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
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