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News Release Information

24-1576-PHI
Friday, July 26, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

Business Employment Dynamics in Pennsylvania — Fourth Quarter 2023

From September 2023 to December 2023, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Pennsylvania were 278,168, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 260,921, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 17,247 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2023. During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 930. (See chart 1.)

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses is the net change in employment. (See the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)

Gross job gains

In the fourth quarter of 2023, gross job gains represented 5.2 percent of private-sector employment in Pennsylvania; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.9 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. In Pennsylvania, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 234,056 in the fourth quarter of 2023, a decrease of 2,007 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 44,112 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2023, an increase of 5,446 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job losses

In the fourth quarter of 2023, gross job losses represented 4.9 percent of private-sector employment in Pennsylvania; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.6 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In Pennsylvania, contracting establishments lost 217,947 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2023, a decrease of 15,593 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 42,974 jobs, an increase of 2,715 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 6 of the 11 industry sectors in Pennsylvania in the fourth quarter of 2023. Education and health services had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 13,184 jobs. This was the result of 50,608 gross job gains and 37,424 gross job losses. The transportation and warehousing industry had a net gain of 8,772 jobs. Professional and business services showed a net loss of 7,119 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state. Pennsylvania’s retail trade industry sector had a net loss of 4,850 jobs.

For more information

The BED data series include gross job gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size class. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at the Business Employment Dynamics Home.

The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.

Revisions to Business Employment Dynamics (BED) Data

The release of First Quarter 2024 Business Employment Dynamics data, scheduled for October 30, 2024, will incorporate annual revisions in accordance with standard procedures. The revisions will include the previous four quarters of not seasonally adjusted data and five years of seasonally adjusted data.


Technical Note

The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records.

More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Pennsylvania, seasonally adjusted
CategoryGross job gains and losses
(3 months ended)
Gross job gains and losses
as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
Dec.
2022
Mar.
2023
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023
Dec.
2022
Mar.
2023
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023

Total private (1)

Gross job gains

289,349291,327278,274274,729278,1685.55.55.25.25.2

At expanding establishments

249,125249,109241,061236,063234,0564.74.74.54.54.4

At opening establishments

40,22442,21837,21338,66644,1120.80.80.70.70.8

Gross job losses

269,933246,312293,852273,799260,9215.24.65.55.24.9

At contracting establishments

224,343207,179249,827233,540217,9474.33.94.74.44.1

At closing establishments

45,59039,13344,02540,25942,9740.90.70.80.80.8

Net employment change (2)

19,41645,015-15,57893017,2470.30.9-0.30.00.3

Construction

Gross job gains

21,65922,52220,62417,65321,0278.48.57.96.88.2

At expanding establishments

18,19618,31117,77914,97617,4547.16.96.85.86.8

At opening establishments

3,4634,2112,8452,6773,5731.31.61.11.01.4

Gross job losses

20,61419,38822,00721,13521,0998.07.48.48.28.2

At contracting establishments

16,67115,98217,61417,45517,5156.56.16.76.86.8

At closing establishments

3,9433,4064,3933,6803,5841.51.31.71.41.4

Net employment change (2)

1,0453,134-1,383-3,482-720.41.1-0.5-1.40.0

Manufacturing

Gross job gains

18,11416,42815,87814,12416,6023.22.92.82.53.0

At expanding establishments

16,95815,18514,89013,23515,1093.02.72.62.32.7

At opening establishments

1,1561,2439888891,4930.20.20.20.20.3

Gross job losses

15,35715,55617,39416,78915,6742.82.73.12.92.7

At contracting establishments

13,93114,14416,26215,55614,2622.52.52.92.72.5

At closing establishments

1,4261,4121,1321,2331,4120.30.20.20.20.2

Net employment change (2)

2,757872-1,516-2,6659280.40.2-0.3-0.40.3

Wholesale trade

Gross job gains

8,5819,1118,5998,2138,5824.04.24.03.84.0

At expanding establishments

7,5577,6577,5647,1407,3463.53.53.53.33.4

At opening establishments

1,0241,4541,0351,0731,2360.50.70.50.50.6

Gross job losses

7,9057,3648,3138,0277,8163.63.43.83.73.5

At contracting establishments

6,0765,7486,5686,6526,1862.82.73.03.12.8

At closing establishments

1,8291,6161,7451,3751,6300.80.70.80.60.7

Net employment change (2)

6761,7472861867660.40.80.20.10.5

Retail trade

Gross job gains

28,68632,55731,37129,10526,9374.85.55.24.94.6

At expanding establishments

25,16529,08427,89525,66223,4774.24.94.64.34.0

At opening establishments

3,5213,4733,4763,4433,4600.60.60.60.60.6

Gross job losses

32,94925,81534,33533,95331,7875.64.35.75.75.4

At contracting establishments

29,07222,92830,31229,97327,7724.93.85.05.04.7

At closing establishments

3,8772,8874,0233,9804,0150.70.50.70.70.7

Net employment change (2)

-4,2636,742-2,964-4,848-4,850-0.81.2-0.5-0.8-0.8

Transportation and warehousing

Gross job gains

19,79712,18913,39218,11922,5796.54.04.56.17.4

At expanding establishments

18,52011,10612,12315,75219,1406.13.64.15.36.3

At opening establishments

1,2771,0831,2692,3673,4390.40.40.40.81.1

Gross job losses

13,43318,61519,87216,43813,8074.46.16.75.54.6

At contracting establishments

11,85917,26418,11415,11611,9683.95.76.15.14.0

At closing establishments

1,5741,3511,7581,3221,8390.50.40.60.40.6

Net employment change (2)

6,364-6,426-6,4801,6818,7722.1-2.1-2.20.62.8

Information

Gross job gains

4,0655,2784,1673,8584,2184.45.64.44.14.5

At expanding establishments

3,1514,2143,3892,8843,1593.44.53.63.13.4

At opening establishments

9141,0647789741,0591.01.10.81.01.1

Gross job losses

6,4703,7496,1424,4884,5116.94.06.64.94.9

At contracting establishments

5,3603,0145,0283,5893,7145.73.25.43.94.0

At closing establishments

1,1107351,1148997971.20.81.21.00.9

Net employment change (2)

-2,4051,529-1,975-630-293-2.51.6-2.2-0.8-0.4

Financial activities

Gross job gains

15,53013,45013,54511,36110,9294.64.04.03.43.2

At expanding establishments

13,40511,49111,6429,4508,5084.03.43.42.82.5

At opening establishments

2,1251,9591,9031,9112,4210.60.60.60.60.7

Gross job losses

16,39312,87012,82212,84811,1384.83.83.83.83.3

At contracting establishments

13,91210,32010,03410,3759,0804.13.03.03.12.7

At closing establishments

2,4812,5502,7882,4732,0580.70.80.80.70.6

Net employment change (2)

-863580723-1,487-209-0.20.20.2-0.4-0.1

Professional and business services

Gross job gains

52,25248,67048,67151,26045,4636.15.75.86.15.4

At expanding establishments

42,66940,08940,49842,33736,6535.04.74.85.04.4

At opening establishments

9,5838,5818,1738,9238,8101.11.01.01.11.0

Gross job losses

51,05149,03659,17549,29452,5826.05.87.05.96.2

At contracting establishments

40,66039,87450,35440,36842,3574.84.76.04.85.0

At closing establishments

10,3919,1628,8218,92610,2251.21.11.01.11.2

Net employment change (2)

1,201-366-10,5041,966-7,1190.1-0.1-1.20.2-0.8

Education and health services

Gross job gains

46,82252,02450,99852,21850,6083.84.24.14.13.9

At expanding establishments

41,43147,19246,85147,96445,2073.43.83.83.83.5

At opening establishments

5,3914,8324,1474,2545,4010.40.40.30.30.4

Gross job losses

39,99733,74441,17238,13837,4243.32.83.33.03.0

At contracting establishments

33,71127,86034,88132,90231,6642.82.32.82.62.5

At closing establishments

6,2865,8846,2915,2365,7600.50.50.50.40.5

Net employment change (2)

6,82518,2809,82614,08013,1840.51.40.81.10.9

Leisure and hospitality

Gross job gains

56,74560,18054,09351,97554,24510.410.89.79.39.6

At expanding establishments

47,85548,93044,21942,54643,9778.88.87.97.67.8

At opening establishments

8,89011,2509,8749,42910,2681.62.01.81.71.8

Gross job losses

48,49645,49454,72055,95149,4708.98.19.710.08.7

At contracting establishments

39,27938,52546,16647,77640,9457.26.98.28.57.2

At closing establishments

9,2176,9698,5548,1758,5251.71.21.51.51.5

Net employment change (2)

8,24914,686-627-3,9764,7751.52.70.0-0.70.9

Other services (3)

Gross job gains

12,67413,74912,71912,82912,9646.57.06.56.56.6

At expanding establishments

10,50311,34110,57710,62510,6495.45.85.45.45.4

At opening establishments

2,1712,4082,1422,2042,3151.11.21.11.11.2

Gross job losses

12,54211,22612,95012,38111,5676.45.86.66.35.9

At contracting establishments

10,1558,74610,21110,0149,0545.24.55.25.14.6

At closing establishments

2,3872,4802,7392,3672,5131.21.31.41.21.3

Net employment change (2)

1322,523-2314481,3970.11.2-0.10.20.7

Footnotes:
(1) Includes unclassified sector not shown separately.
(2) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. See the Technical Note for further information.
(3) Except public administration.

Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted
CategoryGross job gains as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
Gross job losses as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
Dec.
2022
Mar.
2023
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023
Dec.
2022
Mar.
2023
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023

United States(1)

6.36.26.25.85.95.95.45.95.95.6

Alabama

6.66.45.95.96.26.15.55.76.05.8

Alaska

10.910.411.08.510.19.28.08.910.59.9

Arizona

6.65.97.06.76.66.05.46.55.96.9

Arkansas

6.25.85.85.66.15.25.06.05.75.3

California

6.66.16.76.26.36.66.46.46.56.5

Colorado

7.67.27.35.58.46.96.56.66.27.5

Connecticut

5.96.16.45.85.65.95.35.76.25.7

Delaware

7.06.76.06.06.27.55.25.76.55.9

District of Columbia

5.65.95.45.55.25.54.85.35.45.6

Florida

6.26.36.86.55.96.05.65.85.85.8

Georgia

6.76.26.46.16.15.95.86.56.15.7

Hawaii

6.05.55.75.36.14.95.05.26.95.0

Idaho

8.47.97.97.38.56.97.57.58.25.8

Illinois

5.45.85.44.84.95.14.85.35.55.1

Indiana

5.75.55.55.85.65.25.06.15.85.3

Iowa

6.46.06.05.56.06.25.45.95.85.7

Kansas

6.36.16.15.75.85.65.46.06.05.4

Kentucky

6.06.15.65.75.75.34.95.95.55.2

Louisiana

6.16.36.16.26.26.25.66.46.06.1

Maine

7.47.77.66.87.36.86.27.67.87.0

Maryland

6.66.86.76.46.36.95.66.36.55.9

Massachusetts

5.55.85.95.45.35.84.75.76.15.6

Michigan

5.95.75.95.25.55.24.95.35.95.6

Minnesota

5.95.76.03.16.85.84.95.64.27.0

Mississippi

6.86.16.36.26.16.25.76.66.25.7

Missouri

6.16.55.95.66.05.85.15.95.85.6

Montana

9.28.77.87.78.87.87.18.48.57.2

Nebraska

6.06.36.06.05.95.75.15.65.95.6

Nevada

6.46.26.66.56.66.15.76.05.55.1

New Hampshire

6.77.06.75.96.26.05.96.36.75.9

New Jersey

6.86.16.85.95.95.95.75.95.95.8

New Mexico

6.76.86.46.16.96.25.96.26.75.8

New York

5.96.56.35.85.86.05.15.76.15.7

North Carolina

6.66.46.15.66.15.75.35.76.24.7

North Dakota

6.47.66.96.66.76.75.66.76.66.3

Ohio

5.95.85.65.25.35.74.95.75.75.2

Oklahoma

6.66.36.26.26.15.95.36.06.05.7

Oregon

6.57.36.46.16.16.26.16.96.96.3

Pennsylvania

5.55.55.25.25.25.24.65.55.24.9

Rhode Island

6.97.56.76.56.86.45.97.06.86.4

South Carolina

6.96.86.46.86.26.25.86.85.75.4

South Dakota

6.57.26.86.36.66.55.96.26.35.9

Tennessee

5.85.95.92.74.95.65.05.54.24.6

Texas

6.25.95.85.75.75.35.05.45.55.2

Utah

6.97.06.86.86.46.66.26.26.56.2

Vermont

7.88.27.46.37.27.06.07.58.06.6

Virginia

6.26.26.05.85.95.85.25.86.05.6

Washington

5.96.46.05.46.05.35.55.66.05.2

West Virginia

6.67.16.16.56.16.45.36.16.56.5

Wisconsin

6.06.05.65.25.45.54.95.95.95.1

Wyoming

9.28.98.48.28.87.97.88.78.28.3

Puerto Rico

6.65.15.85.74.96.15.74.95.44.8

Virgin Islands

5.97.57.48.25.74.76.56.87.15.8

Footnotes
(1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. The sum of the states will not necessarily add to the U.S. total because of the independent seasonal adjustment of each state.

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, July 26, 2024