Business Employment Dynamics in New Jersey — First Quarter 2025

From December 2024 to March 2025, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in New Jersey were 208,276, while gross job losses from contracting and closing private-sector establishments were 201,117, 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 7,159 jobs in the private sector during the first quarter of 2025. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 21,085. (See chart 1.)

A line chart of private-sector gross job gains and losses in New Jersey, from March 2020 to March 2025, seasonally adjusted. Accessible version is available in View Chart Data link below the chart.

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in New Jersey, March 2020–March 2025, seasonally adjusted
Period	Gross job gains	Gross job losses
Mar 2020	201,089	227,440
Jun 2020	154,277	921,206
Sep 2020	485,166	172,553
Dec 2020	260,650	190,103
Mar 2021	237,243	193,004
Jun 2021	237,676	189,543
Sep 2021	251,968	205,791
Dec 2021	301,740	187,108
Mar 2022	251,643	200,353
Jun 2022	233,807	222,445
Sep 2022	247,119	230,027
Dec 2022	244,694	215,906
Mar 2023	227,504	209,377
Jun 2023	237,533	218,921
Sep 2023	219,741	221,953
Dec 2023	215,275	213,926
Mar 2024	206,140	202,329
Jun 2024	217,096	204,348
Sep 2024	199,075	216,494
Dec 2024	221,965	200,880
Mar 2025	208,276	201,117

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 first quarter of 2025, gross job gains represented 5.6 percent of private-sector employment in New Jersey; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.6 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 New Jersey, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 173,994 in the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of 4,200 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 34,282 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of 9,489 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 2. Private-sector gross job gains as a percent of employment, United States and New Jersey, March 2020–March 2025, seasonally adjusted
Period	United States	New Jersey
Mar 2020	5.5	5.7
Jun 2020	4.8	4.8
Sep 2020	9.4	15.7
Dec 2020	7.4	8.1
Mar 2021	7.0	7.2
Jun 2021	6.8	7.1
Sep 2021	7.3	7.5
Dec 2021	7.7	8.7
Mar 2022	6.7	7.1
Jun 2022	6.5	6.6
Sep 2022	6.9	6.9
Dec 2022	6.3	6.8
Mar 2023	6.3	6.3
Jun 2023	6.2	6.4
Sep 2023	5.9	6.0
Dec 2023	6.0	5.9
Mar 2024	5.9	5.5
Jun 2024	5.8	5.9
Sep 2024	5.8	5.4
Dec 2024	5.9	6.0
Mar 2025	5.6	5.6

Gross job losses

In the first quarter of 2025, gross job losses represented 5.4 percent of private-sector employment in New Jersey; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.4 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 New Jersey, contracting establishments lost 167,422 jobs in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 6,412 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 33,695 jobs, a decrease of 6,175 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 3. Private-sector gross job losses as a percent of employment, United States and New Jersey, March 2020–March 2025, seasonally adjusted
Period	United States	New Jersey
Mar 2020	6.3	6.5
Jun 2020	16.8	28.4
Sep 2020	5.9	5.6
Dec 2020	5.7	5.8
Mar 2021	5.5	5.9
Jun 2021	5.9	5.7
Sep 2021	6.0	6.1
Dec 2021	5.4	5.4
Mar 2022	5.5	5.7
Jun 2022	6.2	6.2
Sep 2022	5.9	6.4
Dec 2022	5.9	6.0
Mar 2023	5.5	5.8
Jun 2023	5.9	6.0
Sep 2023	5.9	6.0
Dec 2023	5.7	5.8
Mar 2024	5.5	5.5
Jun 2024	5.9	5.5
Sep 2024	5.8	5.8
Dec 2024	5.7	5.5
Mar 2025	5.4	5.4

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 5 of the 11 published industry sectors in New Jersey in the first quarter of 2025. Education and health services had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 9,644 jobs. This was the result of 33,970 gross job gains and 24,326 gross job losses. The retail trade industry had a net gain of 4,456 jobs.

Transportation and warehousing showed a net loss of 7,824 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state. This was the result of 16,280 gross job losses and 8,456 gross job gains. New Jersey’s leisure and hospitality industry sector had a net loss of 6,595 jobs.

Revisions to Business Employment Dynamics (BED) Data

Data in this release contain annual revisions in accordance with standard procedures. These revisions include the previous four quarters of not seasonally adjusted data and five years of seasonally adjusted data.

Federal Government Shutdown

Publication of first quarter 2025 data was delayed by more than 6 weeks because of a lapse in federal appropriations. Collection of first quarter Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data – which Business Employment Dynamics data is based upon – had been completed in accordance with our normal schedule prior to the federal government shutdown.

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 homepage and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary.

The Business Employment Dynamics for Second Quarter 2025 are scheduled to be released on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

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, New Jersey, seasonally adjusted
Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
Category	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	206,140	217,096	199,075	221,965	208,276	5.5	5.9	5.4	6.0	5.6
At expanding establishments	171,253	176,559	160,037	178,194	173,994	4.6	4.8	4.3	4.8	4.7
At opening establishments	34,887	40,537	39,038	43,771	34,282	0.9	1.1	1.1	1.2	0.9
Gross job losses	202,329	204,348	216,494	200,880	201,117	5.5	5.5	5.8	5.5	5.4
At contracting establishments	169,403	167,802	178,231	161,010	167,422	4.6	4.5	4.8	4.4	4.5
At closing establishments	32,926	36,546	38,263	39,870	33,695	0.9	1.0	1.0	1.1	0.9
Net employment change (2)	3,811	12,748	-17,419	21,085	7,159	0.0	0.4	-0.4	0.5	0.2
Construction
Gross job gains	14,472	12,934	12,302	12,731	15,838	8.7	7.8	7.6	7.9	9.5
At expanding establishments	12,669	11,117	10,225	10,849	13,627	7.6	6.7	6.3	6.7	8.2
At opening establishments	1,803	1,817	2,077	1,882	2,211	1.1	1.1	1.3	1.2	1.3
Gross job losses	12,263	14,250	13,922	13,430	11,974	7.3	8.5	8.6	8.2	7.2
At contracting establishments	10,031	11,676	11,042	10,984	9,967	6.0	7.0	6.8	6.7	6.0
At closing establishments	2,232	2,574	2,880	2,446	2,007	1.3	1.5	1.8	1.5	1.2
Net employment change (2)	2,209	-1,316	-1,620	-699	3,864	1.4	-0.7	-1.0	-0.3	2.3
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	8,422	8,444	7,698	8,016	7,576	3.3	3.3	3.0	3.1	3.0
At expanding establishments	7,573	7,637	6,845	6,934	6,573	3.0	3.0	2.7	2.7	2.6
At opening establishments	849	807	853	1,082	1,003	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4
Gross job losses	8,763	8,210	9,059	7,769	8,310	3.4	3.2	3.5	3.0	3.3
At contracting establishments	7,892	6,974	7,929	6,681	7,221	3.1	2.7	3.1	2.6	2.9
At closing establishments	871	1,236	1,130	1,088	1,089	0.3	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4
Net employment change (2)	-341	234	-1,361	247	-734	-0.1	0.1	-0.5	0.1	-0.3
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	8,423	8,759	7,723	7,514	7,692	3.9	4.1	3.6	3.5	3.6
At expanding establishments	7,234	7,553	6,710	6,155	6,625	3.3	3.5	3.1	2.9	3.1
At opening establishments	1,189	1,206	1,013	1,359	1,067	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.5
Gross job losses	7,972	8,949	8,566	8,239	7,839	3.7	4.2	4.0	3.9	3.7
At contracting establishments	6,605	7,276	7,028	6,968	6,433	3.1	3.4	3.3	3.3	3.0
At closing establishments	1,367	1,673	1,538	1,271	1,406	0.6	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.7
Net employment change (2)	451	-190	-843	-725	-147	0.2	-0.1	-0.4	-0.4	-0.1
Retail trade
Gross job gains	23,805	22,947	21,570	19,816	24,328	5.5	5.3	5.0	4.7	5.6
At expanding establishments	20,281	19,895	18,374	17,021	21,564	4.7	4.6	4.3	4.0	5.0
At opening establishments	3,524	3,052	3,196	2,795	2,764	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6
Gross job losses	20,263	24,136	24,574	23,857	19,872	4.7	5.6	5.7	5.6	4.6
At contracting establishments	17,716	21,653	21,416	20,727	17,154	4.1	5.0	5.0	4.9	4.0
At closing establishments	2,547	2,483	3,158	3,130	2,718	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.6
Net employment change (2)	3,542	-1,189	-3,004	-4,041	4,456	0.8	-0.3	-0.7	-0.9	1.0
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	8,953	10,429	10,127	18,256	8,456	3.7	4.5	4.3	7.7	3.6
At expanding establishments	8,230	8,893	9,154	17,174	7,577	3.4	3.8	3.9	7.2	3.2
At opening establishments	723	1,536	973	1,082	879	0.3	0.7	0.4	0.5	0.4
Gross job losses	18,979	12,646	11,500	9,678	16,280	7.9	5.4	5.0	4.1	6.9
At contracting establishments	17,722	11,059	10,159	7,975	15,333	7.4	4.7	4.4	3.4	6.5
At closing establishments	1,257	1,587	1,341	1,703	947	0.5	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.4
Net employment change (2)	-10,026	-2,217	-1,373	8,578	-7,824	-4.2	-0.9	-0.7	3.6	-3.3
Information
Gross job gains	3,146	2,699	3,835	2,575	2,866	4.1	3.5	5.0	3.4	3.9
At expanding establishments	2,472	2,245	3,204	2,130	2,303	3.2	2.9	4.2	2.8	3.1
At opening establishments	674	454	631	445	563	0.9	0.6	0.8	0.6	0.8
Gross job losses	3,173	4,703	3,360	4,474	3,786	4.1	6.2	4.4	5.9	5.0
At contracting establishments	2,601	4,112	2,804	3,419	3,076	3.4	5.4	3.7	4.5	4.1
At closing establishments	572	591	556	1,055	710	0.7	0.8	0.7	1.4	0.9
Net employment change (2)	-27	-2,004	475	-1,899	-920	0.0	-2.7	0.6	-2.5	-1.1
Financial activities
Gross job gains	11,180	11,351	11,442	9,894	9,016	4.4	4.5	4.5	3.9	3.5
At expanding establishments	9,522	9,126	9,383	8,083	7,905	3.7	3.6	3.7	3.2	3.1
At opening establishments	1,658	2,225	2,059	1,811	1,111	0.7	0.9	0.8	0.7	0.4
Gross job losses	11,044	11,056	12,006	9,799	9,178	4.3	4.3	4.7	3.9	3.6
At contracting establishments	9,172	8,646	9,622	7,073	7,561	3.6	3.4	3.8	2.8	3.0
At closing establishments	1,872	2,410	2,384	2,726	1,617	0.7	0.9	0.9	1.1	0.6
Net employment change (2)	136	295	-564	95	-162	0.1	0.2	-0.2	0.0	-0.1
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	40,202	43,586	38,346	46,112	43,006	5.7	6.2	5.4	6.5	6.0
At expanding establishments	34,148	35,404	31,749	39,099	37,005	4.8	5.0	4.5	5.5	5.2
At opening establishments	6,054	8,182	6,597	7,013	6,001	0.9	1.2	0.9	1.0	0.8
Gross job losses	42,165	40,987	46,469	43,230	42,492	5.9	5.7	6.6	6.1	6.0
At contracting establishments	35,070	33,764	37,610	35,306	34,789	4.9	4.7	5.3	5.0	4.9
At closing establishments	7,095	7,223	8,859	7,924	7,703	1.0	1.0	1.3	1.1	1.1
Net employment change (2)	-1,963	2,599	-8,123	2,882	514	-0.2	0.5	-1.2	0.4	0.0
Education and health services
Gross job gains	33,676	33,052	32,855	39,284	33,970	4.6	4.5	4.4	5.2	4.5
At expanding establishments	30,346	28,728	29,059	28,730	31,229	4.1	3.9	3.9	3.8	4.1
At opening establishments	3,330	4,324	3,796	10,554	2,741	0.5	0.6	0.5	1.4	0.4
Gross job losses	24,030	26,442	25,478	30,755	24,326	3.3	3.5	3.4	4.0	3.1
At contracting establishments	20,662	22,537	21,620	23,554	21,119	2.8	3.0	2.9	3.1	2.7
At closing establishments	3,368	3,905	3,858	7,201	3,207	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.9	0.4
Net employment change (2)	9,646	6,610	7,377	8,529	9,644	1.3	1.0	1.0	1.2	1.4
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	35,322	42,175	34,269	38,239	34,261	8.7	10.4	8.5	9.4	8.3
At expanding establishments	27,595	33,187	24,265	30,480	26,686	6.8	8.2	6.0	7.5	6.5
At opening establishments	7,727	8,988	10,004	7,759	7,575	1.9	2.2	2.5	1.9	1.8
Gross job losses	38,300	36,641	42,911	34,078	40,856	9.5	9.0	10.6	8.4	10.0
At contracting establishments	31,145	28,856	36,471	28,096	33,927	7.7	7.1	9.0	6.9	8.3
At closing establishments	7,155	7,785	6,440	5,982	6,929	1.8	1.9	1.6	1.5	1.7
Net employment change (2)	-2,978	5,534	-8,642	4,161	-6,595	-0.8	1.4	-2.1	1.0	-1.7
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	9,388	11,102	9,159	9,686	9,846	6.8	8.0	6.6	7.0	7.1
At expanding establishments	7,072	8,099	7,084	7,444	7,900	5.1	5.8	5.1	5.4	5.7
At opening establishments	2,316	3,003	2,075	2,242	1,946	1.7	2.2	1.5	1.6	1.4
Gross job losses	9,056	9,458	11,016	9,152	8,863	6.6	6.8	8.0	6.6	6.4
At contracting establishments	6,905	7,131	7,879	6,808	6,754	5.0	5.1	5.7	4.9	4.9
At closing establishments	2,151	2,327	3,137	2,344	2,109	1.6	1.7	2.3	1.7	1.5
Net employment change (2)	332	1,644	-1,857	534	983	0.2	1.2	-1.4	0.4	0.7
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
Category	Gross job gains as a percent of employment (3 months ended)					Gross job losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
Category	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025
United States(1)	5.9	5.8	5.8	5.9	5.6	5.5	5.9	5.8	5.7	5.4
Alabama	5.9	5.6	5.8	5.8	5.3	5.6	5.6	5.9	5.3	5.6
Alaska	10.7	10.2	8.0	10.3	10.0	8.5	9.6	9.6	9.5	8.1
Arizona	8.2	5.6	6.4	6.1	5.8	6.5	6.5	5.7	5.9	5.3
Arkansas	5.6	5.3	5.5	5.8	5.1	5.2	5.7	5.2	4.8	5.1
California	6.0	6.2	6.3	6.7	6.0	5.7	6.9	6.2	6.4	6.2
Colorado	6.4	6.6	6.3	6.2	6.2	7.4	5.8	6.4	6.5	6.8
Connecticut	5.8	5.8	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.2	5.5	5.6	5.5	5.3
Delaware	6.2	5.8	6.8	6.1	5.9	5.0	6.5	6.4	6.3	5.3
District of Columbia	5.1	5.1	4.9	5.0	4.8	5.0	5.4	5.0	5.5	5.8
Florida	5.8	6.1	6.5	6.0	5.8	5.5	5.8	5.7	6.2	5.5
Georgia	6.1	5.9	5.8	6.0	5.5	5.7	5.7	6.1	5.4	5.7
Hawaii	5.6	5.2	5.7	5.3	4.9	5.1	5.6	5.0	5.0	5.0
Idaho	7.9	7.5	7.1	8.2	7.3	8.1	7.2	7.5	6.8	7.3
Illinois	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.1	5.0	4.8	5.1	5.0	5.1	5.0
Indiana	5.3	5.2	5.3	5.5	5.4	5.1	5.5	5.3	5.1	5.2
Iowa	6.2	5.6	5.3	5.6	5.8	5.7	5.8	6.0	5.6	5.5
Kansas	5.9	5.9	5.3	5.9	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.6	5.2	5.4
Kentucky	5.9	5.3	5.4	5.3	5.2	5.1	5.8	5.4	5.5	4.8
Louisiana	6.3	5.8	6.1	6.2	5.6	5.6	6.2	5.8	5.5	5.6
Maine	7.4	7.2	6.2	7.0	7.4	6.3	7.1	7.1	7.1	6.3
Maryland	6.1	7.1	5.9	6.0	5.9	5.5	5.9	6.1	5.9	5.7
Massachusetts	5.3	5.7	5.0	5.3	5.0	5.1	5.6	5.8	5.5	5.1
Michigan	5.5	5.7	5.3	5.4	5.2	5.2	5.4	5.8	5.9	5.3
Minnesota	6.1	5.7	5.1	5.5	5.1	5.2	5.2	5.8	5.1	5.5
Mississippi	6.0	5.7	6.3	6.3	5.7	5.8	6.3	5.7	6.2	6.1
Missouri	5.9	5.6	5.6	5.7	5.4	5.4	5.8	5.8	5.3	5.2
Montana	8.1	7.9	7.2	8.4	8.0	7.6	7.6	8.0	7.8	7.5
Nebraska	5.9	5.5	5.6	5.6	5.2	5.1	5.6	5.6	5.5	5.3
Nevada	6.0	5.8	6.2	6.1	5.4	6.1	5.8	5.9	5.6	5.9
New Hampshire	6.4	6.1	5.6	6.3	6.5	5.8	6.0	6.7	5.9	6.1
New Jersey	5.5	5.9	5.4	6.0	5.6	5.5	5.5	5.8	5.5	5.4
New Mexico	6.4	6.1	6.3	6.1	5.9	6.1	6.5	6.2	5.9	5.8
New York	6.0	5.8	5.7	5.7	6.6	5.0	5.5	5.8	5.5	5.0
North Carolina	5.5	5.6	5.5	6.1	5.4	5.4	5.5	5.8	5.5	5.5
North Dakota	6.9	6.6	6.5	6.5	6.7	6.0	6.6	6.5	6.6	6.5
Ohio	5.5	5.2	5.2	5.4	5.2	4.8	5.3	5.4	5.1	4.9
Oklahoma	5.8	5.7	6.1	6.0	5.5	5.3	6.4	5.5	5.5	5.3
Oregon	6.6	6.0	6.3	6.2	5.8	5.9	6.3	6.6	6.6	6.2
Pennsylvania	5.1	4.9	5.1	5.2	5.0	4.6	5.2	5.0	4.8	4.7
Rhode Island	6.8	6.6	6.2	7.3	6.6	5.7	6.7	6.4	6.3	5.9
South Carolina	6.5	6.1	6.2	6.4	6.1	6.3	6.0	5.9	5.9	5.5
South Dakota	6.4	6.0	5.9	6.7	6.2	5.8	6.2	5.9	5.9	6.5
Tennessee	5.7	5.5	5.6	5.5	5.4	5.0	5.6	5.7	6.2	5.1
Texas	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.8	5.1	5.1	5.3	5.3	5.2	5.1
Utah	6.9	6.5	6.8	6.8	6.6	6.3	6.9	6.2	6.3	6.0
Vermont	7.5	6.7	6.6	6.7	6.9	6.3	7.4	7.1	6.7	6.8
Virginia	5.8	5.6	5.8	5.8	5.6	5.3	5.7	5.7	5.5	5.1
Washington	5.7	5.9	5.8	5.8	5.7	6.2	5.6	5.8	5.7	5.5
West Virginia	7.1	7.0	5.9	6.5	6.4	6.1	6.7	6.6	6.1	5.7
Wisconsin	5.7	5.3	5.1	5.3	5.0	4.9	5.6	5.5	5.2	4.9
Wyoming	8.4	8.2	8.9	8.9	8.1	8.4	8.8	8.5	8.3	8.7
Puerto Rico	5.3	5.5	5.4	4.3	6.3	4.7	4.9	5.0	5.4	5.4
Virgin Islands	6.4	4.9	4.7	5.2	5.4	5.3	5.7	7.5	10.8	7.6
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: Monday, December 22, 2025

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