BLS - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

10/30/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/30/2026 09:10

Business Employment Dynamics in Missouri — First Quarter 2026

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26-1636-KAN
Friday, October 30, 2026

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Business Employment Dynamics in Missouri - First Quarter 2026

From December 2025 to March 2026, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Missouri were 139,141, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 133,205, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner James B. Howard, Jr., noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 5,936 jobs in the private sector during the first quarter of 2026. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 16,723. (See chart 1.)

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses is the net change in employment. (See the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Missouri, March 2021-March 2026, seasonally adjusted
Period Gross job gains Gross job losses

Mar 2021

147,893 121,416

Jun 2021

142,057 142,034

Sep 2021

156,115 140,133

Dec 2021

173,500 131,190

Mar 2022

154,436 131,048

Jun 2022

151,386 141,974

Sep 2022

164,953 153,207

Dec 2022

145,904 141,605

Mar 2023

159,785 126,096

Jun 2023

144,620 146,050

Sep 2023

138,209 143,949

Dec 2023

146,318 138,743

Mar 2024

145,329 134,171

Jun 2024

139,664 143,509

Sep 2024

136,814 142,419

Dec 2024

142,357 131,909

Mar 2025

133,763 131,331

Jun 2025

137,236 150,465

Sep 2025

140,477 143,784

Dec 2025

152,612 135,889

Mar 2026

139,141 133,205
View Chart Data

Gross job gains

In the first quarter of 2026, gross job gains represented 5.6 percent of private-sector employment in Missouri; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.5 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. In Missouri, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 107,199 in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 11,845 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 31,942 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 1,626 jobs from the previous quarter.

Chart 2. Private-sector gross job gains as a percent of employment, United States and Missouri, March 2021-March 2026, seasonally adjusted
Period Missouri United States

Mar 2021

6.4 7.0

Jun 2021

6.1 6.8

Sep 2021

6.7 7.3

Dec 2021

7.3 7.7

Mar 2022

6.5 6.7

Jun 2022

6.2 6.6

Sep 2022

6.8 6.9

Dec 2022

6.0 6.3

Mar 2023

6.5 6.3

Jun 2023

5.8 6.2

Sep 2023

5.6 5.9

Dec 2023

5.9 5.9

Mar 2024

5.9 5.9

Jun 2024

5.6 5.8

Sep 2024

5.5 5.8

Dec 2024

5.7 5.9

Mar 2025

5.4 5.7

Jun 2025

5.6 5.7

Sep 2025

5.7 5.7

Dec 2025

6.2 6.0

Mar 2026

5.6 5.5
View Chart Data

Gross job losses

In the first quarter of 2026, gross job losses represented 5.3 percent of private-sector employment in Missouri; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.5 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In Missouri, contracting establishments lost 104,927 jobs in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 516 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 28,278 jobs, a decrease of 2,168 jobs from the previous quarter.

Chart 3. Private-sector gross job losses as a percent of employment, United States and Missouri, March 2021-March 2026, seasonally adjusted
Period United States Missouri

Mar 2021

5.5 5.3

Jun 2021

5.9 6.1

Sep 2021

6.0 6.0

Dec 2021

5.4 5.6

Mar 2022

5.5 5.5

Jun 2022

6.2 5.9

Sep 2022

5.9 6.3

Dec 2022

5.9 5.8

Mar 2023

5.5 5.1

Jun 2023

5.9 5.9

Sep 2023

5.9 5.8

Dec 2023

5.7 5.6

Mar 2024

5.5 5.4

Jun 2024

5.9 5.8

Sep 2024

5.8 5.8

Dec 2024

5.7 5.3

Mar 2025

5.5 5.2

Jun 2025

6.0 6.1

Sep 2025

5.7 5.9

Dec 2025

5.5 5.4

Mar 2026

5.5 5.3
View Chart Data

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 5 of the 11 published industry sectors in Missouri in the first quarter of 2026. Construction had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 2,898 jobs. This was the result of 13,215 gross job gains and 10,317 gross job losses. The retail trade industry had a net gain of 2,640 jobs, followed by the education and health services sector with a net gain of 2,504 jobs. Professional and business services showed a net loss of 1,974 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state.

For more information

The BED data series include gross job gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size class. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at the Business Employment Dynamics homepage and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary.

The Business Employment Dynamics for Second Quarter 2026 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, January 27, 2027, at 9:00 a.m. (CT).

Revisions to Business Employment Dynamics (BED) Data

Data in this release contain annual revisions in accordance with standard procedures. These revisions include the previous four quarters of not seasonally adjusted data and five years of seasonally adjusted data.


Technical Note

The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records.

More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Missouri, seasonally adjusted
Category Gross job gains and losses
(3 months ended)
Gross job gains and losses
as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
Mar.
2025
June
2025
Sept.
2025
Dec.
2025
Mar.
2026
Mar.
2025
June
2025
Sept.
2025
Dec.
2025
Mar.
2026

Total private (1)

Gross job gains

133,763 137,236 140,477 152,612 139,141 5.4 5.6 5.7 6.2 5.6

At expanding establishments

106,649 108,148 111,823 119,044 107,199 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.8 4.3

At opening establishments

27,114 29,088 28,654 33,568 31,942 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.3

Gross job losses

131,331 150,465 143,784 135,889 133,205 5.2 6.1 5.9 5.4 5.3

At contracting establishments

105,342 121,177 115,040 105,443 104,927 4.2 4.9 4.7 4.2 4.2

At closing establishments

25,989 29,288 28,744 30,446 28,278 1.0 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.1

Net employment change (2)

2,432 -13,229 -3,307 16,723 5,936 0.2 -0.5 -0.2 0.8 0.3

Construction

Gross job gains

13,285 11,492 12,008 12,732 13,215 8.8 7.6 8.0 8.4 8.5

At expanding establishments

10,549 9,454 9,695 10,429 10,705 7.0 6.3 6.5 6.9 6.9

At opening establishments

2,736 2,038 2,313 2,303 2,510 1.8 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.6

Gross job losses

10,144 12,643 11,352 10,832 10,317 6.8 8.3 7.6 7.1 6.6

At contracting establishments

8,245 10,030 9,128 8,532 8,538 5.5 6.6 6.1 5.6 5.5

At closing establishments

1,899 2,613 2,224 2,300 1,779 1.3 1.7 1.5 1.5 1.1

Net employment change (2)

3,141 -1,151 656 1,900 2,898 2.0 -0.7 0.4 1.3 1.9

Manufacturing

Gross job gains

7,286 7,274 7,121 11,021 7,292 2.6 2.6 2.5 3.9 2.6

At expanding establishments

6,490 6,440 6,287 10,269 6,402 2.3 2.3 2.2 3.6 2.3

At opening establishments

796 834 834 752 890 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3

Gross job losses

7,975 7,317 10,444 7,670 7,568 2.8 2.6 3.7 2.7 2.7

At contracting establishments

7,269 6,171 9,611 6,596 6,704 2.6 2.2 3.4 2.3 2.4

At closing establishments

706 1,146 833 1,074 864 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.3

Net employment change (2)

-689 -43 -3,323 3,351 -276 -0.2 0.0 -1.2 1.2 -0.1

Wholesale trade

Gross job gains

4,695 5,091 4,636 5,659 4,537 3.7 4.1 3.7 4.5 3.7

At expanding establishments

3,720 4,347 3,902 4,790 3,703 2.9 3.5 3.1 3.8 3.0

At opening establishments

975 744 734 869 834 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7

Gross job losses

6,045 5,493 4,571 5,038 5,393 4.8 4.4 3.6 4.0 4.3

At contracting establishments

4,911 4,286 3,882 4,072 4,500 3.9 3.4 3.1 3.2 3.6

At closing establishments

1,134 1,207 689 966 893 0.9 1.0 0.5 0.8 0.7

Net employment change (2)

-1,350 -402 65 621 -856 -1.1 -0.3 0.1 0.5 -0.6

Retail trade

Gross job gains

16,522 14,431 15,715 13,546 15,790 5.4 4.7 5.1 4.5 5.2

At expanding establishments

14,766 12,411 14,132 11,556 13,048 4.8 4.0 4.6 3.8 4.3

At opening establishments

1,756 2,020 1,583 1,990 2,742 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.7 0.9

Gross job losses

13,707 18,749 14,858 16,984 13,150 4.5 6.1 4.9 5.6 4.3

At contracting establishments

11,951 16,379 13,039 14,468 11,265 3.9 5.3 4.3 4.8 3.7

At closing establishments

1,756 2,370 1,819 2,516 1,885 0.6 0.8 0.6 0.8 0.6

Net employment change (2)

2,815 -4,318 857 -3,438 2,640 0.9 -1.4 0.2 -1.1 0.9

Transportation and warehousing

Gross job gains

5,504 5,347 6,078 8,722 6,448 5.0 5.0 5.7 8.1 5.9

At expanding establishments

4,254 4,576 5,003 7,576 5,319 3.9 4.3 4.7 7.0 4.9

At opening establishments

1,250 771 1,075 1,146 1,129 1.1 0.7 1.0 1.1 1.0

Gross job losses

7,803 6,819 6,667 6,018 7,143 7.1 6.4 6.3 5.6 6.6

At contracting establishments

6,454 5,780 5,649 4,753 5,615 5.9 5.4 5.3 4.4 5.2

At closing establishments

1,349 1,039 1,018 1,265 1,528 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.2 1.4

Net employment change (2)

-2,299 -1,472 -589 2,704 -695 -2.1 -1.4 -0.6 2.5 -0.7

Information

Gross job gains

1,735 1,580 2,181 1,751 1,824 3.8 3.5 4.9 3.9 4.1

At expanding establishments

1,194 1,223 1,654 1,318 1,203 2.6 2.7 3.7 2.9 2.7

At opening establishments

541 357 527 433 621 1.2 0.8 1.2 1.0 1.4

Gross job losses

2,220 2,310 2,252 2,341 2,201 4.8 5.0 5.0 5.2 4.9

At contracting establishments

1,665 1,693 1,746 1,738 1,758 3.6 3.7 3.9 3.9 3.9

At closing establishments

555 617 506 603 443 1.2 1.3 1.1 1.3 1.0

Net employment change (2)

-485 -730 -71 -590 -377 -1.0 -1.5 -0.1 -1.3 -0.8

Financial activities

Gross job gains

7,577 7,653 7,037 9,236 7,397 4.4 4.4 4.1 5.3 4.3

At expanding establishments

5,914 5,971 5,345 6,623 5,415 3.4 3.4 3.1 3.8 3.1

At opening establishments

1,663 1,682 1,692 2,613 1,982 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.5 1.2

Gross job losses

7,101 8,356 8,109 8,454 7,968 4.1 4.8 4.7 4.9 4.6

At contracting establishments

5,481 6,454 5,882 6,340 6,034 3.2 3.7 3.4 3.7 3.5

At closing establishments

1,620 1,902 2,227 2,114 1,934 0.9 1.1 1.3 1.2 1.1

Net employment change (2)

476 -703 -1,072 782 -571 0.3 -0.4 -0.6 0.4 -0.3

Professional and business services

Gross job gains

20,813 22,539 25,045 24,533 21,305 5.6 6.2 6.9 6.8 5.8

At expanding establishments

16,301 17,447 19,102 18,417 16,139 4.4 4.8 5.3 5.1 4.4

At opening establishments

4,512 5,092 5,943 6,116 5,166 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.7 1.4

Gross job losses

22,631 25,811 23,532 24,402 23,279 6.2 7.1 6.4 6.7 6.4

At contracting establishments

17,453 21,244 18,338 18,444 17,968 4.8 5.8 5.0 5.1 4.9

At closing establishments

5,178 4,567 5,194 5,958 5,311 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.6 1.5

Net employment change (2)

-1,818 -3,272 1,513 131 -1,974 -0.6 -0.9 0.5 0.1 -0.6

Education and health services

Gross job gains

22,865 28,163 24,655 27,143 26,582 4.5 5.6 4.8 5.3 5.2

At expanding establishments

16,094 18,953 17,315 17,911 17,583 3.2 3.8 3.4 3.5 3.4

At opening establishments

6,771 9,210 7,340 9,232 8,999 1.3 1.8 1.4 1.8 1.8

Gross job losses

19,669 25,686 24,168 22,893 24,078 4.0 5.1 4.8 4.5 4.7

At contracting establishments

13,353 17,627 16,287 15,084 15,402 2.7 3.5 3.2 3.0 3.0

At closing establishments

6,316 8,059 7,881 7,809 8,676 1.3 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.7

Net employment change (2)

3,196 2,477 487 4,250 2,504 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.8 0.5

Leisure and hospitality

Gross job gains

26,079 26,125 28,723 30,957 26,805 8.3 8.5 9.3 10.0 8.5

At expanding establishments

21,459 21,301 23,726 24,474 21,773 6.8 6.9 7.7 7.9 6.9

At opening establishments

4,620 4,824 4,997 6,483 5,032 1.5 1.6 1.6 2.1 1.6

Gross job losses

26,685 29,318 30,275 23,707 24,617 8.5 9.5 9.9 7.6 7.8

At contracting establishments

22,750 25,056 25,330 19,676 21,352 7.2 8.1 8.3 6.3 6.8

At closing establishments

3,935 4,262 4,945 4,031 3,265 1.3 1.4 1.6 1.3 1.0

Net employment change (2)

-606 -3,193 -1,552 7,250 2,188 -0.2 -1.0 -0.6 2.4 0.7

Other services (3)

Gross job gains

5,389 5,816 5,414 5,295 5,582 7.0 7.5 7.0 6.9 7.3

At expanding establishments

4,225 4,649 4,064 4,084 4,059 5.5 6.0 5.3 5.3 5.3

At opening establishments

1,164 1,167 1,350 1,211 1,523 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.6 2.0

Gross job losses

5,367 5,354 5,878 5,467 5,425 7.0 6.9 7.6 7.1 7.1

At contracting establishments

4,164 4,090 4,762 4,150 4,075 5.4 5.3 6.2 5.4 5.3

At closing establishments

1,203 1,264 1,116 1,317 1,350 1.6 1.6 1.4 1.7 1.8

Net employment change (2)

22 462 -464 -172 157 0.0 0.6 -0.6 -0.2 0.2

(1) Includes unclassified sector not shown separately.
(2) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses.
(3) Except public administration.

Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted
Category Gross job gains as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
Gross job losses as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
Mar.
2025
June
2025
Sept.
2025
Dec.
2025
Mar.
2026
Mar.
2025
June
2025
Sept.
2025
Dec.
2025
Mar.
2026

United States(1)

5.7 5.7 5.7 6.0 5.5 5.5 6.0 5.7 5.5 5.5

Alabama

5.5 5.5 5.5 5.9 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.5 5.3 5.2

Alaska

10.4 10.0 7.4 11.9 9.6 8.3 9.9 10.0 9.4 9.4

Arizona

5.8 5.2 5.6 5.7 5.7 5.3 6.2 5.3 5.4 5.6

Arkansas

5.1 5.1 5.4 6.0 5.3 5.1 5.6 5.4 5.3 5.4

California

6.1 6.4 6.3 6.9 6.3 6.4 6.7 6.1 6.1 6.0

Colorado

6.4 6.5 6.5 6.3 6.0 6.6 6.7 6.4 6.2 6.5

Connecticut

5.7 5.8 5.4 5.5 5.3 5.2 5.7 5.7 5.5 5.4

Delaware

6.0 6.0 5.3 5.5 5.5 5.4 6.1 6.0 5.6 5.4

District of Columbia

4.9 5.7 4.6 5.5 5.0 5.8 6.1 6.0 5.1 4.9

Florida

5.8 5.7 6.0 5.9 5.3 5.5 5.8 5.9 5.6 5.5

Georgia

5.6 5.5 5.7 5.9 5.3 5.7 5.6 5.7 5.4 5.5

Hawaii

5.2 4.9 5.2 5.1 5.0 5.2 5.2 4.8 4.7 5.1

Idaho

7.5 7.6 6.7 8.0 7.7 7.3 7.1 7.6 6.3 7.0

Illinois

5.0 5.2 4.7 5.3 5.1 5.0 5.1 5.0 5.3 5.0

Indiana

5.4 5.1 5.1 5.5 4.9 5.1 5.4 5.1 5.1 5.1

Iowa

6.0 5.5 4.8 6.2 6.0 5.6 5.8 5.9 5.4 5.4

Kansas

5.5 5.4 5.8 5.8 5.4 5.4 6.3 5.8 5.4 5.3

Kentucky

5.3 5.0 5.3 5.3 5.2 4.9 5.3 5.6 5.1 5.3

Louisiana

5.8 5.6 6.0 6.0 5.7 5.7 6.2 5.9 5.9 5.4

Maine

7.3 7.1 6.4 6.8 6.4 6.4 7.3 7.0 7.0 6.3

Maryland

5.9 5.7 5.8 6.1 5.6 5.8 6.6 6.3 5.5 6.0

Massachusetts

5.0 5.5 5.3 5.4 5.2 5.1 5.7 5.9 5.5 5.3

Michigan

5.3 5.8 4.9 5.6 5.4 5.3 5.4 5.9 5.3 4.9

Minnesota

5.1 5.8 5.3 5.5 5.2 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.5 5.6

Mississippi

6.0 6.2 6.4 6.4 5.7 6.1 6.2 6.0 5.9 6.3

Missouri

5.4 5.6 5.7 6.2 5.6 5.2 6.1 5.9 5.4 5.3

Montana

8.0 7.7 7.1 8.4 7.8 7.6 8.3 7.9 7.4 7.0

Nebraska

5.3 5.4 5.6 5.7 5.4 5.3 5.5 6.0 5.3 5.4

Nevada

5.4 6.1 6.9 6.4 5.7 5.9 6.3 5.3 5.4 5.7

New Hampshire

6.6 6.3 5.6 6.3 6.1 6.1 6.7 6.8 5.7 6.3

New Jersey

5.4 5.7 5.3 5.8 5.3 5.5 5.6 5.8 5.4 5.5

New Mexico

6.1 6.0 6.1 6.3 6.0 5.8 6.0 6.4 6.0 5.9

New York

7.0 6.1 5.9 5.6 5.4 5.2 7.0 5.7 5.5 5.2

North Carolina

5.6 5.7 5.4 6.0 5.8 5.5 5.4 5.7 5.0 5.3

North Dakota

6.7 6.4 6.2 6.9 6.8 6.5 6.8 6.6 6.4 6.7

Ohio

5.2 5.3 5.2 5.3 5.2 4.9 5.4 5.3 5.0 5.1

Oklahoma

5.5 5.6 6.0 6.2 5.3 5.3 6.2 6.3 5.3 5.3

Oregon

6.1 6.1 5.7 5.9 5.7 6.1 6.4 6.6 6.0 5.9

Pennsylvania

5.0 4.9 5.0 5.1 4.7 4.7 5.1 5.1 4.7 4.8

Rhode Island

6.6 6.3 6.0 6.6 5.8 5.9 6.7 6.6 6.2 6.0

South Carolina

6.1 5.9 6.3 6.6 6.0 5.6 6.1 6.1 5.5 5.7

South Dakota

6.3 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.9 6.4 6.0 5.9 6.1

Tennessee

5.5 5.3 5.8 6.0 5.4 5.3 6.5 5.5 5.3 4.9

Texas

5.1 5.2 5.3 5.8 5.4 5.1 5.3 5.2 4.9 5.4

Utah

6.8 6.9 6.9 6.6 6.4 6.2 6.8 6.5 6.2 6.1

Vermont

7.0 6.9 6.7 7.0 6.6 6.8 7.4 7.7 7.0 6.5

Virginia

5.6 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.5 5.2 5.8 6.1 5.2 5.4

Washington

5.7 6.0 5.2 5.6 5.7 6.0 5.9 6.0 5.7 5.5

West Virginia

6.7 5.6 6.1 6.1 6.4 5.9 6.4 6.2 6.2 5.4

Wisconsin

5.1 5.3 4.9 5.5 5.4 5.0 5.4 5.6 5.1 4.9

Wyoming

8.1 8.3 7.7 9.0 8.8 8.8 8.9 8.4 8.0 8.2

Puerto Rico

6.5 7.0 5.2 4.6 4.6 5.2 6.0 5.4 5.3 4.6

Virgin Islands

6.1 11.9 6.9 8.4 7.3 8.8 9.2 7.5 5.7 7.1

(1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. The sum of the states will not necessarily add to the U.S. total because of the independent seasonal adjustment of each state.

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