Minnesota continues to outpace nation in job growth, DEED says

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota's job growth is on a seven-month winning streak, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

Minnesota employers added 8,000 jobs in September, and 1,500 more people joined the workforce. 

The state's 0.3% increase in jobs is a tenth-of-a-percent higher than the national average. Minnesota also surpasses the national average in terms of unemployment (3.1% versus 3.8%) and labor force participation (68.5% versus 62.8%). 

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Education and health services saw the largest gains (6,000 jobs), followed by leisure and hospitality (2,400), trade/transportation/utilities (1,900), and government (1,800).

However, professional and business services lost 3,600 last month, and the manufacturing sector is down 1,721 jobs — a 0.5% decrease — over the past nine months.

DEED says Minnesota has added nearly 50,000 payroll jobs since January, with the construction industry seeing the biggest gains with more than 7,300 jobs — an increase that tops the national average by 2.7%.