April 10, 2025
Michigan's total nonfarm payroll jobs increased by 700, or 0.0 percent, in February, bringing the seasonally adjusted total number of jobs to 4,414,600. This brought Michigan’s February payroll jobs total to the highest level since 2001 and marked the fourth consecutive month of job gains in Michigan.
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 0.1 percent, or 151,000, over the month, just above the statewide rate of change. The most significant over-the-month changes nationally occurred within Private education and health services (+73,000); Trade, transportation, and utilities (+21,000); and Financial activities (+21,000).
Michigan’s job total in February was relatively flat, however, there was some movement within certain industries. Job additions occurred within the Manufacturing (+6,800) and Professional and business services (+2,800) sectors. Increases in these sectors were largely offset by declines in Michigan’s Private education and health services (-3,200) and Leisure and hospitality (-3,000) sectors. On a percentage basis, the Manufacturing (+1.1 percent) sector observed the most significant employment growth this month.
Total nonfarm payroll jobs in Michigan increased by 34,700, or 0.8 percent, over the year. Seven of Michigan’s 11 major industry sectors recorded yearly job gains, with the largest numerical increases seen in Private education and health services (+23,300); Government (+7,700); and Financial activities (+6,100). Since February 2024, employment declines were recorded within the Manufacturing (-10,800); Professional and business services (-3,800); Trade, transportation, and utilities (-600); and Information (-100) industry sectors.
On the national level, total U.S. payroll jobs rose by 1.2 percent over the year, 0.4 percentage points above the statewide average. Comparable to monthly trends seen in Michigan, the Private education and health services (+3.6 percent), Construction (+2.1 percent), and Government (+1.7 percent) major industry sectors recorded the largest rate changes since February 2024.
Eleven of Michigan’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) recorded not seasonally adjusted job gains during February. The Lansing, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Jackson, and Detroit metro areas each recorded a job rate change above the national and statewide rate (+0.6 percent) over the month.
(Not Seasonally Adjusted)
Source: Current Employment Statistics, Michigan Center for Data and Analytics
The largest over-the-month payroll employment increase occurred in the Lansing MSA (+1.0 percent), primarily due to job growth in its Government sector. In February, employment in the Private educational and health services; Professional and business services; and Government industry sectors increased or remained unchanged in all Michigan metro areas.
Over the year, 13 of Michigan’s 15 metro areas recorded employment growth. The Monroe (-0.7 percent) and Lansing (-0.5 percent) metro areas were the only regions to note over-the-year job declines. Traverse City (+4.2 percent), Battle Creek (+2.1 percent), and Midland (+1.8 percent) recorded the most significant rate changes over the year. All Michigan metro areas demonstrated employment advances or no changes within the Other services sector since February 2024.
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 2020 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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