by Nick Dobbins
December 2023
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employers in Minnesota added 9,500 seasonally adjusted jobs (0.3%) over the month in November. Both goods producers and service providers grew 0.3%, up 1,300 jobs and 8,200 jobs, respectively. Private sector employment was up 8,400 (0.3%), and public sector employment was up 1,100 (0.3%).
Over the year Minnesota added 47,829 jobs (1.6%). Private sector employment was up 37,100 (1.4%,) and public sector employment was up 10,729 (2.5%). Service providers drove the growth, adding 45,686 jobs (1.8%), while goods producers added 2,143 jobs (0.5%).
Employment in Mining and Logging was flat on a seasonally adjusted basis in November, holding at 6,500 jobs. Employment has remained between 6,400 and 6,500 in the supersector in every month since May.
On an annual basis employment in Mining and Logging was up by 186 or 2.9%. This was slightly lower than October's 3.4% annual growth. Annual growth in the supersector has hovered between 2.3% and 3.6% since June.
Construction employment was up by 300 (0.2%) over the month in November on a seasonally adjusted basis. The supersector has posted positive growth in seven of the past eight months.
Over the year, employment in Construction was up 7,094 or 5.3%. This was the highest proportional growth of any supersector in the state. Heavy and Civil Engineering was up 2,499 (13.3%) and Specialty Trade Contractors added 4,341 jobs (5.1%). Building Construction, the third major component sector, added 254 jobs or 0.8%.
Employment in Manufacturing was up by 1,000 (0.3%) in November. The growth came entirely from Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing, which was up 1,000 or 0.9%. Durable Goods employment was flat at 206,500.
On an annual basis Manufacturing employment was down 5,137 jobs or 1.6%. Durable Goods was off by 3,653 jobs (1.7%), with declines across most published components. Non-Durable Goods employment was down 1,484 (1.3%) due primarily to the loss of 1,427 jobs (7.9%) in Animal Slaughtering and Processing.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment was up by 3,300 (0.6%) over the month of November, the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the state. All three component sectors added jobs, with Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities leading the way, up 1,900 or 1.6%.
Over the year employers in the supersector added 15,040 jobs (2.8%). This was the second largest real job growth of any supersector, trailing only Education and Health Services. Retail Trade employment was up 8,201 (2.9%), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities was up 6,509 (5.5%). Wholesale Trade added 300 job, or 0.3%.
Employment in Information was flat in November, holding at 45,300 jobs. The supersector has not posted positive monthly growth since adding 200 jobs in June.
Over the year Information employers lost 1,678 jobs or 3.6%. This was the second largest proportional loss of any supersector, trailing only Financial Activities' 4% decline. Telecommunications employment was down 5.8% (552 jobs), and Publishing Industries employment was down 2.8% (553 jobs).
Financial Activities employers lost 600 jobs (0.3%) over the month in November. It was the fifth consecutive month of monthly losses for the supersector, which has not posted positive growth in any month of 2023. Finance and Insurance lost 500 jobs, and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing lost 100. Both were down 0.3%.
On an annual basis, employment in Financial Activities was down 7,682 or 4%. It was the largest proportional decline of any supersector. Real Estate and Rental and Leasing was down 4.6% (1,631 jobs), and Finance and Insurance was down 3.8% (6,051 jobs), with component Credit Intermediation and Related Activities down 5.1% (3,104 jobs).
Employment in Professional and Business Services was up 500 (0.1%) over the month. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services added 400 jobs (0.2%), and Management of Companies and Enterprises added 300 (0.3%). Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services lost 200 jobs (0.2%).
Over the year employment in Professional and Business Services was down 7,913 or 2%. All three major component sectors posted annual declines. The largest losses came in Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, which lost 5,616 jobs (4%), primarily because of the loss of 5,587 jobs (8.5%) from Employment Services.
Educational and Health Services employers added 2,700 jobs (0.5%) in November. It was the ninth consecutive month of positive seasonally adjusted growth for the supersector. The November growth came entirely in Health Care and Social Assistance, which added 3,100 jobs (0.6%) while Educational Services lost 400 jobs (0.6%).
On an annual basis Educational and Health Services employers added 26,939 jobs (4.8%). It was the largest real job growth of any supersector and an improvement over October's 4.5% annual growth. Health Care and Social Assistance added 27,189 jobs (5.6%) with positive growth in every published component sector. Educational Services lost 250 jobs (0.3%) on the year.
Employment in Leisure and Hospitality was up 700 (0.3%) over the month in November. The supersector added jobs in each of the last four months. Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation was up 200 (0.4%) in November, and Accommodation and Food Services was up 500 (0.2%).
Over the year Leisure and Hospitality employers added 8,133 jobs or 3.2%. Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation was up 2,890 (6.4%), and Accommodation and Food Services was up 5,243 (2.5%), with Accommodation up 7.5% (1,818 jobs) and Food Services and Drinking Places up1.8% (3,425 jobs).
Other Services employers added 500 jobs (0.5%) in November. This was the second-highest proportional growth rate among supersectors in Minnesota.
Over the year employers in Other Services added 2,118 jobs (2%). Growth was driven by Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, and Professional Organizations, which added 1,538 jobs, or 2.6%. Repair and Maintenance was up 287 (1.3%), and Personal and Laundry Services was up 293 (1.1%).
Government employers added 1,100 jobs (0.3%) over the month of November. The growth was entirely at the Local Government level (up 1,100 jobs or 0.4%) as employment at the State and Federal levels was flat on the month.
Over the year Government employers added 10,729 jobs (2.5%). All three levels of Government posted positive growth, with Federal up 1,172 (3.7%), State up 1,347 (1.3%), and Local up 8,210 (2.8%). State Educational Services was the only component to post negative growth, off by 129 jobs or 0.2%.
| Minnesota Seasonally Adjusted Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (In Thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Nov-23 | Oct-23 | Sep-23 |
| Total Nonfarm | 3011.6 | 3002.1 | 2994.3 |
| Goods-Producing | 468.8 | 467.5 | 468.4 |
| Mining and Logging | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.4 |
| Construction | 140 | 139.7 | 138.6 |
| Manufacturing | 322.3 | 321.3 | 323.4 |
| Service-Providing | 2542.8 | 2534.6 | 2525.9 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 541 | 537.7 | 536 |
| Information | 45.3 | 45.3 | 45.5 |
| Financial Activities | 185.3 | 185.9 | 187.6 |
| Professional and Business Services | 383.8 | 383.3 | 381.9 |
| Educational and Health Services | 580.3 | 577.6 | 574.6 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 273.5 | 272.8 | 270.7 |
| Other Services | 108.9 | 108.4 | 107.7 |
| Government | 424.7 | 423.6 | 421.9 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2023. | |||
