April 11, 2024
Michigan total nonfarm payroll jobs moved up by 0.3 percent, or 15,200, to 4,472,300 in February on a seasonally adjusted basis. On the nationwide level, Michigan ranked third among all 50 states for the largest monthly payroll job level change. This brought Michigan’s February payroll job levels to the highest total in over 20 years.
Monthly Job Change (Data in Thousands)
Source: Current Employment Statistics, Michigan Center for Data and Analytics
Total nonfarm payroll jobs in the U.S. rose by 0.2 percent, or 275,000, over the month, 0.1 percentage point below the statewide rate of change. This increase marked the 38th consecutive month of recorded job gains in the U.S., with the last employment decline seen in December 2020. The most significant over-the-month changes occurred within Private education and health services (+85,000), Leisure and hospitality (+58,000), and Government (+52,000). Additionally, total U.S. payroll employment was 3.6 percent above its February 2020 pre-pandemic level.
On a percentage basis, modest job gains were recorded within numerous statewide major sectors including Private education and health services (+1.3 percent), Construction (+1.0 percent), Leisure and hospitality (+0.6 percent), and Government (+0.6 percent) this month. Despite minor job losses in Michigan’s Manufacturing and Financial activities sectors, industries such as Private education and health services (+9,200), Government (+3,800), and Construction (+2,000) demonstrated strong employment growth on a numeric basis in February.
As of February 2024, statewide employment was 23,800, or 0.5 percent, above its February 2020 pre-pandemic job level. A majority of Michigan’s major industries also recorded employment totals above their February 2020 job levels. The most notable employment increases were seen in the Trade, transportation, and utilities (+23,400), Construction (+16,800), and Private education and health services (+8,900). Several industries still remain below their February pre-pandemic jobs levels this month, including Manufacturing (-12,200), Leisure and hospitality (-10,500), Professional and business services (-5,900), and Government (-1,300).
Total nonfarm payroll jobs in Michigan increased by 37,400, or 0.8 percent, over the year. Only five of Michigan’s 11 major industry sectors recorded yearly job gains, with large numerical changes seen in Government (+21,000), Private education and health services (+20,200), and Construction (+7,200). Since February 2023, employment declines were recorded within the Professional and business services (-13,600), Manufacturing (-6,900), and Financial activities (-1,600) industry sectors.
On the national level, total U.S. payroll jobs rose by 1.8 percent over the year, 1.0 percentage point above the statewide average. Comparable to monthly trends seen nationwide, the Private education and health services (+4.2 percent), Leisure and hospitality (+2.9 percent), and Government (+2.8 percent) major industry sectors recorded the largest rate changes since February 2023.
Every Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), except Bay City, recorded not seasonally adjusted job gains during February. Only the Lansing MSA recorded a job rate change above the statewide rate of change (+1.0 percent), whereas five metro areas noted job advancements above or equal to the nationwide rate of change (+0.7 percent) over the month. Compared to other metro areas, the Lansing MSA recorded a 3.6 percent employment growth over the month, primarily due to job rebounds in its Government sector. In February, employment in the Private educational and health services, Leisure and hospitality, and Government industry sectors increased or remained unchanged in all Michigan metro areas.
Over the year, 12 of Michigan’s 14 metro areas recorded employment growth. The Kalamazoo MSA (-0.1 percent) was the only region to note over-the-year job declines, while Battle Creek recorded no change since February 2023. Monroe (+5.1 percent), Muskegon (+3.0 percent), and Niles (+2.5 percent) noted the most significant rate changes over the year. All Michigan metro areas demonstrated employment advances within the Mining, logging, and construction sector since February 2023.
(Not Seasonally Adjusted)
Source: Current Employment Statistics, Michigan Center for Data and Analytics
For more information on Michigan's statewide and regional labor markets, read the full press releases from the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics. Download custom employment and unemployment data with the MCDA Data Search tool.
Note Data Revisions: The data in this article reflects recently revised historical estimates. All states in the nation participate in this revision process facilitated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Seasonally adjusted payroll job data was revised back to 2019 for all industries. For certain industries with larger historical revisions, unadjusted and seasonally adjusted payroll job data was revised for multiple years, some back to 1990.
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