Michigan Q4, 2019 Employment Statistics- 266,415 employers, up 6.4% from 250,363
- 4,385,014 employees, up 0.0% from 4,383,476
- $1,115 average weekly wage, up 3.4% from $1,078
- The average weekly wage is 5.9% 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 16,052, which is an increase of 6.4%. The number of employees in Michigan increased by 1,538, an increase of 0.0%. During this same period, the average weekly wage increased by $37, an increase of 3.4%.
The number of private employers increased since last years' Q1. The number of private businesses increased by 15,967 or 6.6%. Growth in private businesses in Michigan grew faster than the national average of 2.5%. The number of employees in these businesses decreased since last years' Q1, declining by 2,578 or 0.0%. The growth in employees of private businesses in Michigan 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 $39 or 3.6%. 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 7.5%. Other services (12.4%), which increased by 4.8% and Professional services (11.2%), which increased by 6.9%, round out the 3 largest sectors.
Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Business Change %
Sector | Change Biz | % Change |
---|---|---|
Information | 1,113 | 17.3% |
Transport and warehousing | 797 | 11.9% |
Company management | 143 | 10.8% |
Educational services | 301 | 9.6% |
Agriculture and forestry | 217 | 7.5% |
Retail trade | 2,419 | 7.5% |
Real estate and rental | 565 | 7.5% |
Professional services | 1,917 | 6.9% |
Construction | 1,341 | 6.7% |
Arts and entertainment | 237 | 6.6% |
Mining and oil extraction | 26 | 6.5% |
Manufacturing | 1,032 | 6.3% |
Accommodation and food services | 1,136 | 6.1% |
Utilities | 21 | 4.9% |
Other services | 1,522 | 4.8% |
Waste services | 506 | 3.7% |
Healthcare | 509 | 2.4% |
Finance and insurance | 205 | 1.8% |
Wholesale trade | 70 | 0.5% |
Employees by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of employees in the state is Manufacturing with 14.1% of the employees in the state, had a decrease in employees of -2.6% in the last year. Healthcare (13.7%), increased by 0.7% and Retail trade (10.8%), decreased by 1.2%, round out the top 3 sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Employee Change %
Sector | Employee Change | % Change |
---|---|---|
Transport and warehousing | 8,083 | 6.0% |
Finance and insurance | 6,578 | 4.4% |
Construction | 4,775 | 2.8% |
Real estate and rental | 1,330 | 2.4% |
Company management | 1,543 | 2.2% |
Utilities | 419 | 2.1% |
Agriculture and forestry | 472 | 1.7% |
Healthcare | 4,227 | 0.7% |
Professional services | 679 | 0.2% |
Accommodation and food services | 562 | 0.1% |
Educational services | 39 | 0.1% |
Arts and entertainment | -68 | -0.1% |
Other services | -484 | -0.3% |
Wholesale trade | -1,317 | -0.8% |
Retail trade | -5,615 | -1.2% |
Information | -662 | -1.2% |
Mining and oil extraction | -146 | -2.6% |
Manufacturing | -16,464 | -2.6% |
Waste services | -8,541 | -2.8% |
Average Weekly Wage by Sector
The sector that pays their employees the highest is Company management paying $2,312per week compared with the state average of $1,116. Weekly wages in this sector rose by $27 or 1.2%. Utilities ($2,240), declined by $145 or 6.1% and Professional services ($1,877) increased by $56 or 3.1% round out the 3 largest sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Weekly Wage Change %
Sector | Wage Change | Change % |
---|---|---|
Information | $97 | 6.8% |
Manufacturing | $74 | 5.6% |
Finance and insurance | $78 | 5.1% |
Real estate and rental | $50 | 5.1% |
Other services | $28 | 4.2% |
Retail trade | $26 | 4.2% |
Agriculture and forestry | $27 | 3.9% |
Construction | $52 | 3.9% |
Waste services | $25 | 3.4% |
Professional services | $56 | 3.1% |
Accommodation and food services | $9 | 2.4% |
Transport and warehousing | $25 | 2.3% |
Arts and entertainment | $17 | 2.2% |
Healthcare | $23 | 2.2% |
Wholesale trade | $24 | 1.6% |
Educational services | $11 | 1.5% |
Company management | $27 | 1.2% |
Mining and oil extraction | $-12 | -0.7% |
Utilities | $-145 | -6.1% |
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 5.4% of the businesses in the state (with 14,465 employing 290,852 workers). The Restaurants and other eating places industry had 819 more businesses, an increase of 6.0% in the last year. Private households (5.1% of businesses) added 741 businesses, an increase of 5.8% and Residential building construction (2.3% of businesses) added 517 businesses, an increase of 9.2% round out the 3 industries with the most businesses.Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change %
Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
---|---|---|
Tobacco manufacturing | 17 | 170.0% |
Record production and distribution | 9 | 64.3% |
Trusts estates and agency accounts | 27 | 50.9% |
Electric lamp bulb and part manufacturing | 2 | 50.0% |
Distilleries | 17 | 47.2% |
Clothing accessories stores | 85 | 47.0% |
Timber tract operations | 7 | 43.8% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change #
Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
---|---|---|
Restaurants and other eating places | 819 | 6.0% |
All other professional and technical services | 793 | 19.4% |
Private households | 741 | 5.8% |
All other specialty trade contractors | 521 | 32.9% |
Residential building construction | 517 | 9.2% |
All other miscellaneous store retailers | 501 | 21.2% |
All other information services | 424 | 21.8% |
Employees by Industry
Private households (5.1% of employees) added 741 employees, an increase of 5.8% and Residential building construction (2.3% ofemployees) added 517 employees, an increase of 9.2% round out the 3 industries with the most employees.Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change %
Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
---|---|---|
Tobacco manufacturing | 52 | 308.9% |
Natural gas extraction | 110 | 97.1% |
Railroad rolling stock manufacturing | 21 | 86.4% |
Food crops grown under cover | 351 | 82.3% |
Other nonferrous metal production | 8 | 69.4% |
Other specialized design services | 285 | 59.6% |
Roofing and siding merchant wholesalers | 555 | 58.9% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change #
Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
---|---|---|
General warehousing and storage | 4,807 | 23.6% |
Direct life and health insurance carriers | 2,972 | 21.9% |
Other nondepository credit intermediation | 2,190 | 30.2% |
Continuing care assisted living facilities | 1,776 | 5.0% |
Management of companies and enterprises | 1,543 | 2.2% |
All other miscellaneous manufacturing | 1,316 | 12.1% |
Couriers and express delivery services | 1,179 | 7.9% |
Average Weekly Wage by Industry
The industry that pays their employees the most is Motion picture and video distribution, paying $7,519 compared with the state average of $1,116. Employees in the Motion picture and video distribution industry were paid $6,043 more per week, an increase of 409.4% in the last year. Other insurance funds ($6,359) and Spectator sports ($6,312) round out the top 3 industries. Employees in the Other insurance funds ($6,359 per week) were paid $685 more per week, an increase of 12.1% and Spectator sports ($6,312 per week) were paid $176 less per week, a decline of 2.7% 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 | $6,043 | 409.4% |
Sound recording studios | $2,124 | 211.3% |
Wood container and pallet manufacturing | $1,134 | 121.3% |
Tobacco manufacturing | $462 | 99.4% |
Securities and commodity exchanges | $1,110 | 93.0% |
Dry pea and bean farming | $389 | 59.6% |
Footwear merchant wholesalers | $805 | 56.8% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change $
Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
---|---|---|
Motion picture and video distribution | $6,043 | 409.4% |
Sound recording studios | $2,124 | 211.3% |
Wood container and pallet manufacturing | $1,134 | 121.3% |
Securities and commodity exchanges | $1,110 | 93.0% |
Footwear merchant wholesalers | $805 | 56.8% |
Other insurance funds | $685 | 12.1% |
Automobile and light truck manufacturing | $652 | 41.8% |
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 91.2%. (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 | 14,465 | 6.0% |
Private households | 13,588 | 5.8% |
Residential building construction | 6,153 | 9.2% |
Computer systems design and related services | 5,004 | 8.0% |
All other professional and technical services | 4,874 | 19.4% |
Offices of physicians | 4,671 | 1.0% |
Offices of lawyers | 4,121 | 0.6% |
Insurance agencies and brokerages | 3,943 | 1.0% |
Accounting and bookkeeping services | 3,669 | 2.3% |
Offices of dentists | 3,635 | -1.7% |
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 | 290,852 | 0.2% |
General medical and surgical hospitals | 201,922 | -0.1% |
Temporary help services | 110,783 | -5.3% |
General merchandise stores including warehouse clubs and supercenters | 78,962 | -0.6% |
Offices of physicians | 73,928 | 0.6% |
Management of companies and enterprises | 70,748 | 2.2% |
Engineering services | 56,463 | 0.4% |
Supermarkets and other grocery stores | 53,604 | -2.7% |
Computer systems design and related services | 49,081 | -2.0% |
Nursing care facilities skilled nursing | 42,661 | 0.5% |
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 | $7,519 | 409.4% |
Other insurance funds | $6,359 | 12.1% |
Spectator sports | $6,312 | -2.7% |
Casinos except casino hotels | $5,741 | 0.0% |
Investment banking and securities dealing | $4,853 | 5.5% |
Securities brokerage | $3,287 | 5.3% |
Sound recording studios | $3,129 | 211.3% |
Musical groups and artists | $3,127 | 6.2% |
Portfolio management | $3,126 | 0.1% |
Other financial vehicles | $2,963 | -9.3% |
Data Sources
About the Writer
This page was created and is maintained by Kurt Tietjen, Founder of Stavera, High Peak Media & HomeGearWorks.com. Kurt is an executive, data scientist and software engineer who holds an MBA in Management Information Systems. In 2010, he partnered with scientists at Northwestern University to launch The Street Wire. This was one of the first mainstream uses of what would become “Narrative Science”, an artificial intelligence platform specializing in natural language generation. You can contact Kurt on LinkedIn here.