Alaska Q2, 2019 Employment Statistics- 22,306 employers, up 2.3% from 21,799
- 329,157 employees, up 0.9% from 326,338
- $1,078 average weekly wage, up 3.6% from $1,041
- The average weekly wage is 1.6% below the national average
- The cost of living is 29.9% above the national average
Employer & Employee Growth
In the last year, the number of employers in the state increased by 507, which is an increase of 2.3%. The number of employees in Alaska increased by 2,819, an increase of 0.9%. During this same period, the average weekly wage increased by $37, an increase of 3.6%.
The number of private employers increased since last years' Q1. The number of private businesses increased by 493 or 2.5%. Growth in private businesses in Alaska grew slower than the national average of 2.9%. The number of employees in these businesses increased since last years' Q1, increasing by 2,992 or 1.2%. The growth in employees of private businesses in Alaska was slower than the national average of 1.4%.
The average weekly wage of employees of private businesses increased since last years' Q1. The averge weekly wage increased by $39 or 3.9%. Growth in average weekly wage of employees of private businesses in Alaska grew faster than the national average of 3.8%.
Leading Sectors
Businesses by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of businesses in the state is Construction with 11.2% of the businesses in the state. The number of businesses in this sector increased by 3.3%. Retail trade (10.4%), which increased by 0.4% and Healthcare (10.1%), which increased by 2.6%, round out the 3 largest sectors.
Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Business Change %
| Sector | Change Biz | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and forestry | 21 | 8.0% |
| Educational services | 21 | 6.7% |
| Manufacturing | 21 | 3.7% |
| Real estate and rental | 24 | 3.6% |
| Construction | 79 | 3.3% |
| Information | 10 | 2.8% |
| Professional services | 58 | 2.8% |
| Healthcare | 56 | 2.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 17 | 2.5% |
| Company management | 2 | 1.3% |
| Utilities | 1 | 0.9% |
| Transport and warehousing | 10 | 0.9% |
| Arts and entertainment | 5 | 0.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 16 | 0.8% |
| Retail trade | 10 | 0.4% |
| Finance and insurance | -1 | -0.1% |
| Waste services | -2 | -0.2% |
| Mining and oil extraction | -2 | -0.8% |
| Other services | -14 | -0.8% |
Employees by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of employees in the state is Healthcare with 14.5% of the employees in the state, had an increase in employees of 1.0% in the last year. Retail trade (10.9%), decreased by 0.3% and Accommodation and food services (9.8%), increased by 1.9%, round out the top 3 sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Employee Change %
| Sector | Employee Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and forestry | 108 | 7.3% |
| Construction | 968 | 6.2% |
| Mining and oil extraction | 656 | 5.3% |
| Real estate and rental | 167 | 3.5% |
| Waste services | 341 | 3.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 588 | 1.9% |
| Professional services | 235 | 1.8% |
| Educational services | 28 | 1.1% |
| Healthcare | 458 | 1.0% |
| Transport and warehousing | 207 | 1.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 59 | 0.9% |
| Manufacturing | 76 | 0.5% |
| Retail trade | -128 | -0.3% |
| Company management | -30 | -1.0% |
| Utilities | -31 | -1.4% |
| Other services | -182 | -1.8% |
| Arts and entertainment | -133 | -2.5% |
| Finance and insurance | -225 | -3.3% |
| Information | -342 | -6.0% |
Average Weekly Wage by Sector
The sector that pays their employees the highest is Mining and oil extraction paying $2,363per week compared with the state average of $1,032. Weekly wages in this sector rose by $14 or 0.6%. Company management ($1,763), rose by $121 or 7.4% and Utilities ($1,713) increased by $54 or 3.3% round out the 3 largest sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Weekly Wage Change %
| Sector | Wage Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and forestry | $70 | 9.0% |
| Wholesale trade | $81 | 7.5% |
| Company management | $121 | 7.4% |
| Information | $81 | 6.8% |
| Construction | $84 | 5.8% |
| Professional services | $75 | 5.6% |
| Manufacturing | $43 | 5.1% |
| Arts and entertainment | $18 | 4.3% |
| Healthcare | $39 | 3.8% |
| Transport and warehousing | $39 | 3.3% |
| Utilities | $54 | 3.3% |
| Educational services | $19 | 2.9% |
| Waste services | $21 | 2.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | $10 | 2.2% |
| Real estate and rental | $18 | 2.1% |
| Other services | $14 | 1.8% |
| Retail trade | $11 | 1.8% |
| Finance and insurance | $10 | 0.8% |
| Mining and oil extraction | $14 | 0.6% |
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 1,190 employing 18,823 workers). The Restaurants and other eating places industry had 10 more businesses, an increase of 0.8% in the last year. Residential building construction (2.1% of businesses) added 25 businesses, an increase of 5.6% and Offices of physicians (1.9% of businesses) had 10 fewer businesses, a decline of 2.4% 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 | 250.0% |
| Marketing research and public opinion polling | 4 | 66.7% |
| Soft drink and ice manufacturing | 4 | 57.1% |
| Management training | 5 | 55.6% |
| Direct mail advertising | 1 | 50.0% |
| Appliance and electronics merchant whls. | 1 | 50.0% |
| Residential developmental disability homes | 13 | 46.4% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change #
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Residential building construction | 25 | 5.6% |
| Services for the elderly and disabled | 25 | 21.7% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 23 | 7.1% |
| Engineering services | 15 | 5.8% |
| All other miscellaneous store retailers | 13 | 10.5% |
| Electrical and wiring contractors | 13 | 5.9% |
| Rv parks and recreational camps | 13 | 6.8% |
Employees by Industry
Residential building construction (2.1% of employees) added 25 employees, an increase of 5.6% and Offices of physicians (1.9% ofemployees) had 10 fewer employees, a decline of 2.4% round out the 3 industries with the most employees.Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change %
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| All other chemical preparation manufacturing | 26 | 195.1% |
| Metal tank heavy gauge manufacturing | 21 | 98.9% |
| Inland water transportation | 136 | 78.3% |
| Other travel arrangement services | 90 | 69.4% |
| Other business support services | 99 | 53.6% |
| Sand gravel clay and refractory mining | 70 | 49.2% |
| Public relations agencies | 14 | 40.4% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change #
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial building construction | 577 | 22.1% |
| Support activities for mining | 519 | 8.6% |
| Offices of physicians | 378 | 4.5% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 344 | 2.8% |
| Hotels and motels except casino hotels | 328 | 4.1% |
| Wired and wireless telecommunications carriers | 321 | 10.6% |
| Scenic and sightseeing transportation water | 283 | 34.6% |
Average Weekly Wage by Industry
The industry that pays their employees the most is Internet publishing and web search portals, paying $3,132 compared with the state average of $1,032. Employees in the Internet publishing and web search portals industry were paid $2,263 more per week, an increase of 260.4% in the last year. Securities brokerage ($2,789) and Couriers and express delivery services ($2,264) round out the top 3 industries. Employees in the Securities brokerage ($2,789 per week) were paid $82 more per week, an increase of 3.0% and Couriers and express delivery services ($2,264 per week) were paid $51 more per week, an increase of 2.3% round out the 3 industries that pay their employees the most.Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change %
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Internet publishing and web search portals | $2,263 | 260.4% |
| Data processing hosting and related services | $496 | 39.4% |
| Petroleum bulk stations and terminals | $371 | 29.2% |
| Mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers | $342 | 27.4% |
| Metal merchant wholesalers | $260 | 26.4% |
| Management training | $227 | 25.1% |
| Fish and seafood merchant wholesalers | $188 | 25.0% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change $
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Internet publishing and web search portals | $2,263 | 260.4% |
| Data processing hosting and related services | $496 | 39.4% |
| Petroleum bulk stations and terminals | $371 | 29.2% |
| Geophysical surveying and mapping services | $355 | 21.3% |
| Steel and precast concrete contractors | $348 | 24.9% |
| Mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers | $342 | 27.4% |
| Power and communication system construction | $335 | 22.1% |
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 92.4%. (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%.
Top Industries for Business and Employment
The table below illustrates the largest industries in the state, by number of businesses:Table: Top 10 Industries by # of Businesses
| Industry | # Businesses | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and other eating places | 1,190 | 0.8% |
| Residential building construction | 475 | 5.6% |
| Offices of physicians | 415 | -2.4% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 348 | 7.1% |
| Accounting and bookkeeping services | 328 | 1.2% |
| Hotels and motels except casino hotels | 304 | 0.3% |
| Commercial building construction | 299 | 2.7% |
| Offices of dentists | 297 | 2.4% |
| All other amusement and recreation industries | 291 | 2.5% |
| Engineering services | 274 | 5.8% |
The table below illustrates the largest industries in the state, by number of employees:
Table: Top 10 Industries by # of Employees
| Industry | # Employees | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and other eating places | 18,823 | 0.9% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 12,784 | 2.8% |
| General merchandise stores including warehouse clubs and supercenters | 9,468 | 1.2% |
| Offices of physicians | 8,790 | 4.5% |
| Seafood product preparation and packaging | 8,572 | -1.8% |
| Hotels and motels except casino hotels | 8,481 | 4.1% |
| Support activities for mining | 6,586 | 8.6% |
| Scheduled air transportation | 4,963 | -1.8% |
| Supermarkets and other grocery stores | 3,944 | -1.5% |
| Engineering services | 3,543 | 6.4% |
The table below illustrates the largest industries in the state, by highest wages:
Table: Top 10 Industries by Weekly Wage
| Industry | Wkly Wages | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Internet publishing and web search portals | $3,132 | 260.4% |
| Securities brokerage | $2,789 | 3.0% |
| Couriers and express delivery services | $2,264 | 2.3% |
| Investment advice | $2,188 | 4.4% |
| Oil and gas pipeline construction | $2,173 | 14.8% |
| Other heavy construction | $2,168 | 5.6% |
| Computer and software merchant wholesalers | $2,126 | -7.5% |
| Other technical consulting services | $2,107 | 11.0% |
| Highway street and bridge construction | $2,099 | 5.2% |
| Building inspection services | $2,085 | -1.4% |
Data Sources
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