.
Employment in Mining and Logging was flat in September as the supersector held at 6,500 seasonally adjusted jobs for the third consecutive month.
Over the year employers in Mining and Logging lost 121 jobs or 1.8%, which was an improvement over the loss of 2.2% in August, which was the lowest annual growth for the supersector since March of 2023.
There was no over-the-month movement in Construction employment in September on a seasonally adjusted basis, as the supersector held at 133,900 jobs. The flat growth comes on the heels of two consecutive months of job losses in Construction.
Over the year Construction employers lost 133 jobs (0.1%). The loss was driven entirely by Specialty Trade Contractors, which shed 901 jobs (1%). The other two major component sectors each added jobs, as Construction of Buildings was up 609 jobs (1.9%), and Heavy and Civil Engineering was up 159 jobs (0.7%).
Manufacturing employment was off by 500 (0.2%) over the month in September. It was the fifth consecutive month of job losses for the supersector. Durable Goods Manufacturing was down 1,200 jobs (0.6%) while their counterparts in Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing added 700 jobs (0.6%).
Over the year employment in Manufacturing was down by 8,493 (2.6%). That loss came entirely among Durable Goods manufacturers, which lost 8,775 jobs (4.2%), with declines in every published component sector. Non-Durable Goods manufacturing was up 282 jobs (0.2%) thanks to the addition of 1,319 jobs (2.7%) in Food Manufacturing.
Employment in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up by 1,200 (0.2%) in September, on a seasonally adjusted basis. Retail Trade added 2,500 jobs (0.9%), and Wholesale Trade added 100 (0.1%), while Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities lost 1,400 jobs (1.2%).
Over the year employment in the supersector was up 3,932 jobs or 0.7%, slightly outpacing the national growth of 0.6%. Retail Trade employment was up 3,636 (1.3%), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities was up 1,278 (1.1%). Wholesale Trade was the only major component sector to lose jobs, off by 982 or 0.7%.
Information employment was down 600 (1.4%) over the month of September after being up 300 in August.
On an annual basis Information employers lost 2,516 jobs (5.7%). This was the largest annual decline of any supersector in the state. Over-the-year growth in the supersector has been at -5% or worse in all but one month of 2024. Telecommunications was off by 621 jobs (7%) while Publishing Industries employment was down 506 (2.7%).
Employment in Financial Activities was down by 700 (0.5%) in September. The monthly loss came entirely in Finance and Insurance, which was down 0.5% (600 jobs). Real Estate and Rental and Leasing employment held at 34,800 jobs.
Over the year employment in Financial Activities was down by 4,156 (2.2%) with losses in every published component series. Finance and Insurance was down 3,795 (2.5%), and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing was down 361 or 1%.
Professional and Business Services employers added 2,300 jobs (0.6%) over the month in September, after adding 3,400 jobs in August, making two consecutive months of growth after five months of declines. Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services was up 1,500 (1.3%), and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services was up 800 (0.5%).
Over the year Professional and Business Services was off by 10,856 jobs or 2.8%. It was the largest real job loss of any supersector, but the best over-the-year performance for the supersector in 2024. Declines were driven by Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, which was down 7,841 jobs or 6%.
Employment in Educational and Health Services was up 1,600 or 0.3% in September. The supersector has posted positive seasonally adjusted growth in 23 consecutive months dating back to November 2022. September's growth came entirely in Health Care and Social Assistance, which was up 2,400 (0.5%), while Educational Services was down 800 jobs (1.1%).
Over the year, the supersector added 35,351 jobs or 6.2%. It was the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the state. Health Care and Social Assistance drove the growth, adding 34,954 jobs or 7%, while Educational Services added 397 jobs (0.5%).
Employment in Leisure and Hospitality was flat in September, holding at 273,800 jobs. Accommodation and Food Services added 1,200 jobs (0.5%), which was offset by a loss of 1,200 (2.6%) in Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation.
Over the year Leisure and Hospitality employers added 1,882 jobs (0.7%). The supersector still has not lost jobs on an annual basis since March of 2021. Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation was down 3,618 (7.3%), but their counterparts in Accommodation and Food Services added 5,500 jobs (2.4%).
Other Services employers lost 600 jobs (0.5%) over the month in September. It was the first monthly job loss for the supersector since June.
Over the year, Other Services added 1,178 jobs or 1%. All three published components added jobs. Repair and Maintenance was up 365 (1.5%), Personal and Laundry Services added 212 (0.8%) and Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, and Professional Organizations added 601 jobs (1%).
Government employers added 3,600 jobs (0.8%) in September. The growth was driven primarily by Local Government employment, which was up 3,200 (1.1%). State employers added 400 jobs (0.4%), and Federal employment was flat at 33,300.
Over the year Government employers added 21,498 jobs or 5.1%. Local Government was up 16,589 (5.8%), State Government was up 4,401 (4.4%), and Federal Government was up 508 (1.5%). The only published component to lose jobs was the U.S. Postal Service, which was off by 73 or 0.6%.
| Minnesota Seasonally Adjusted Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (In Thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Sep-24 | Aug-24 | Jul-24 |
| Total Nonfarm | 3031.7 | 3025.4 | 3013.4 |
| Goods-Producing | 458.1 | 458.6 | 460.1 |
| Mining and Logging | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Construction | 133.9 | 133.9 | 134.7 |
| Manufacturing | 317.7 | 318.2 | 318.9 |
| Service-Providing | 2573.6 | 2566.8 | 2553.3 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 535.2 | 534 | 532.6 |
| Information | 41.3 | 41.9 | 41.6 |
| Financial Activities | 185 | 185.7 | 186.3 |
| Professional and Business Services | 371.2 | 368.9 | 365.5 |
| Educational and Health Services | 606.7 | 605.1 | 602.1 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 273.8 | 273.8 | 270.6 |
| Other Services | 115.6 | 116.2 | 116.1 |
| Government | 444.8 | 441.2 | 438.5 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2024. | |||
