Illinois Q2, 2019 Employment Statistics- 378,252 employers, up 2.8% from 368,072
- 6,025,576 employees, up 0.5% from 5,997,094
- $1,122 average weekly wage, up 2.4% from $1,096
- The average weekly wage is 2.5% 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 10,180, which is an increase of 2.8%. The number of employees in Illinois increased by 28,482, an increase of 0.5%. During this same period, the average weekly wage increased by $26, an increase of 2.4%.
The number of private employers increased since last years' Q1. The number of private businesses increased by 10,097 or 2.8%. Growth in private businesses in Illinois grew slower than the national average of 2.9%. The number of employees in these businesses increased since last years' Q1, increasing by 24,535 or 0.5%. The growth in employees of private businesses in Illinois 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 $26 or 2.4%. 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 14.3% of the businesses in the state. The number of businesses in this sector increased by 1.9%. Other services (10.5%), which increased by 0.6% and Retail trade (9.4%), which decreased by 1.1%, round out the 3 largest sectors.
Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Business Change %
| Sector | Change Biz | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and warehousing | 1,129 | 6.7% |
| Information | 360 | 5.4% |
| Real estate and rental | 307 | 2.4% |
| Educational services | 119 | 2.3% |
| Professional services | 1,025 | 1.9% |
| Arts and entertainment | 92 | 1.7% |
| Waste services | 349 | 1.7% |
| Utilities | 8 | 1.4% |
| Mining and oil extraction | 8 | 1.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 338 | 1.2% |
| Healthcare | 296 | 1.0% |
| Company management | 15 | 0.9% |
| Manufacturing | 155 | 0.9% |
| Construction | 307 | 0.9% |
| Other services | 253 | 0.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 71 | 0.4% |
| Agriculture and forestry | 7 | 0.3% |
| Wholesale trade | -76 | -0.3% |
| Retail trade | -398 | -1.1% |
Employees by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of employees in the state is Healthcare with 12.9% of the employees in the state, had an increase in employees of 0.9% in the last year. Manufacturing (9.8%), increased by 0.3% and Retail trade (9.7%), decreased by 2.6%, round out the top 3 sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Employee Change %
| Sector | Employee Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mining and oil extraction | 710 | 9.1% |
| Transport and warehousing | 8,171 | 3.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 7,188 | 2.5% |
| Real estate and rental | 1,726 | 2.1% |
| Arts and entertainment | 1,534 | 1.6% |
| Waste services | 5,746 | 1.3% |
| Professional services | 5,323 | 1.3% |
| Information | 1,033 | 1.1% |
| Construction | 2,260 | 1.0% |
| Other services | 2,118 | 1.0% |
| Healthcare | 6,678 | 0.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,908 | 0.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 1,895 | 0.7% |
| Manufacturing | 1,990 | 0.3% |
| Agriculture and forestry | 7 | 0.1% |
| Utilities | -69 | -0.3% |
| Educational services | -3,097 | -2.1% |
| Retail trade | -16,028 | -2.6% |
| Company management | -6,534 | -7.1% |
Average Weekly Wage by Sector
The sector that pays their employees the highest is Company management paying $2,322per week compared with the state average of $1,119. Weekly wages in this sector rose by $190 or 8.9%. Utilities ($2,007), rose by $67 or 3.5% and Finance and insurance ($1,977) increased by $41 or 2.1% round out the 3 largest sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Weekly Wage Change %
| Sector | Wage Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| Company management | $190 | 8.9% |
| Information | $113 | 6.8% |
| Waste services | $41 | 5.3% |
| Retail trade | $29 | 4.8% |
| Real estate and rental | $52 | 4.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | $17 | 4.2% |
| Educational services | $41 | 4.2% |
| Mining and oil extraction | $58 | 4.1% |
| Other services | $29 | 3.6% |
| Utilities | $67 | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | $49 | 3.2% |
| Construction | $42 | 3.2% |
| Agriculture and forestry | $22 | 3.0% |
| Healthcare | $25 | 2.7% |
| Transport and warehousing | $26 | 2.6% |
| Finance and insurance | $41 | 2.1% |
| Manufacturing | $25 | 1.9% |
| Arts and entertainment | $1 | 0.1% |
| Professional services | $-92 | -4.7% |
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 21,172 employing 415,004 workers). The Restaurants and other eating places industry had 231 more businesses, an increase of 1.1% in the last year. Private households (3.7% of businesses) had 10 fewer businesses, a decline of 0.1% and Computer systems design and related services (3.3% of businesses) added 309 businesses, an increase of 2.5% round out the 3 industries with the most businesses.Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change %
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy duty truck manufacturing | 3 | 42.9% |
| Magnetic media manufacturing and reproducing | 27 | 42.2% |
| Industrial gas manufacturing | 7 | 41.2% |
| Tobacco manufacturing | 2 | 33.3% |
| Satellite telecommunications | 7 | 29.2% |
| Distilleries | 9 | 22.5% |
| Explosives manufacturing | 1 | 20.0% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change #
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| General freight trucking long-distance | 779 | 16.3% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 309 | 2.5% |
| All other professional and technical services | 236 | 9.3% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 231 | 1.1% |
| Management consulting services | 225 | 2.2% |
| General freight trucking local | 212 | 4.8% |
| Offices of real estate agents and brokers | 190 | 4.8% |
Employees by Industry
Private households (3.7% of employees) had 10 fewer employees, a decline of 0.1% and Computer systems design and related services (3.3% ofemployees) added 309 employees, an increase of 2.5% round out the 3 industries with the most employees.Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change %
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas extraction | 153 | 438.2% |
| Couriers and express delivery services | 14,636 | 74.0% |
| Timber tract operations | 15 | 49.0% |
| Motor vehicle seating and interior trim mfg. | 791 | 48.6% |
| Airport operations | 1,501 | 36.0% |
| Other services to buildings and dwellings | 1,067 | 34.5% |
| Record production and distribution | 80 | 33.9% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change #
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Couriers and express delivery services | 14,636 | 74.0% |
| Direct insurers except life and health | 4,133 | 11.3% |
| Management consulting services | 3,686 | 4.7% |
| Janitorial services | 3,285 | 6.7% |
| Commercial banking | 3,042 | 4.1% |
| Food service contractors | 2,486 | 10.0% |
| Wholesale trade agents and brokers | 2,361 | 10.0% |
Average Weekly Wage by Industry
The industry that pays their employees the most is Portfolio management, paying $4,356 compared with the state average of $1,119. Employees in the Portfolio management industry were paid $169 more per week, an increase of 4.0% in the last year. Commodity contracts dealing ($4,228) and Investment banking and securities dealing ($4,108) round out the top 3 industries. Employees in the Commodity contracts dealing ($4,228 per week) were paid $691 more per week, an increase of 19.5% and Investment banking and securities dealing ($4,108 per week) were paid $403 more per week, an increase of 10.9% round out the 3 industries that pay their employees the most.Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change %
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas extraction | $1,047 | 69.1% |
| Tour operators | $698 | 68.1% |
| Business and secretarial schools | $501 | 48.1% |
| Scenic and sightseeing transportation water | $245 | 43.2% |
| Credit card issuing | $628 | 40.4% |
| Other performing arts companies | $124 | 36.4% |
| Nonscheduled air transportation | $389 | 32.2% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change $
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas extraction | $1,047 | 69.1% |
| Other financial vehicles | $747 | 29.7% |
| Tour operators | $698 | 68.1% |
| Commodity contracts dealing | $691 | 19.5% |
| Petroleum refineries | $630 | 26.1% |
| Credit card issuing | $628 | 40.4% |
| Motor vehicle brake system manufacturing | $594 | 31.6% |
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 92.4%. (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 | 21,172 | 1.1% |
| Private households | 13,861 | -0.1% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 12,543 | 2.5% |
| Management consulting services | 10,506 | 2.2% |
| Residential building construction | 8,572 | 0.7% |
| Offices of lawyers | 7,808 | -0.4% |
| Offices of physicians | 6,600 | -1.4% |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 6,137 | -0.4% |
| Accounting and bookkeeping services | 5,841 | 1.4% |
| Offices of dentists | 5,654 | -0.4% |
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 | 415,004 | 0.0% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 233,441 | -0.5% |
| Temporary help services | 171,084 | -0.1% |
| Supermarkets and other grocery stores | 93,266 | -2.3% |
| Offices of physicians | 93,090 | 0.2% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 85,824 | -7.1% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 84,742 | -0.9% |
| Management consulting services | 81,480 | 4.7% |
| Commercial banking | 76,926 | 4.1% |
| Nursing care facilities skilled nursing | 76,396 | -1.7% |
The table below illustrates the largest industries in the state, by highest wages:
Table: Top 10 Industries by Weekly Wage
| Industry | Wkly Wages | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio management | $4,356 | 4.0% |
| Commodity contracts dealing | $4,228 | 19.5% |
| Investment banking and securities dealing | $4,108 | 10.9% |
| Miscellaneous intermediation | $3,897 | 0.7% |
| Druggists' goods merchant wholesalers | $3,647 | 6.0% |
| Credit bureaus | $3,623 | 18.5% |
| Securities brokerage | $3,560 | -4.6% |
| Other financial vehicles | $3,263 | 29.7% |
| Spectator sports | $3,254 | -7.3% |
| Petroleum refineries | $3,048 | 26.1% |
Data Sources
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