Alaska Q1, 2019 Employment Statistics- 22,106 employers, up 2.5% from 21,568
- 309,211 employees, up 0.4% from 307,967
- $1,108 average weekly wage, up 3.3% from $1,073
- The average weekly wage is 6.4% below the national average
- The cost of living is 30.6% above the national average
Employer & Employee Growth
In the last year, the number of employers in the state increased by 538, which is an increase of 2.5%. The number of employees in Alaska increased by 1,245, an increase of 0.4%. During this same period, the average weekly wage increased by $35, an increase of 3.3%.
The number of private employers increased since last years' Q1. The number of private businesses increased by 518 or 2.6%. Growth in private businesses in Alaska grew slower than the national average of 3.0%. The number of employees in these businesses increased since last years' Q1, increasing by 1,519 or 0.7%. The growth in employees of private businesses in Alaska was slower than the national average of 1.7%.
The average weekly wage of employees of private businesses increased since last years' Q1. The averge weekly wage increased by $40 or 3.7%. Growth in average weekly wage of employees of private businesses in Alaska grew faster than the national average of 3.0%.
Leading Sectors
Businesses by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of businesses in the state is Construction with 11.1% of the businesses in the state. The number of businesses in this sector increased by 3.6%. Retail trade (10.5%), which increased by 0.7% and Healthcare (10.1%), which increased by 3.2%, round out the 3 largest sectors.
Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Business Change %
| Sector | Change Biz | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Educational services | 25 | 8.1% |
| Manufacturing | 34 | 6.1% |
| Agriculture and forestry | 15 | 5.8% |
| Information | 16 | 4.4% |
| Construction | 85 | 3.6% |
| Healthcare | 69 | 3.2% |
| Transport and warehousing | 34 | 3.0% |
| Professional services | 62 | 3.0% |
| Waste services | 29 | 2.5% |
| Real estate and rental | 16 | 2.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 44 | 2.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 14 | 2.0% |
| Arts and entertainment | 11 | 1.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 12 | 1.8% |
| Company management | 2 | 1.3% |
| Utilities | 1 | 1.0% |
| Retail trade | 17 | 0.7% |
| Other services | 4 | 0.2% |
| Mining and oil extraction | -8 | -3.1% |
Employees by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of employees in the state is Healthcare with 15.3% of the employees in the state, had an increase in employees of 0.4% in the last year. Retail trade (11.1%), decreased by 0.4% and Accommodation and food services (8.7%), increased by 2.0%, round out the top 3 sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Employee Change %
| Sector | Employee Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and forestry | 69 | 6.8% |
| Construction | 805 | 6.2% |
| Mining and oil extraction | 469 | 3.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 173 | 2.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 520 | 2.0% |
| Company management | 32 | 1.2% |
| Transport and warehousing | 77 | 0.4% |
| Healthcare | 207 | 0.4% |
| Manufacturing | 12 | 0.1% |
| Professional services | 16 | 0.1% |
| Utilities | 2 | 0.1% |
| Retail trade | -123 | -0.4% |
| Real estate and rental | -32 | -0.7% |
| Arts and entertainment | -39 | -0.9% |
| Other services | -123 | -1.3% |
| Waste services | -160 | -1.5% |
| Educational services | -46 | -1.9% |
| Finance and insurance | -152 | -2.2% |
| Information | -263 | -4.6% |
Average Weekly Wage by Sector
The sector that pays their employees the highest is Mining and oil extraction paying $3,363per week compared with the state average of $1,109. Weekly wages in this sector rose by $113 or 3.5%. Company management ($2,158), rose by $295 or 15.8% and Utilities ($1,802) increased by $16 or 0.9% round out the 3 largest sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Weekly Wage Change %
| Sector | Wage Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| Company management | $295 | 15.8% |
| Agriculture and forestry | $65 | 8.6% |
| Educational services | $49 | 7.9% |
| Information | $80 | 6.5% |
| Construction | $70 | 5.2% |
| Healthcare | $50 | 5.0% |
| Real estate and rental | $41 | 4.8% |
| Mining and oil extraction | $113 | 3.5% |
| Arts and entertainment | $12 | 3.3% |
| Finance and insurance | $39 | 2.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | $12 | 2.7% |
| Transport and warehousing | $28 | 2.1% |
| Retail trade | $13 | 2.1% |
| Wholesale trade | $24 | 2.1% |
| Other services | $13 | 1.7% |
| Waste services | $14 | 1.5% |
| Utilities | $16 | 0.9% |
| Professional services | $11 | 0.8% |
| Manufacturing | $-30 | -2.9% |
Leading Industries
Businesses by Industry
Each broad sector is made up of specific industries. In Alaska. the industry with the most businesses is Restaurants and other eating places with 5.3% of the businesses in the state (with 1,181 employing 16,936 workers). The Restaurants and other eating places industry had 17 more businesses, an increase of 1.5% in the last year. Residential building construction (2.1% of businesses) added 26 businesses, an increase of 5.9% and Offices of physicians (1.9% of businesses) had 5 fewer businesses, a decline of 1.2% round out the 3 industries with the most businesses.Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change %
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Trusts estates and agency accounts | 5 | 166.7% |
| Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing | 2 | 100.0% |
| Marketing research and public opinion polling | 4 | 66.7% |
| Appliance and electronics merchant whls. | 1 | 50.0% |
| All other general purpose machinery mfg. | 1 | 50.0% |
| Residential developmental disability homes | 12 | 48.0% |
| School and employee bus transportation | 9 | 42.9% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change #
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Residential building construction | 26 | 5.9% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 23 | 7.1% |
| Services for the elderly and disabled | 19 | 16.5% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 17 | 1.5% |
| All other amusement and recreation industries | 15 | 5.5% |
| Electrical and wiring contractors | 14 | 6.5% |
| Other technical consulting services | 12 | 19.4% |
Employees by Industry
Residential building construction (2.1% of employees) added 26 employees, an increase of 5.9% and Offices of physicians (1.9% ofemployees) had 5 fewer employees, a decline of 1.2% round out the 3 industries with the most employees.Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change %
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Inland water transportation | 164 | 175.1% |
| All other chemical preparation manufacturing | 18 | 143.6% |
| Social science and humanities research | 41 | 79.1% |
| Other business support services | 98 | 52.3% |
| Other nondurable goods merchant wholesalers | 47 | 49.4% |
| Scenic and sightseeing transportation water | 108 | 48.3% |
| Other travel arrangement services | 53 | 48.2% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change #
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial building construction | 524 | 23.4% |
| Support activities for mining | 481 | 8.1% |
| Wired and wireless telecommunications carriers | 402 | 13.3% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 278 | 2.2% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 220 | 1.3% |
| Offices of physicians | 190 | 2.3% |
| All other miscellaneous store retailers | 188 | 30.4% |
Average Weekly Wage by Industry
Residential building construction ($2) and Offices of physicians ($2) round out the top 3 industries. Employees in the Residential building construction ($2 per week) were paid $26 more per week, an increase of 5.9% and Offices of physicians ($2 per week) were paid $5 less per week, a decline of 1.2% round out the 3 industries that pay their employees the most.Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change %
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Land subdivision | $7,966 | 1,042.7% |
| Internet publishing and web search portals | $805 | 112.3% |
| Management training | $361 | 45.2% |
| Roofing contractors | $377 | 40.9% |
| Other building exterior contractors | $345 | 37.1% |
| All other miscellaneous manufacturing | $162 | 34.7% |
| Inland water transportation | $492 | 33.6% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change $
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Land subdivision | $7,966 | 1,042.7% |
| Internet publishing and web search portals | $805 | 112.3% |
| Inland water transportation | $492 | 33.6% |
| Satellite telecommunications | $445 | 31.7% |
| Roofing contractors | $377 | 40.9% |
| Management training | $361 | 45.2% |
| Other building exterior contractors | $345 | 37.1% |
Company Size
Alaska Businesses by Size
The solopreneur company, has the most businesses in Alaska by far. 59.4% of all businesses in the state have fewer than 5 employees. The 19,373 small businesses in the state represent 96.1% of all private businesses. The national average is 92.9%. (Small businesses have fewer than 50 employees, Solopreneurs employ fewer than 5.) Alaska added 518 businesses in the last year, an increase of 2.6% as compared to the national average of 3.0%.Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 527 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 2.8% as compared to the national average of 3.1%.
Mid-sized businesses are defined as companies with between 50 and 499 employees. These mid-sized businesses declined 10 businesses in the last year, which is a decrease of 1.3% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. These large businesses added 1 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 3.7% as compared to the national average of 2.1%.
Alaska Employees by Business Size
Alaska added 4,558 employees in the last year, an increase of 2.0% as compared to the national average of 5.2%. Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 3,889 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 25.1% as compared to the national average of 4.2%.Mid-sized businesses are defined as companies with between 50 and 499 employees. Mid-sized businesses lost 1,699 employees in the last year, which is a decrease of 1.9% as compared to the national average of 4.7%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. Large businesses added 2,368 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 8.9% as compared to the national average of 9.2%.
Alaska Avg Weekly Wages by Business Size
The smallest companies in Alaska (those with fewer than 5 employees) pay workers 19.4% less than the national average ($842 per week as compared to the national average of $1,005 per week). The largest companies in Alaska (those with more than 1,000 employees) pay 17.4% workers below the national average ($1,630 per week as compared to the national average of $1,913 per week).Average weekly wages in small businesses added $104 per week in the last year, which is an increase of 3.1% as compared to the national average of 3.1%. Employees of mid-sized businesses added $228 in wages per week in the last year, which is an increase of 6.4% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Employees of large businesses added $70 of weekly wages in the last year, which is an increase of 2.1% as compared to the national average of 2.1%.
Data Sources
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