Massachusetts Q2, 2019 Employment Statistics- 262,925 employers, up 2.2% from 257,159
- 3,644,776 employees, up 1.0% from 3,606,913
- $1,377 average weekly wage, up 4.3% from $1,320
- The average weekly wage is 25.8% above the national average
- The cost of living is 31.6% above the national average
Employer & Employee Growth
In the last year, the number of employers in the state increased by 5,766, which is an increase of 2.2%. The number of employees in Massachusetts increased by 37,863, an increase of 1.0%. During this same period, the average weekly wage increased by $57, an increase of 4.3%.
The number of private employers increased since last years' Q1. The number of private businesses increased by 5,689 or 2.3%. Growth in private businesses in Massachusetts grew slower than the national average of 2.9%. The number of employees in these businesses increased since last years' Q1, increasing by 33,652 or 1.1%. The growth in employees of private businesses in Massachusetts 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 $58 or 4.4%. Growth in average weekly wage of employees of private businesses in Massachusetts 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 Healthcare with 24.6% of the businesses in the state. The number of businesses in this sector increased by 3.5%. Professional services (12.9%), which increased by 2.6% and Retail trade (8.9%), which increased by 0.3%, round out the 3 largest sectors.
Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Business Change %
| Sector | Change Biz | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mining and oil extraction | 10 | 11.6% |
| Information | 415 | 7.8% |
| Utilities | 24 | 7.6% |
| Real estate and rental | 334 | 4.7% |
| Transport and warehousing | 193 | 4.6% |
| Healthcare | 2,166 | 3.5% |
| Construction | 678 | 3.2% |
| Company management | 44 | 3.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 272 | 2.7% |
| Professional services | 875 | 2.6% |
| Educational services | 94 | 2.4% |
| Agriculture and forestry | 20 | 2.2% |
| Waste services | 219 | 1.7% |
| Other services | 269 | 1.2% |
| Arts and entertainment | 40 | 1.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 66 | 0.4% |
| Retail trade | 77 | 0.3% |
| Manufacturing | 17 | 0.3% |
| Wholesale trade | -125 | -0.9% |
Employees by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of employees in the state is Healthcare with 17.5% of the employees in the state, had an increase in employees of 1.9% in the last year. Retail trade (9.6%), decreased by 1.0% and Professional services (9.4%), increased by 4.9%, round out the top 3 sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Employee Change %
| Sector | Employee Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and forestry | 740 | 8.4% |
| Professional services | 16,021 | 4.9% |
| Transport and warehousing | 1,959 | 2.2% |
| Construction | 3,188 | 2.0% |
| Healthcare | 11,940 | 1.9% |
| Real estate and rental | 920 | 1.9% |
| Utilities | 188 | 1.6% |
| Arts and entertainment | 837 | 1.3% |
| Information | 1,021 | 1.1% |
| Company management | 767 | 1.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,454 | 0.5% |
| Educational services | 332 | 0.2% |
| Waste services | 47 | 0.0% |
| Finance and insurance | -25 | 0.0% |
| Manufacturing | -366 | -0.1% |
| Other services | -464 | -0.4% |
| Wholesale trade | -1,138 | -0.9% |
| Retail trade | -3,719 | -1.0% |
| Mining and oil extraction | -50 | -4.9% |
Average Weekly Wage by Sector
The sector that pays their employees the highest is Professional services paying $2,565per week compared with the state average of $1,374. Weekly wages in this sector rose by $114 or 4.7%. Company management ($2,551), rose by $159 or 6.6% and Utilities ($2,522) increased by $109 or 4.5% round out the 3 largest sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Weekly Wage Change %
| Sector | Wage Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| Mining and oil extraction | $102 | 7.8% |
| Retail trade | $48 | 7.3% |
| Arts and entertainment | $51 | 7.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | $33 | 6.9% |
| Company management | $159 | 6.6% |
| Waste services | $58 | 6.3% |
| Other services | $41 | 5.7% |
| Information | $112 | 4.9% |
| Agriculture and forestry | $52 | 4.8% |
| Transport and warehousing | $45 | 4.7% |
| Professional services | $114 | 4.7% |
| Utilities | $109 | 4.5% |
| Finance and insurance | $102 | 4.3% |
| Wholesale trade | $74 | 4.2% |
| Construction | $52 | 3.6% |
| Healthcare | $26 | 2.5% |
| Educational services | $32 | 2.4% |
| Real estate and rental | $30 | 2.2% |
| Manufacturing | $-3 | -0.2% |
Leading Industries
Businesses by Industry
Each broad sector is made up of specific industries. In Massachusetts. the industry with the most businesses is Services for the elderly and disabled with 17.9% of the businesses in the state (with 46,990 employing 73,331 workers). The Services for the elderly and disabled industry had 1,957 more businesses, an increase of 4.3% in the last year. Restaurants and other eating places (5.2% of businesses) added 58 businesses, an increase of 0.4% and Computer systems design and related services (3.2% of businesses) added 180 businesses, an increase of 2.2% round out the 3 industries with the most businesses.Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change %
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Food crops grown under cover | 15 | 125.0% |
| Pension funds | 4 | 80.0% |
| Health and welfare funds | 2 | 50.0% |
| Iron steel pipe and tube from purchase steel | 2 | 33.3% |
| Oil and gas pipeline construction | 7 | 31.8% |
| Other support activities for transportation | 17 | 27.4% |
| Music publishers | 2 | 25.0% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change #
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Services for the elderly and disabled | 1,957 | 4.3% |
| Research and development in the physical engineering and life sciences | 271 | 13.0% |
| Software publishers | 196 | 15.3% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 180 | 2.2% |
| Management consulting services | 164 | 3.5% |
| Residential building construction | 163 | 3.4% |
| Offices of real estate agents and brokers | 157 | 8.0% |
Employees by Industry
Restaurants and other eating places (5.2% of employees) added 58 employees, an increase of 0.4% and Computer systems design and related services (3.2% ofemployees) added 180 employees, an increase of 2.2% round out the 3 industries with the most employees.Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change %
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Food crops grown under cover | 1,112 | 682.5% |
| Pension funds | 4 | 56.9% |
| Paint and coating manufacturing | 275 | 48.4% |
| Motion picture and video production | 857 | 43.2% |
| Beef cattle ranching farming and feedlots | 4 | 40.4% |
| Animal food manufacturing | 25 | 39.8% |
| Promoters without facilities | 132 | 34.4% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change #
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Research and development in the physical engineering and life sciences | 9,461 | 14.6% |
| Services for the elderly and disabled | 6,470 | 9.7% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 3,533 | 2.2% |
| Management consulting services | 3,372 | 8.9% |
| Electronic shopping and mail-order houses | 2,316 | 22.3% |
| Software publishers | 2,085 | 6.5% |
| Office administrative services | 1,638 | 29.4% |
Average Weekly Wage by Industry
The industry that pays their employees the most is Trusts estates and agency accounts, paying $60,692 compared with the state average of $1,374. Employees in the Trusts estates and agency accounts industry were paid $0 more per week, an increase of 0.0% in the last year. Spectator sports ($5,452) and Open-end investment funds ($5,421) round out the top 3 industries. Employees in the Spectator sports ($5,452 per week) were paid $424 more per week, an increase of 8.4% and Open-end investment funds ($5,421 per week) were paid $360 more per week, an increase of 7.1% round out the 3 industries that pay their employees the most.Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change %
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Footwear merchant wholesalers | $1,313 | 57.8% |
| Inland water transportation | $281 | 56.3% |
| Political organizations | $451 | 51.2% |
| Postproduction and other related industries | $521 | 40.8% |
| Marine cargo handling | $234 | 36.2% |
| All other financial investment activities | $887 | 34.3% |
| Motion picture and video production | $387 | 33.0% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change $
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Footwear merchant wholesalers | $1,313 | 57.8% |
| All other financial investment activities | $887 | 34.3% |
| Postproduction and other related industries | $521 | 40.8% |
| Mortgage and nonmortgage loan brokers | $506 | 17.2% |
| Ophthalmic goods merchant wholesalers | $453 | 28.4% |
| Political organizations | $451 | 51.2% |
| Spectator sports | $424 | 8.4% |
Company Size
Massachusetts Businesses by Size
The solopreneur company, has the most businesses in Massachusetts by far. 66.6% of all businesses in the state have fewer than 5 employees. The 244,752 small businesses in the state represent 95.8% of all private businesses. The national average is 92.4%. (Small businesses have fewer than 50 employees, Solopreneurs employ fewer than 5.) Massachusetts added 7,631 businesses in the last year, an increase of 3.1% as compared to the national average of 3.0%.Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 7,562 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 added 61 businesses in the last year, which is an increase 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 8 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 1.7% as compared to the national average of 2.1%.
Massachusetts Employees by Business Size
Massachusetts added 113,856 employees in the last year, an increase of 3.8% as compared to the national average of 5.2%. Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 30,269 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 14.1% 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 added 27,776 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 2.4% as compared to the national average of 4.7%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. Large businesses added 55,811 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 9.8% as compared to the national average of 9.2%.
Massachusetts Avg Weekly Wages by Business Size
The smallest companies in Massachusetts (those with fewer than 5 employees) pay workers 10.1% more than the national average ($1,118 per week as compared to the national average of $1,005 per week). The largest companies in Massachusetts (those with more than 1,000 employees) pay 13.9% workers above the national average ($2,221 per week as compared to the national average of $1,913 per week).Average weekly wages in small businesses added $178 per week in the last year, which is an increase of 4.0% as compared to the national average of 3.1%. Employees of mid-sized businesses added $286 in wages per week in the last year, which is an increase of 5.8% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Employees of large businesses added $-42 of weekly wages in the last year, which is an increase of -0.9% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Services for the elderly and disabled | 46,990 | 4.3% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 13,769 | 0.4% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 8,417 | 2.2% |
| Private households | 5,758 | -1.2% |
| Residential building construction | 4,912 | 3.4% |
| Management consulting services | 4,822 | 3.5% |
| Offices of lawyers | 4,469 | -0.6% |
| Wholesale trade agents and brokers | 4,118 | -7.1% |
| Landscaping services | 3,970 | 2.0% |
| Hair nail and skin care services | 3,530 | 2.9% |
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 | 249,248 | -1.2% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 168,182 | 2.2% |
| Colleges and universities | 94,361 | -0.7% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 84,458 | 1.7% |
| Supermarkets and other grocery stores | 77,053 | -1.7% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 74,573 | 1.1% |
| Research and development in the physical engineering and life sciences | 74,235 | 14.6% |
| Services for the elderly and disabled | 73,331 | 9.7% |
| Offices of physicians | 57,881 | 1.3% |
| Temporary help services | 53,396 | -3.2% |
The table below illustrates the largest industries in the state, by highest wages:
Table: Top 10 Industries by Weekly Wage
| Industry | Wkly Wages | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Trusts estates and agency accounts | $60,692 | 0.0% |
| Spectator sports | $5,452 | 8.4% |
| Open-end investment funds | $5,421 | 7.1% |
| Investment banking and securities dealing | $4,887 | -1.0% |
| Miscellaneous intermediation | $4,625 | 1.5% |
| Securities brokerage | $4,522 | 8.8% |
| Portfolio management | $4,132 | -4.4% |
| Footwear merchant wholesalers | $3,583 | 57.8% |
| All other financial investment activities | $3,472 | 34.3% |
| Reinsurance carriers | $3,460 | 5.6% |
Data Sources
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