Illinois Q4, 2019 Employment Statistics- 380,060 employers, up 3.0% from 369,037
- 6,047,732 employees, up 0.2% from 6,038,303
- $1,221 average weekly wage, up 2.7% from $1,189
- The average weekly wage is 3.0% above the national average
- The cost of living is 5.5% below the national average
Employer & Employee Growth
In the last year, the number of employers in the state increased by 11,023, which is an increase of 3.0%. The number of employees in Illinois increased by 9,428, an increase of 0.2%. During this same period, the average weekly wage increased by $32, an increase of 2.7%.
The number of private employers increased since last years' Q1. The number of private businesses increased by 10,936 or 3.0%. Growth in private businesses in Illinois grew faster than the national average of 2.5%. The number of employees in these businesses increased since last years' Q1, increasing by 3,771 or 0.1%. The growth in employees of private businesses in Illinois was slower than the national average of 1.2%.
The average weekly wage of employees of private businesses increased since last years' Q1. The averge weekly wage increased by $33 or 2.7%. Growth in average weekly wage of employees of private businesses in Illinois grew slower than the national average of 3.8%.
Leading Sectors
Businesses by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of businesses in the state is Professional services with 14.4% of the businesses in the state. The number of businesses in this sector increased by 2.6%. Other services (10.6%), which increased by 2.2% and Retail trade (9.4%), which decreased by 0.1%, round out the 3 largest sectors.
Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Business Change %
| Sector | Change Biz | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and warehousing | 1,207 | 7.1% |
| Information | 342 | 5.1% |
| Utilities | 28 | 4.8% |
| Real estate and rental | 334 | 2.6% |
| Professional services | 1,366 | 2.6% |
| Arts and entertainment | 139 | 2.6% |
| Mining and oil extraction | 14 | 2.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 624 | 2.3% |
| Other services | 882 | 2.2% |
| Manufacturing | 359 | 2.0% |
| Waste services | 385 | 1.9% |
| Agriculture and forestry | 42 | 1.9% |
| Construction | 539 | 1.7% |
| Company management | 23 | 1.5% |
| Educational services | 73 | 1.4% |
| Healthcare | 370 | 1.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 186 | 1.0% |
| Retail trade | -26 | -0.1% |
| Wholesale trade | -57 | -0.2% |
Employees by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of employees in the state is Healthcare with 13.0% of the employees in the state, had an increase in employees of 0.8% in the last year. Retail trade (9.9%), decreased by 1.7% and Manufacturing (9.6%), decreased by 1.3%, round out the top 3 sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Employee Change %
| Sector | Employee Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and warehousing | 9,033 | 3.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 6,528 | 2.2% |
| Arts and entertainment | 1,813 | 2.1% |
| Real estate and rental | 1,174 | 1.4% |
| Mining and oil extraction | 80 | 1.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,392 | 0.9% |
| Professional services | 3,745 | 0.9% |
| Healthcare | 6,111 | 0.8% |
| Utilities | 116 | 0.5% |
| Information | 397 | 0.4% |
| Construction | 766 | 0.3% |
| Agriculture and forestry | 22 | 0.2% |
| Wholesale trade | -987 | -0.3% |
| Educational services | -603 | -0.4% |
| Other services | -1,067 | -0.5% |
| Waste services | -5,389 | -1.2% |
| Manufacturing | -7,545 | -1.3% |
| Retail trade | -10,324 | -1.7% |
| Company management | -4,869 | -5.3% |
Average Weekly Wage by Sector
The sector that pays their employees the highest is Company management paying $2,459per week compared with the state average of $1,236. Weekly wages in this sector declined by $57 or 2.3%. Finance and insurance ($2,251), rose by $76 or 3.5% and Professional services ($2,209) increased by $89 or 4.2% round out the 3 largest sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Weekly Wage Change %
| Sector | Wage Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and forestry | $53 | 6.5% |
| Information | $100 | 5.7% |
| Arts and entertainment | $38 | 5.1% |
| Waste services | $40 | 4.8% |
| Professional services | $89 | 4.2% |
| Other services | $34 | 4.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | $17 | 3.9% |
| Utilities | $78 | 3.8% |
| Real estate and rental | $54 | 3.8% |
| Finance and insurance | $76 | 3.5% |
| Retail trade | $21 | 3.3% |
| Construction | $48 | 3.2% |
| Educational services | $29 | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | $41 | 2.4% |
| Mining and oil extraction | $26 | 1.7% |
| Manufacturing | $23 | 1.6% |
| Transport and warehousing | $4 | 0.4% |
| Healthcare | $0 | 0.0% |
| Company management | $-57 | -2.3% |
Leading Industries
Businesses by Industry
Each broad sector is made up of specific industries. In Illinois. the industry with the most businesses is Restaurants and other eating places with 5.6% of the businesses in the state (with 21,337 employing 407,853 workers). The Restaurants and other eating places industry had 484 more businesses, an increase of 2.3% in the last year. Private households (3.7% of businesses) added 101 businesses, an increase of 0.7% and Computer systems design and related services (3.4% of businesses) added 534 businesses, an increase of 4.4% round out the 3 industries with the most businesses.Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change %
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Oilseed except soybean farming | 6 | 200.0% |
| Hay farming | 3 | 100.0% |
| Steam and air-conditioning supply | 6 | 85.7% |
| Tobacco manufacturing | 4 | 57.1% |
| All other personal services | 519 | 45.3% |
| Heavy duty truck manufacturing | 3 | 42.9% |
| Carpet and rug mills | 2 | 28.6% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change #
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| General freight trucking long-distance | 822 | 16.4% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 534 | 4.4% |
| All other personal services | 519 | 45.3% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 484 | 2.3% |
| Management consulting services | 284 | 2.8% |
| All other professional and technical services | 260 | 10.0% |
| Software publishers | 177 | 14.9% |
Employees by Industry
Private households (3.7% of employees) added 101 employees, an increase of 0.7% and Computer systems design and related services (3.4% ofemployees) added 534 employees, an increase of 4.4% round out the 3 industries with the most employees.Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change %
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Steam and air-conditioning supply | 58 | 443.6% |
| Oilseed except soybean farming | 7 | 140.0% |
| Business and secretarial schools | 9 | 112.0% |
| Couriers and express delivery services | 18,096 | 75.9% |
| Pension funds | 87 | 75.4% |
| Forest nursery and gathering forest products | 5 | 42.4% |
| Dry pea and bean farming | 4 | 42.1% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change #
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Couriers and express delivery services | 18,096 | 75.9% |
| Direct insurers except life and health | 3,496 | 9.6% |
| Food service contractors | 3,338 | 12.8% |
| Janitorial services | 2,728 | 5.6% |
| Commercial banking | 2,268 | 3.1% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 1,984 | 0.5% |
| Wholesale trade agents and brokers | 1,920 | 8.0% |
Average Weekly Wage by Industry
The industry that pays their employees the most is Motion picture and video distribution, paying $10,753 compared with the state average of $1,236. Employees in the Motion picture and video distribution industry were paid $8,169 more per week, an increase of 316.1% in the last year. Portfolio management ($6,435) and Miscellaneous intermediation ($5,279) round out the top 3 industries. Employees in the Portfolio management ($6,435 per week) were paid $43 less per week, a decline of 0.7% and Miscellaneous intermediation ($5,279 per week) were paid $306 more per week, an increase of 6.2% round out the 3 industries that pay their employees the most.Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change %
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Motion picture and video distribution | $8,169 | 316.1% |
| Steam and air-conditioning supply | $804 | 75.4% |
| Carpet and rug mills | $896 | 67.4% |
| Business and secretarial schools | $554 | 49.0% |
| Trusts estates and agency accounts | $851 | 45.4% |
| Musical groups and artists | $422 | 45.3% |
| Automobile and light truck manufacturing | $543 | 45.2% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change $
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Motion picture and video distribution | $8,169 | 316.1% |
| Carpet and rug mills | $896 | 67.4% |
| Other financial vehicles | $855 | 20.3% |
| Trusts estates and agency accounts | $851 | 45.4% |
| Steam and air-conditioning supply | $804 | 75.4% |
| Credit card issuing | $624 | 36.9% |
| Business and secretarial schools | $554 | 49.0% |
Company Size
Illinois Businesses by Size
The solopreneur company, has the most businesses in Illinois by far. 64.8% of all businesses in the state have fewer than 5 employees. The 348,750 small businesses in the state represent 95.2% of all private businesses. The national average is 91.2%. (Small businesses have fewer than 50 employees, Solopreneurs employ fewer than 5.) Illinois added 10,594 businesses in the last year, an increase of 3.0% as compared to the national average of 3.0%.Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 10,681 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 3.2% 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 104 businesses in the last year, which is a decrease of 0.6% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. These large businesses added 17 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 1.8% as compared to the national average of 2.1%.
Illinois Employees by Business Size
Illinois added 63,662 employees in the last year, an increase of 1.3% as compared to the national average of 5.2%. Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 7,316 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 2.1% 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 1,214 employees in the last year, which is a decrease of 0.1% as compared to the national average of 4.7%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. Large businesses added 57,560 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 5.1% as compared to the national average of 9.2%.
Illinois Avg Weekly Wages by Business Size
The smallest companies in Illinois (those with fewer than 5 employees) pay workers 5.4% more than the national average ($1,062 per week as compared to the national average of $1,005 per week). The largest companies in Illinois (those with more than 1,000 employees) pay 9.8% workers below the national average ($1,742 per week as compared to the national average of $1,913 per week).Average weekly wages in small businesses added $95 per week in the last year, which is an increase of 2.4% as compared to the national average of 3.1%. Employees of mid-sized businesses added $162 in wages per week in the last year, which is an increase of 4.1% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Employees of large businesses added $44 of weekly wages in the last year, which is an increase of 1.3% 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 | 21,337 | 2.3% |
| Private households | 13,935 | 0.7% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 12,739 | 4.4% |
| Management consulting services | 10,581 | 2.8% |
| Residential building construction | 8,598 | 1.5% |
| Offices of lawyers | 7,769 | -0.3% |
| Offices of physicians | 6,606 | 0.0% |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 6,107 | -0.3% |
| Accounting and bookkeeping services | 5,900 | 2.0% |
| General freight trucking long-distance | 5,842 | 16.4% |
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 | 407,853 | 0.5% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 234,826 | -0.2% |
| Temporary help services | 182,842 | -3.3% |
| Offices of physicians | 95,185 | 1.4% |
| Supermarkets and other grocery stores | 92,853 | -1.3% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 87,344 | -5.3% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 86,919 | 0.7% |
| Management consulting services | 83,046 | 1.5% |
| Commercial banking | 76,131 | 3.1% |
| Nursing care facilities skilled nursing | 75,192 | -1.8% |
The table below illustrates the largest industries in the state, by highest wages:
Table: Top 10 Industries by Weekly Wage
| Industry | Wkly Wages | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Motion picture and video distribution | $10,753 | 316.1% |
| Portfolio management | $6,435 | -0.7% |
| Miscellaneous intermediation | $5,279 | 6.2% |
| Other financial vehicles | $5,073 | 20.3% |
| Commodity contracts dealing | $4,895 | -2.7% |
| Investment banking and securities dealing | $4,295 | 0.6% |
| Investment advice | $4,284 | 12.1% |
| Spectator sports | $3,981 | 8.8% |
| Securities brokerage | $3,943 | 6.4% |
| Power boiler and heat exchanger manufacturing | $3,718 | 3.5% |
Data Sources
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