Mississippi Q2, 2019 Employment Statistics- 73,727 employers, up 0.4% from 73,448
- 1,136,379 employees, up 0.3% from 1,132,481
- $767 average weekly wage, up 2.0% from $752
- The average weekly wage is 30.0% below the national average
- The cost of living is 13.9% below the national average
Employer & Employee Growth
In the last year, the number of employers in the state increased by 279, which is an increase of 0.4%. The number of employees in Mississippi increased by 3,898, an increase of 0.3%. During this same period, the average weekly wage increased by $15, an increase of 2.0%.
The number of private employers increased since last years' Q1. The number of private businesses increased by 279 or 0.4%. Growth in private businesses in Mississippi grew slower than the national average of 2.9%. The number of employees in these businesses increased since last years' Q1, increasing by 3,276 or 0.4%. The growth in employees of private businesses in Mississippi 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 $15 or 2.0%. Growth in average weekly wage of employees of private businesses in Mississippi 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 15.7% of the businesses in the state. The number of businesses in this sector declined by 1.0%. Professional services (10.1%), which increased by 2.6% and Healthcare (9.3%), which increased by 1.0%, round out the 3 largest sectors.
Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Business Change %
| Sector | Change Biz | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and warehousing | 79 | 2.9% |
| Professional services | 189 | 2.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 79 | 1.4% |
| Waste services | 50 | 1.2% |
| Healthcare | 70 | 1.0% |
| Arts and entertainment | 5 | 0.7% |
| Construction | 40 | 0.7% |
| Information | 7 | 0.7% |
| Real estate and rental | 5 | 0.2% |
| Educational services | 1 | 0.1% |
| Finance and insurance | -7 | -0.1% |
| Other services | -17 | -0.4% |
| Agriculture and forestry | -9 | -0.5% |
| Company management | -4 | -0.6% |
| Manufacturing | -21 | -0.9% |
| Retail trade | -115 | -1.0% |
| Wholesale trade | -55 | -1.2% |
| Utilities | -7 | -1.4% |
| Mining and oil extraction | -11 | -2.4% |
Employees by Sector
The sector with the greatest number of employees in the state is Manufacturing with 12.9% of the employees in the state, had an increase in employees of 1.3% in the last year. Retail trade (12.0%), decreased by 1.8% and Healthcare (11.8%), increased by 1.4%, round out the top 3 sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Qtly Employee Change %
| Sector | Employee Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and warehousing | 2,192 | 4.6% |
| Healthcare | 1,869 | 1.4% |
| Manufacturing | 1,942 | 1.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 448 | 1.3% |
| Arts and entertainment | 107 | 1.0% |
| Real estate and rental | 112 | 1.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,004 | 0.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 124 | 0.4% |
| Waste services | -101 | -0.2% |
| Professional services | -170 | -0.5% |
| Construction | -344 | -0.7% |
| Other services | -272 | -1.3% |
| Retail trade | -2,464 | -1.8% |
| Educational services | -217 | -1.8% |
| Company management | -217 | -1.9% |
| Information | -211 | -1.9% |
| Agriculture and forestry | -244 | -2.0% |
| Utilities | -178 | -2.2% |
| Mining and oil extraction | -102 | -2.5% |
Average Weekly Wage by Sector
The sector that pays their employees the highest is Company management paying $1,461per week compared with the state average of $747. Weekly wages in this sector rose by $27 or 1.9%. Utilities ($1,440), rose by $21 or 1.5% and Mining and oil extraction ($1,436) increased by $25 or 1.8% round out the 3 largest sectors.Table: Sectors by Year-over-Year Weekly Wage Change %
| Sector | Wage Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| Other services | $35 | 5.4% |
| Healthcare | $26 | 3.3% |
| Waste services | $16 | 3.1% |
| Real estate and rental | $21 | 3.1% |
| Educational services | $20 | 2.9% |
| Transport and warehousing | $24 | 2.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | $9 | 2.7% |
| Wholesale trade | $26 | 2.4% |
| Manufacturing | $21 | 2.3% |
| Finance and insurance | $22 | 2.0% |
| Company management | $27 | 1.9% |
| Mining and oil extraction | $25 | 1.8% |
| Utilities | $21 | 1.5% |
| Retail trade | $7 | 1.4% |
| Agriculture and forestry | $5 | 0.7% |
| Arts and entertainment | $1 | 0.3% |
| Information | $2 | 0.2% |
| Construction | $-16 | -1.7% |
| Professional services | $-24 | -2.1% |
Leading Industries
Businesses by Industry
Each broad sector is made up of specific industries. In Mississippi. the industry with the most businesses is Restaurants and other eating places with 6.2% of the businesses in the state (with 4,544 employing 92,741 workers). The Restaurants and other eating places industry had 63 more businesses, an increase of 1.4% in the last year. Gasoline stations with convenience stores (2.8% of businesses) added 11 businesses, an increase of 0.5% and Offices of physicians (2.4% of businesses) added 4 businesses, an increase of 0.2% round out the 3 industries with the most businesses.Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change %
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Footwear merchant wholesalers | 3 | 150.0% |
| Parking lots and garages | 6 | 60.0% |
| Monetary authorities - central bank | 1 | 50.0% |
| Political organizations | 6 | 42.9% |
| Hunting and trapping | 3 | 37.5% |
| Software publishers | 11 | 36.7% |
| Cut and sew apparel contractors | 2 | 33.3% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Business Change #
| Industry | Business Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and other eating places | 63 | 1.4% |
| Accounting and bookkeeping services | 55 | 5.1% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 52 | 3.3% |
| General merchandise stores including warehouse clubs and supercenters | 51 | 4.9% |
| Medical equipment merchant wholesalers | 46 | 18.0% |
| Druggists' goods merchant wholesalers | 44 | 21.7% |
| Temporary help services | 41 | 3.9% |
Employees by Industry
Gasoline stations with convenience stores (2.8% of employees) added 11 employees, an increase of 0.5% and Offices of physicians (2.4% ofemployees) added 4 employees, an increase of 0.2% round out the 3 industries with the most employees.Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change %
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Political organizations | 23 | 138.7% |
| Wiring device manufacturing | 88 | 86.9% |
| Other financial vehicles | 3 | 83.3% |
| Paint and coating manufacturing | 126 | 76.6% |
| Geophysical surveying and mapping services | 17 | 60.7% |
| Aerospace product and parts manufacturing | 476 | 57.6% |
| Forging and stamping | 161 | 55.8% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Employee Change #
| Industry | Emp Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and other eating places | 892 | 1.0% |
| Services for the elderly and disabled | 816 | 8.3% |
| Electrical equipment manufacturing | 721 | 14.7% |
| Offices of physicians | 598 | 2.9% |
| Other specialized trucking long-distance | 588 | 21.4% |
| Aerospace product and parts manufacturing | 476 | 57.6% |
| Electrical and wiring contractors | 438 | 7.8% |
Average Weekly Wage by Industry
The industry that pays their employees the most is Open-end investment funds, paying $3,958 compared with the state average of $747. Employees in the Open-end investment funds industry were paid $1,324 more per week, an increase of 50.3% in the last year. Miscellaneous intermediation ($3,935) and Securities brokerage ($2,622) round out the top 3 industries. Employees in the Miscellaneous intermediation ($3,935 per week) were paid $323 more per week, an increase of 8.9% and Securities brokerage ($2,622 per week) were paid $573 less per week, a decline of 17.9% round out the 3 industries that pay their employees the most.Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change %
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee and tea manufacturing | $598 | 126.4% |
| Trusts estates and agency accounts | $437 | 63.9% |
| Other support activities for air transport. | $510 | 60.4% |
| Open-end investment funds | $1,324 | 50.3% |
| Office equipment rental and leasing | $289 | 42.3% |
| Pottery ceramics and plumbing fixture mfg | $103 | 33.9% |
| Book publishers | $197 | 33.8% |
Table: Top 7 Industries by Wage Change $
| Industry | Wkly Chg | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Open-end investment funds | $1,324 | 50.3% |
| Coffee and tea manufacturing | $598 | 126.4% |
| Other support activities for air transport. | $510 | 60.4% |
| Trusts estates and agency accounts | $437 | 63.9% |
| Appliance and electronics merchant whls. | $414 | 26.4% |
| Direct life and health insurance carriers | $350 | 27.1% |
| Miscellaneous intermediation | $323 | 8.9% |
Company Size
Mississippi Businesses by Size
The solopreneur company, has the most businesses in Mississippi by far. 57.1% of all businesses in the state have fewer than 5 employees. The 67,461 small businesses in the state represent 95.7% of all private businesses. The national average is 92.4%. (Small businesses have fewer than 50 employees, Solopreneurs employ fewer than 5.) Mississippi added 1,359 businesses in the last year, an increase of 2.0% as compared to the national average of 3.0%.Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 1,354 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 2 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 0.1% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. These large businesses added 3 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 2.6% as compared to the national average of 2.1%.
Mississippi Employees by Business Size
Mississippi added 23,461 employees in the last year, an increase of 2.7% as compared to the national average of 5.2%. Small businesses are defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. These small businesses added 10,952 businesses in the last year, which is an increase of 19.4% 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 3,290 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 1.0% as compared to the national average of 4.7%.
Large businesses are defined as companies with more than 500 employees. Large businesses added 9,219 employees in the last year, which is an increase of 7.8% as compared to the national average of 9.2%.
Mississippi Avg Weekly Wages by Business Size
Mississippi workers in every size business are paid less than the national average. The smallest companies in Mississippi (those with fewer than 5 employees) pay workers 22.0% less than the national average ($824 per week as compared to the national average of $1,005 per week). The largest companies in Mississippi (those with more than 1,000 employees) pay 103.7% workers below the national average ($939 per week as compared to the national average of $1,913 per week).Average weekly wages in small businesses added $63 per week in the last year, which is an increase of 2.2% as compared to the national average of 3.1%. Employees of mid-sized businesses added $22 in wages per week in the last year, which is an increase of 1.0% as compared to the national average of 1.3%.
Employees of large businesses added $34 of weekly wages in the last year, which is an increase of 1.8% 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 | 4,544 | 1.4% |
| Gasoline stations with convenience stores | 2,074 | 0.5% |
| Offices of physicians | 1,736 | 0.2% |
| Computer systems design and related services | 1,645 | 3.3% |
| Offices of lawyers | 1,493 | -0.3% |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 1,480 | 0.9% |
| Accounting and bookkeeping services | 1,128 | 5.1% |
| General merchandise stores including warehouse clubs and supercenters | 1,097 | 4.9% |
| Temporary help services | 1,097 | 3.9% |
| Commercial banking | 1,040 | 0.2% |
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 | 92,741 | 1.0% |
| General merchandise stores including warehouse clubs and supercenters | 29,854 | -0.9% |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 26,717 | 0.8% |
| Temporary help services | 25,706 | -2.1% |
| Offices of physicians | 21,357 | 2.9% |
| Casino hotels | 18,264 | -1.6% |
| Animal slaughtering and processing | 17,897 | 1.3% |
| Nursing care facilities skilled nursing | 17,808 | 1.8% |
| Supermarkets and other grocery stores | 15,539 | -4.1% |
| Other household and institutional furniture | 15,240 | -2.6% |
The table below illustrates the largest industries in the state, by highest wages:
Table: Top 10 Industries by Weekly Wage
| Industry | Wkly Wages | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Open-end investment funds | $3,958 | 50.3% |
| Miscellaneous intermediation | $3,935 | 8.9% |
| Securities brokerage | $2,622 | -17.9% |
| Coal and other mineral merchant wholesalers | $2,595 | -13.6% |
| Druggists' goods merchant wholesalers | $2,449 | 6.2% |
| Investment banking and securities dealing | $2,298 | -15.0% |
| Management training | $2,043 | -13.1% |
| Crude petroleum extraction | $2,024 | -9.2% |
| Appliance and electronics merchant whls. | $1,983 | 26.4% |
| Electric power generation | $1,903 | -9.6% |
Data Sources
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