Industrial Analysis
by Nick Dobbins
September 2025
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Overview
Employment in Minnesota was up by 5,900 (0.2%) over the month in August on a seasonally adjusted basis. Private sector employers added 8,300 jobs (0.3%), while public sector employers lost 2,400 jobs (0.5%). Employment in both goods producers and service providers was up 0.2%, adding 1,000 jobs and 4,900 jobs, respectively.
Over the year Minnesota employers added 39,255 jobs or 1.3%, which outpaced the national growth of 0.8%. Private sector employers added 37,692 jobs (1.4%), and Government employers added 1,563 jobs (0.4%). Goods producers and services providers both added jobs, up 8,892 jobs (1.8%) and 30,363 jobs (1.2%), respectively.
Mining and Logging
Employment in Mining and Logging was flat in August, holding at a seasonally adjusted 6,400 jobs. It was the fourth consecutive month of employment staying at that level in the supersector.
On an annual basis employers in Mining and Logging lost 112 jobs or 1.7%. This was better than the national annual loss of 2.2%, but was the lowest statewide annual growth in the supersector since September of 2024.
Construction
Construction employment was up by 1,900 (1.3%) over the month in August. It was the third consecutive month of seasonally adjusted growth for the supersector, during which time it added 5,100 combined jobs.
Over the year Construction employers added 7,214 jobs or 4.7%. All published component sectors added jobs on the year. Heavy and Civil Engineering led the growth, up 12.5% (2,948 jobs), while Construction of Buildings was up by 5.9% (1,970 jobs), and Specialty Trade Contractor employment was up 2.4% (2,296 jobs).
Manufacturing
Employment in Manufacturing was down by 900 jobs (0.3%) over the month. It was the third consecutive month of seasonally adjusted job losses for the supersector. Durable Goods Manufacturing lost 400 jobs (0.2%), and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing lost 500 jobs (0.4%).
On an annual basis employment in Manufacturing was up by 1,790 (0.6%) in August. Durable Goods Manufacturing was up 1,187 jobs (0.6%) despite a loss of 620 jobs (1.4%) in Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing. Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing was up 603 jobs (0.5%) largely because of the the addition of 1,089 jobs (2.2%) in Food Manufacturing.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employers lost 700 jobs (0.1%) over the month of August, after losing 100 jobs in July. The August losses were caused by the drop of 1,600 (1.2%) in Wholesale Trade, as Retail Trade added 600 jobs (0.2%), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 300 jobs (0.2%).
Over the year employment in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up by 2,435 jobs (0.5%), holding pace with national job growth in the supersector. Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities was up 5,555 jobs (4.9%), and Retail Trade was up 1,619 jobs (0.6%), while employment in Wholesale Trade was off by 4,739 jobs or 3.5%.
Information
Employment in Information was down by 200 (0.5%) over the month on a seasonally adjusted basis, after losing 100 jobs in July. In total the supersector has lost 900 jobs since the end of 2024.
Over the year Information employers shed 1,461 jobs (3.3%) on a not-seasonally adjusted basis. Telecommunications employment was down 279 (3.3%), and Publishing was down 35 (0.2%).
Financial Activities
Financial Activities employment was up by 1,100 (0.6%) on seasonally adjusted basis. Finance and Insurance added 800 jobs (0.5%), and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing added 300 jobs (0.8%).
Over the year Financial Activities employers lost 2,411 jobs or 1.3%, while the supersector grew 0.8% nationally. Finance and Insurance was down by 2,153 (1.4%), while their counterparts in Real Estate and Rental and Leasing lost 258 jobs (0.7%).
Professional and Business Services
Employment in Professional and Business Services was up by 1,700 (0.5%) over the month of August. The growth came primarily from Administrative and Support Services, which was up 1,900 jobs or 1.6%. Management of Companies and Enterprises added 400 jobs (0.5%), and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services lost 600 jobs (0.4%).
On an annual basis the supersector added 651 jobs or 0.2%, while national employment was off by 0.3%. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services added 1,581 jobs (0.9%), Management of Companies added 653 jobs (0.8%), and Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services lost 1,583 jobs or 1.3%, primarily because of the decline of component Employment Services (down 2,872 jobs or 6.2%).
Educational and Health Services
Employment in Educational and Health Services was up by 4,300 jobs or 0.7% in August, after growing by the same amount in July. The growth came primarily from Health Care and Social Assistance, which was up by 4,200 jobs or 0.8%. Educational Services added 100 jobs or 0.1%. Annually the supersector added 30,140 jobs or 5.2%. It was the highest proportional growth of any supersector in the state and better than the national rate of 3.2%. Health Care and Social Assistance drove the growth, adding 30,047 jobs (5.8%), while Private Educational Services added 93 jobs (0.1%).
Leisure and Hospitality
Seasonally adjusted Leisure and Hospitality was up 1,000 jobs (0.4%) over the month. The growth came entirely from the smaller Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation sector, which added 1,500 jobs or 2.9%. The Accommodation and Food Services sector lost 500 jobs or 0.2%. Over the year Leisure and Hospitality employers added 1,216 jobs or 0.4%. Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation added 4,370 jobs (7.8%) while Accommodation and Food Services lost 3,154 jobs or 1.3%. The Accommodation component added 240 jobs (0.8%), but those gains were more than countered by the loss of 3,394 jobs (1.6%) in Food Services and Drinking Places.
Other Services
Employment in Other Services was up by 100 (0.1%) over the month of August, after losing 1,000 jobs in July.
On an annual basis employers in Other Services lost 1,770 jobs or 1.2%. Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, and Professional Organizations lost 1,478 jobs (2.2%), and Personal and Laundry Services lost 586 jobs (2.1%). Employment in Repair and Maintenance was up by 294 jobs or 1.2%.
Government
Government employers lost 2,400 jobs (0.5%) in August. This was the largest proportional decline of any supersector in the state. No level of Government added jobs. Local Government was down 2,200 (0.7%), Federal was down 200 (0.6%), and State employment growth was flat. Over the year Government employers added 1,563 jobs or 0.4%. State Government was up 2,213 jobs (2.3%), and Local Government was up 426 jobs (0.2%) with the Local Government Education component losing 4.948 jobs (4.2%), and the Non-Education component added 5,374 jobs (3.4%). Federal Government employers lost 1,076 jobs or 3.2%.
| Minnesota Seasonally Adjusted Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (In Thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Aug-25 | Jul-25 | Jun-25 |
| Total Nonfarm | 3053.1 | 3047.2 | 3047.7 |
| Goods-Producing | 471.2 | 470.2 | 469 |
| Mining and Logging | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
| Construction | 143.8 | 141.9 | 140.3 |
| Manufacturing | 143.8 | 141.9 | 140.3 |
| Service-Providing | 2581.9 | 2577 | 2578.7 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 538.9 | 539.6 | 540.6 |
| Information | 42.2 | 42.4 | 42.5 |
| Financial Activities | 186.7 | 185.6 | 185.6 |
| Professional and Business Services | 374.3 | 372.6 | 373.9 |
| Educational and Health Services | 616.9 | 612.6 | 608.3 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 273.5 | 272.5 | 272.4 |
| Other Services | 115.3 | 115.2 | 116.2 |
| Government | 434.1 | 436.5 | 439.2 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2025. | |||