by Nick Dobbins
February 2018
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data. Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.*
Minnesota added 2,500 jobs (0.1 percent) on a seasonally adjusted basis in January. However, this growth is relative to December’s estimate of 2,943,700, which was revised downward in year-end re-estimation from a preliminary 2,958,700. The growth came from public sector employment as total private employment declined by 200 (0.0 percent) on the month. Goods producers added 400 jobs (0.1 percent), and service providers added 2,100 (0.1 percent). Annually Minnesota added 20,116 jobs (0.7 percent) over January 2017’s 2,866,364, which itself was revised upward by nearly 8,300 in end-of-year benchmarking. Goods producers added 3,702 jobs (0.9 percent) while service providers added 16,414 (0.7 percent). Private sector employment was up 12,535 (0.5 percent), and public sector employment was up 7,581 (1.8 percent).
Mining and Logging employment was flat in January, holding at 6,500 jobs. Following year-end benchmarking, the supersector showed steady employment of between 6,400 and 6,600 for every month in 2017 as well. Over the year, Mining and Logging employers added 33 jobs (0.5 percent). The supersector had annual growth for every month in 2017 as well, averaging 5 percent over-the-year growth on the year, although much of that growth was concentrated in the first half of 2017.
Employment in Construction was up by 100 (0.1 percent) in January on a seasonally adjusted basis. It was the fifth consecutive month of over-the-month job growth for the supersector, during which time it has added 3,000 jobs. Annually the supersector added 3,731 jobs (3.7 percent). All three major components grew, as Building Construction added 377 jobs (1.5 percent), Heavy and Civil Engineering added 634 (6.8 percent), and Specialty Trade Contractors added 2,720 (4.1 percent).
Employment in the Manufacturing supersector was up slightly in January, adding 600 jobs (0.1 percent) to reach 318,200. Durable Goods Manufacturers accounted for all of the growth, adding 600 jobs (0.3 percent) while Non-Durable Goods Manufacturers shed 300 jobs (0.3 percent). Annually Manufacturing employment was mostly flat, as the supersector lost 62 jobs (0.0 percent) from January 2017. Roles were flipped from the monthly growth, as Durable Goods Manufacturers shed jobs (off by 1,390 or 0.7 percent) while Non-Durable Goods added jobs, up 1,328 or 1.2 percent, thanks to the addition of 2,039 jobs in Food Manufacturing.
Employment in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up by 400 (0.1 percent) in January. The gains came entirely from Trade, as Wholesale added 100 jobs (0.1 percent), and Retail added 300 (0.1 percent). Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities employment held steady at 107,800, the smallest of the three component sectors. Annually employment in the supersector was up by 2,854 (0.5 percent). Wholesale Trade provided most of the growth, adding 1,585 jobs (1.2 percent), with Durable Goods Wholesalers contributing 1,253 of those jobs. Retail Trade added 295 jobs (0.1 percent) while Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 974 (0.9 percent).
The Information supersector lost 100 jobs (0.2 percent) in January. Annually Information employment was off by 662 (1.3 percent). It was the seventh consecutive month of over-the-year declines in the supersector.
Employment in the Financial Activities supersector was down by 1,400 (0.8 percent) in January. Finance and Insurance drove the losses, off by 1,500 (1 percent). The sector has not seen a month of over-the-month job growth since adding 300 jobs in July. Annually Financial Activities employment was off by 1,518 (0.9 percent). Finance and Insurance drove the annual losses as well, off by 1,419 (1 percent), while Real Estate and Rental and Leasing lost 99 jobs (0.3 percent).
Professional and Business Services employment was up by 500 (0.1 percent) in January. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services had a strong month, adding 1,600 jobs (1 percent), but those gains were countered by losses of 700 (0.9 percent) and 400 (0.3 percent) in Management of Companies and Enterprises and Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services, respectively. Annually the supersector added 1,749 jobs (0.5 percent). Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services added 2,167 (1.4 percent), accounting for the lion’s share of the growth. Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services added 1,028 jobs (0.8 percent), and Management of Companies and Enterprises lost 1,446 (1.8 percent).
Educational and Health Services employment was off by 1,700 seasonally adjusted jobs in January (0.3 percent) from declines in Health Care and Social Assistance (down 3,000 or 0.6 percent). Educational Services employers added 1,300 jobs (1.9 percent). Over the year the supersector added 8,236 jobs (1.6 percent). Educational Services employers added 3,030 (4.7 percent). Health Care and Social Assistance added 5,206 (1.1 percent) with growth across its component sectors. Ambulatory Health Care Services added 1,652 (1.1 percent), Hospitals added 1,011 (0.9 percent), and Social Assistance added 2,261 (2.4 percent).
Leisure and Hospitality employment was up by 1,200 (0.4 percent) in January. Accommodation and Food Services added 2,500 (1.1 percent), while its counterpart in Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation lost 1,300 jobs (2.7 percent). Annually the supersector lost 1,322 jobs (0.5 percent). Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation added 1,118 jobs (2.9 percent), but that growth was erased by the loss of 2,440 (1.1 percent) in Accommodation and Food Services.
Other Services employment was up by 500 (0.4 percent) in January. It was the first over-the-month job growth in the supersector since September. Annually Other Services employers shed 504 jobs (0.4 percent). Repair and Maintenance lost 190 jobs (0.9 percent), and Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations lost 264 (0.4 percent).
Government employers added 2,700 jobs (0.6 percent) in January. State Government led the way, adding 2,100 jobs (2.1 percent). Annually Government employment was up by 7,581 (1.8 percent), with all three levels of government adding jobs. Local Government added 4,039 (1.5 percent), and State added 3,486 (3.5 percent) with the larger share of both coming from their respective Educational Services components.
| Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Employment (in thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Jan-18 | Dec-17 | Nov-17 |
| Total Nonfarm | 2,946.2 | 2,943.7 | 2,941.2 |
| Goods-Producing | 447.3 | 446.9 | 446.0 |
| Mining and Logging | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.6 |
| Construction | 122.6 | 122.5 | 120.9 |
| Manufacturing | 318.2 | 317.9 | 318.5 |
| Service-Providing | 2,498.9 | 2,496.8 | 2,495.2 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 540.5 | 540.1 | 537.8 |
| Information | 49.5 | 49.6 | 50.0 |
| Financial Activities | 178.0 | 179.4 | 179.5 |
| Professional and Business Services | 376.6 | 376.1 | 376.1 |
| Educational and Health Services | 538.6 | 540.3 | 538.9 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 270.4 | 269.2 | 269.5 |
| Other Services | 115.6 | 115.1 | 115.4 |
| Government | 429.7 | 427.0 | 428.0 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2018. | |||
