Michigan Q2, 2019 Employment Statistics- 261,907 employers, up 6.2% from 246,534
- 4,380,857 employees, up 0.4% from 4,361,535
- $1,018 average weekly wage, up 2.4% from $994
- The average weekly wage is 7.0% below the national average
- The cost of living is 11.1% below the national average
Employer & Employee Growth
In the last year, the number of employers in the state increased by 15,373, which is an increase of 6.2%. The number of employees in Michigan increased by 19,322, an increase of 0.4%. During this same period, the average weekly wage increased by $24, an increase of 2.4%.
The number of private employers increased since last years' Q1. The number of private businesses increased by 15,314 or 6.4%. Growth in private businesses in Michigan grew faster than the national average of 2.9%. The number of employees in these businesses increased since last years' Q1, increasing by 14,672 or 0.4%. The growth in employees of private businesses in Michigan 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 $25 or 2.5%. Growth in average weekly wage of employees of private businesses in Michigan 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 Retail trade with 13.1% of the businesses in the state. The number of businesses in this sector increased by 7.4%. Other services (12.3%), which increased by 5.5% and Professional services (11.1%), which increased by 6.3%, round out the 3 largest sectors.
Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Business Change %
| Sector | Change Biz | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Information | 958 | 15.5% |
| Company management | 166 | 13.0% |
| Transport and warehousing | 835 | 12.8% |
| Educational services | 259 | 8.5% |
| Retail trade | 2,357 | 7.4% |
| Construction | 1,321 | 6.6% |
| Mining and oil extraction | 26 | 6.5% |
| Manufacturing | 1,024 | 6.4% |
| Agriculture and forestry | 182 | 6.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,159 | 6.3% |
| Professional services | 1,731 | 6.3% |
| Real estate and rental | 458 | 6.2% |
| Other services | 1,697 | 5.5% |
| Utilities | 22 | 5.2% |
| Arts and entertainment | 174 | 4.9% |
| Waste services | 349 | 2.6% |
| Healthcare | 388 | 1.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 138 | 1.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 88 | 0.7% |
Employees by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of employees in the state is Manufacturing with 14.4% of the employees in the state, had an increase in employees of 0.3% in the last year. Healthcare (13.6%), increased by 0.3% and Retail trade (10.6%), 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 | 9,977 | 8.1% |
| Company management | 2,137 | 3.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 3,243 | 2.2% |
| Real estate and rental | 1,163 | 2.1% |
| Construction | 2,766 | 1.6% |
| Utilities | 278 | 1.4% |
| Mining and oil extraction | 38 | 0.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,598 | 0.7% |
| Arts and entertainment | 241 | 0.6% |
| Professional services | 1,589 | 0.5% |
| Other services | 465 | 0.3% |
| Healthcare | 1,781 | 0.3% |
| Manufacturing | 1,640 | 0.3% |
| Wholesale trade | -413 | -0.3% |
| Educational services | -282 | -0.4% |
| Retail trade | -6,182 | -1.3% |
| Agriculture and forestry | -578 | -1.8% |
| Information | -1,048 | -1.9% |
| Waste services | -7,745 | -2.6% |
Average Weekly Wage by Sector
The sector that pays their employees the highest is Utilities paying $2,204per week compared with the state average of $1,009. Weekly wages in this sector rose by $38 or 1.8%. Company management ($2,194), rose by $47 or 2.2% and Professional services ($1,631) increased by $33 or 2.1% round out the 3 largest sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Weekly Wage Change %
| Sector | Wage Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and insurance | $98 | 7.0% |
| Information | $62 | 4.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | $13 | 3.7% |
| Real estate and rental | $32 | 3.6% |
| Other services | $19 | 3.0% |
| Retail trade | $17 | 2.9% |
| Company management | $47 | 2.2% |
| Healthcare | $20 | 2.1% |
| Agriculture and forestry | $13 | 2.1% |
| Professional services | $33 | 2.1% |
| Waste services | $14 | 2.0% |
| Arts and entertainment | $11 | 1.9% |
| Utilities | $38 | 1.8% |
| Wholesale trade | $26 | 1.8% |
| Construction | $17 | 1.5% |
| Manufacturing | $19 | 1.5% |
| Mining and oil extraction | $18 | 1.2% |
| Educational services | $5 | 0.7% |
| Transport and warehousing | $6 | 0.6% |
Leading Industries
Businesses by Industry
Each broad sector is made up of specific industries. In Michigan. the industry with the most businesses is Restaurants and other eating places with 5.5% of the businesses in the state (with 14,395 employing 298,339 workers). The Restaurants and other eating places industry had 879 more businesses, an increase of 6.5% in the last year. Private households (5.0% of businesses) added 977 businesses, an increase of 8.1% and Residential building construction (2.3% of businesses) added 566 businesses, an increase of 10.3% round out the 3 industries with the most businesses.Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change %
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Tobacco manufacturing | 13 | 162.5% |
| Record production and distribution | 10 | 71.4% |
| Trusts estates and agency accounts | 31 | 70.5% |
| Railroad rolling stock manufacturing | 3 | 60.0% |
| Securities and commodity exchanges | 4 | 57.1% |
| Electric lamp bulb and part manufacturing | 2 | 50.0% |
| Distilleries | 16 | 48.5% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change #
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Private households | 977 | 8.1% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 879 | 6.5% |
| All other professional and technical services | 845 | 22.6% |
| Residential building construction | 566 | 10.3% |
| All other specialty trade contractors | 513 | 35.6% |
| All other miscellaneous store retailers | 459 | 20.1% |
| All other information services | 382 | 20.6% |
Employees by Industry
Private households (5.0% of employees) added 977 employees, an increase of 8.1% and Residential building construction (2.3% ofemployees) added 566 employees, an increase of 10.3% round out the 3 industries with the most employees.Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change %
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Scenic and sightseeing transportation other | 6 | 67.2% |
| Forest nursery and gathering forest products | 65 | 60.1% |
| Inland water transportation | 17 | 60.0% |
| Natural gas extraction | 64 | 54.9% |
| Miscellaneous intermediation | 251 | 54.1% |
| Railroad rolling stock manufacturing | 14 | 53.8% |
| Electric lamp bulb and part manufacturing | 3 | 51.6% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change #
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| General warehousing and storage | 4,901 | 33.5% |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 2,816 | 1.0% |
| Direct life and health insurance carriers | 2,527 | 18.6% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 2,137 | 3.2% |
| Management consulting services | 1,687 | 6.4% |
| Engineering services | 1,604 | 2.9% |
| Nursing care facilities skilled nursing | 1,340 | 3.1% |
Average Weekly Wage by Industry
The industry that pays their employees the most is Casinos except casino hotels, paying $5,014 compared with the state average of $1,009. Employees in the Casinos except casino hotels industry were paid $0 more per week, an increase of 0.0% in the last year. Investment banking and securities dealing ($3,665) and Spectator sports ($3,535) round out the top 3 industries. Employees in the Investment banking and securities dealing ($3,665 per week) were paid $44 less per week, a decline of 1.2% and Spectator sports ($3,535 per week) were paid $62 more per week, an increase of 1.8% round out the 3 industries that pay their employees the most.Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change %
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Railroad rolling stock manufacturing | $1,256 | 146.7% |
| Monetary authorities - central bank | $937 | 93.1% |
| Leather and hide tanning and finishing | $413 | 65.1% |
| Securities and commodity exchanges | $253 | 44.9% |
| Other performing arts companies | $113 | 39.6% |
| Direct life and health insurance carriers | $481 | 33.6% |
| Dance companies | $82 | 29.8% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change $
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Railroad rolling stock manufacturing | $1,256 | 146.7% |
| Monetary authorities - central bank | $937 | 93.1% |
| Other insurance funds | $526 | 25.2% |
| Direct life and health insurance carriers | $481 | 33.6% |
| Footwear merchant wholesalers | $445 | 28.6% |
| Leather and hide tanning and finishing | $413 | 65.1% |
| Magnetic media manufacturing and reproducing | $387 | 28.4% |
Company Size
Michigan Businesses by Size
The solopreneur company, has the most businesses in Michigan by far. 60.0% of all businesses in the state have fewer than 5 employees. The 229,695 small businesses in the state represent 94.8% of all private businesses. The national average is 92.4%. (Small businesses have fewer than 50 employees, Solopreneurs employ fewer than 5.) Michigan added 4,551 businesses in the last year, an increase of 1.9% as compared to the national average of 3.0%.Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 4,519 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 2.0% 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 50 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 0.4% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. These large businesses declined 18 businesses in the last year, which is a decrease of 2.8% as compared to the national average of 2.1%.
Michigan Employees by Business Size
Michigan added 104,109 employees in the last year, an increase of 2.9% as compared to the national average of 5.2%. Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 56,920 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 32.9% 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 44,143 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 3.1% as compared to the national average of 4.7%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. Large businesses added 3,046 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 0.4% as compared to the national average of 9.2%.
Michigan Avg Weekly Wages by Business Size
Michigan workers in every size business are paid less than the national average. The smallest companies in Michigan (those with fewer than 5 employees) pay workers 3.8% less than the national average ($968 per week as compared to the national average of $1,005 per week). The largest companies in Michigan (those with more than 1,000 employees) pay 25.5% workers below the national average ($1,524 per week as compared to the national average of $1,913 per week).Average weekly wages in small businesses added $71 per week in the last year, which is an increase of 2.1% as compared to the national average of 3.1%. Employees of mid-sized businesses lost $19 in wages per week in the last year, which is a decrease of 0.6% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Employees of large businesses added $-27 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and other eating places | 14,395 | 6.5% |
| Private households | 13,072 | 8.1% |
| Residential building construction | 6,040 | 10.3% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 4,844 | 7.1% |
| Offices of physicians | 4,706 | 0.3% |
| All other professional and technical services | 4,587 | 22.6% |
| Offices of lawyers | 4,114 | 0.5% |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 3,904 | 0.3% |
| Offices of dentists | 3,695 | -1.2% |
| Accounting and bookkeeping services | 3,652 | 0.5% |
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 | 298,339 | 1.0% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 200,348 | -0.7% |
| Temporary help services | 112,094 | -4.7% |
| General merchandise stores including warehouse clubs and supercenters | 76,811 | -0.9% |
| Offices of physicians | 73,336 | 0.1% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 70,073 | 3.2% |
| Engineering services | 57,661 | 2.9% |
| Supermarkets and other grocery stores | 53,988 | -1.4% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 49,350 | -2.4% |
| Nursing care facilities skilled nursing | 44,136 | 3.1% |
The table below illustrates the largest industries in the state, by highest wages:
Table: Top 10 Industries by Weekly Wage
| Industry | Wkly Wages | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Casinos except casino hotels | $5,014 | 0.0% |
| Investment banking and securities dealing | $3,665 | -1.2% |
| Spectator sports | $3,535 | 1.8% |
| Coal and other mineral merchant wholesalers | $2,924 | -21.2% |
| Internet publishing and web search portals | $2,752 | 3.2% |
| Securities brokerage | $2,724 | -7.6% |
| Other electronic parts merchant wholesalers | $2,643 | 1.3% |
| Credit card issuing | $2,630 | 1.3% |
| Other insurance funds | $2,611 | 25.2% |
| Computer and software merchant wholesalers | $2,574 | 5.4% |
Data Sources
About the Writer
