Business Employment Dynamics in Pennsylvania — Third Quarter 2024

From June 2024 to September 2024, gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments in Pennsylvania were 272,942, while gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments were 272,019, 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 loss of 923 jobs in the private sector during the third quarter of 2024. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 12,412. (See chart 1.)

A line chart of private-sector gross job gains and losses in Pennsylvania, from September 2019 to September 2024, 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 Pennsylvania, September 2019–September 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	Gross job losses	Gross job gains
Sep 2019	271,252	274,462
Dec 2019	255,973	282,519
Mar 2020	301,566	261,167
Jun 2020	892,722	176,785
Sep 2020	232,354	486,239
Dec 2020	258,927	297,834
Mar 2021	229,946	323,947
Jun 2021	262,800	280,438
Sep 2021	252,921	312,883
Dec 2021	243,369	344,654
Mar 2022	249,414	326,070
Jun 2022	290,170	284,373
Sep 2022	267,208	316,544
Dec 2022	269,830	289,010
Mar 2023	244,248	293,099
Jun 2023	289,708	279,643
Sep 2023	271,715	273,967
Dec 2023	257,613	277,807
Mar 2024	244,174	272,677
Jun 2024	274,960	262,548
Sep 2024	272,942	272,019

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 losses

In the third quarter of 2024, gross job losses represented 5.1 percent of private-sector employment in Pennsylvania; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.8 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) 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 226,118 jobs in the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 11,077 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 46,824 jobs, an increase of 9,059 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 2. Private-sector gross job losses as a percent of employment, United States and Pennsylvania, September 2019–September 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	United States	Pennsylvania
Sep 2019	5.8	5.1
Dec 2019	5.5	4.9
Mar 2020	6.3	5.7
Jun 2020	16.8	18.1
Sep 2020	5.9	5.0
Dec 2020	5.7	5.3
Mar 2021	5.5	4.7
Jun 2021	5.9	5.3
Sep 2021	6.1	5.0
Dec 2021	5.4	4.8
Mar 2022	5.5	4.8
Jun 2022	6.2	5.6
Sep 2022	5.9	5.1
Dec 2022	5.9	5.2
Mar 2023	5.5	4.7
Jun 2023	5.9	5.5
Sep 2023	6.0	5.1
Dec 2023	5.7	4.8
Mar 2024	5.4	4.6
Jun 2024	5.9	5.1
Sep 2024	5.8	5.1

Gross job gains

In the third quarter of 2024, gross job gains represented 5.1 percent of private-sector employment in Pennsylvania; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.8 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) 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 234,532 in the third quarter of 2024, an increase of 9,865 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 37,487 jobs gained in the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 394 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 3. Private-sector gross job gains as a percent of employment, United States and Pennsylvania, September 2019–September 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	United States	Pennsylvania
Sep 2019	5.9	5.2
Dec 2019	6.2	5.4
Mar 2020	5.5	5.0
Jun 2020	4.8	3.6
Sep 2020	9.5	10.3
Dec 2020	7.4	6.2
Mar 2021	6.9	6.6
Jun 2021	6.8	5.7
Sep 2021	7.3	6.3
Dec 2021	7.7	6.8
Mar 2022	6.7	6.3
Jun 2022	6.5	5.5
Sep 2022	6.9	6.1
Dec 2022	6.3	5.5
Mar 2023	6.3	5.5
Jun 2023	6.2	5.2
Sep 2023	5.9	5.2
Dec 2023	6.0	5.2
Mar 2024	5.7	5.1
Jun 2024	5.8	4.9
Sep 2024	5.8	5.1

Industries

Gross job losses exceeded gross job gains in 6 of the 11 published industry sectors in Pennsylvania in the third quarter of 2024. Leisure and hospitality had the largest over-the-quarter net job decrease, with a loss of 8,844 jobs. This was the result of 57,272 gross job losses and 48,428 gross job gains. Transportation and warehousing showed a net gain of 8,941 jobs, the largest gain of any sector in the state. Pennsylvania’s education and health services industry sector had a net gain of 6,775 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 homepage and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary.

The Business Employment Dynamics for Fourth Quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.

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
Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
Category	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	273,967	277,807	272,677	262,548	272,019	5.2	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.1
At expanding establishments	234,185	233,083	230,674	224,667	234,532	4.4	4.4	4.3	4.2	4.4
At opening establishments	39,782	44,724	42,003	37,881	37,487	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7
Gross job losses	271,715	257,613	244,174	274,960	272,942	5.1	4.8	4.6	5.1	5.1
At contracting establishments	233,469	219,288	207,995	237,195	226,118	4.4	4.1	3.9	4.4	4.2
At closing establishments	38,246	38,325	36,179	37,765	46,824	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.9
Net employment change (2)	2,252	20,194	28,503	-12,412	-923	0.1	0.4	0.5	-0.2	0.0
Construction
Gross job gains	17,945	21,262	21,678	19,606	16,919	7.0	8.3	8.2	7.4	6.6
At expanding establishments	15,076	17,484	17,961	16,671	14,040	5.9	6.8	6.8	6.3	5.5
At opening establishments	2,869	3,778	3,717	2,935	2,879	1.1	1.5	1.4	1.1	1.1
Gross job losses	20,934	20,805	19,025	20,411	20,834	8.2	8.0	7.2	7.8	8.1
At contracting establishments	17,657	17,615	15,796	16,993	17,224	6.9	6.8	6.0	6.5	6.7
At closing establishments	3,277	3,190	3,229	3,418	3,610	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.3	1.4
Net employment change (2)	-2,989	457	2,653	-805	-3,915	-1.2	0.3	1.0	-0.4	-1.5
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	13,708	16,592	15,201	13,999	13,062	2.5	3.0	2.7	2.4	2.4
At expanding establishments	12,755	15,080	14,033	13,286	12,196	2.3	2.7	2.5	2.3	2.2
At opening establishments	953	1,512	1,168	713	866	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.1	0.2
Gross job losses	16,918	15,534	15,399	15,184	16,767	3.0	2.7	2.7	2.7	3.0
At contracting establishments	15,675	14,377	14,306	14,245	15,130	2.8	2.5	2.5	2.5	2.7
At closing establishments	1,243	1,157	1,093	939	1,637	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3
Net employment change (2)	-3,210	1,058	-198	-1,185	-3,705	-0.5	0.3	0.0	-0.3	-0.6
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	8,164	8,487	8,515	8,153	8,202	3.8	3.9	4.0	3.7	3.8
At expanding establishments	7,081	7,167	7,067	6,994	6,924	3.3	3.3	3.3	3.2	3.2
At opening establishments	1,083	1,320	1,448	1,159	1,278	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.5	0.6
Gross job losses	7,864	7,647	7,733	8,062	8,124	3.6	3.6	3.6	3.7	3.7
At contracting establishments	6,593	6,231	6,252	6,403	6,337	3.0	2.9	2.9	2.9	2.9
At closing establishments	1,271	1,416	1,481	1,659	1,787	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8
Net employment change (2)	300	840	782	91	78	0.2	0.3	0.4	0.0	0.1
Retail trade
Gross job gains	28,942	26,861	29,623	29,033	27,547	4.8	4.6	5.0	4.8	4.7
At expanding establishments	25,397	23,507	26,207	25,918	24,663	4.2	4.0	4.4	4.3	4.2
At opening establishments	3,545	3,354	3,416	3,115	2,884	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5
Gross job losses	33,690	31,752	25,187	31,546	31,516	5.6	5.4	4.2	5.3	5.3
At contracting establishments	29,883	27,847	21,969	27,847	27,872	5.0	4.7	3.7	4.7	4.7
At closing establishments	3,807	3,905	3,218	3,699	3,644	0.6	0.7	0.5	0.6	0.6
Net employment change (2)	-4,748	-4,891	4,436	-2,513	-3,969	-0.8	-0.8	0.8	-0.5	-0.6
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	18,097	22,455	12,334	11,352	21,010	6.1	7.4	4.1	3.8	7.0
At expanding establishments	15,659	19,010	10,923	10,046	19,283	5.3	6.3	3.6	3.4	6.4
At opening establishments	2,438	3,445	1,411	1,306	1,727	0.8	1.1	0.5	0.4	0.6
Gross job losses	16,829	13,722	18,720	18,312	12,069	5.7	4.5	6.1	6.1	4.0
At contracting establishments	15,303	12,098	17,487	17,276	10,742	5.2	4.0	5.7	5.8	3.6
At closing establishments	1,526	1,624	1,233	1,036	1,327	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.3	0.4
Net employment change (2)	1,268	8,733	-6,386	-6,960	8,941	0.4	2.9	-2.0	-2.3	3.0
Information
Gross job gains	3,839	4,203	3,354	3,303	4,086	4.1	4.5	3.6	3.6	4.5
At expanding establishments	2,878	3,149	2,514	2,486	3,285	3.1	3.4	2.7	2.7	3.6
At opening establishments	961	1,054	840	817	801	1.0	1.1	0.9	0.9	0.9
Gross job losses	4,460	4,506	4,000	5,619	4,297	4.8	4.9	4.4	6.1	4.8
At contracting establishments	3,571	3,794	3,099	4,767	3,164	3.8	4.1	3.4	5.2	3.5
At closing establishments	889	712	901	852	1,133	1.0	0.8	1.0	0.9	1.3
Net employment change (2)	-621	-303	-646	-2,316	-211	-0.7	-0.4	-0.8	-2.5	-0.3
Financial activities
Gross job gains	11,122	10,981	11,150	11,842	11,112	3.3	3.2	3.3	3.5	3.3
At expanding establishments	9,171	8,505	9,218	9,588	9,364	2.7	2.5	2.7	2.8	2.8
At opening establishments	1,951	2,476	1,932	2,254	1,748	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.5
Gross job losses	12,717	11,353	11,809	11,796	12,597	3.8	3.4	3.5	3.4	3.7
At contracting establishments	10,398	9,465	9,494	9,676	9,983	3.1	2.8	2.8	2.8	2.9
At closing establishments	2,319	1,888	2,315	2,120	2,614	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.8
Net employment change (2)	-1,595	-372	-659	46	-1,485	-0.5	-0.2	-0.2	0.1	-0.4
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	51,338	45,687	49,486	47,356	53,637	6.1	5.5	5.9	5.7	6.4
At expanding establishments	42,219	36,644	40,357	39,257	43,692	5.0	4.4	4.8	4.7	5.2
At opening establishments	9,119	9,043	9,129	8,099	9,945	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.0	1.2
Gross job losses	48,470	51,183	46,472	56,631	50,081	5.8	6.1	5.6	6.7	6.0
At contracting establishments	40,291	42,315	37,548	47,072	38,882	4.8	5.0	4.5	5.6	4.7
At closing establishments	8,179	8,868	8,924	9,559	11,199	1.0	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.3
Net employment change (2)	2,868	-5,496	3,014	-9,275	3,556	0.3	-0.6	0.3	-1.0	0.4
Education and health services
Gross job gains	51,812	50,287	48,902	49,308	49,512	4.2	3.9	3.8	3.7	3.8
At expanding establishments	47,384	44,871	44,136	44,769	45,181	3.8	3.5	3.4	3.4	3.5
At opening establishments	4,428	5,416	4,766	4,539	4,331	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3
Gross job losses	37,405	36,372	34,252	39,912	42,737	3.0	2.9	2.6	3.1	3.3
At contracting establishments	32,558	31,598	29,806	34,580	36,221	2.6	2.5	2.3	2.7	2.8
At closing establishments	4,847	4,774	4,446	5,332	6,516	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.5
Net employment change (2)	14,407	13,915	14,650	9,396	6,775	1.2	1.0	1.2	0.6	0.5
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	52,082	53,807	55,141	51,364	48,428	9.3	9.5	9.6	8.9	8.6
At expanding establishments	42,475	43,400	43,727	41,359	39,941	7.6	7.7	7.6	7.2	7.1
At opening establishments	9,607	10,407	11,414	10,005	8,487	1.7	1.8	2.0	1.7	1.5
Gross job losses	55,805	49,623	46,416	51,269	57,272	9.9	8.8	8.1	8.9	10.1
At contracting establishments	47,754	41,383	39,396	44,786	46,896	8.5	7.3	6.9	7.8	8.3
At closing establishments	8,051	8,240	7,020	6,483	10,376	1.4	1.5	1.2	1.1	1.8
Net employment change (2)	-3,723	4,184	8,725	95	-8,844	-0.6	0.7	1.5	0.0	-1.5
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	12,900	13,179	12,818	13,585	14,802	6.6	6.7	6.4	6.7	7.2
At expanding establishments	10,607	10,875	10,543	11,127	12,681	5.4	5.5	5.3	5.5	6.2
At opening establishments	2,293	2,304	2,275	2,458	2,121	1.2	1.2	1.1	1.2	1.0
Gross job losses	12,274	11,170	11,747	11,817	12,503	6.2	5.6	5.9	5.9	6.1
At contracting establishments	10,040	9,131	9,974	9,612	10,226	5.1	4.6	5.0	4.8	5.0
At closing establishments	2,234	2,039	1,773	2,205	2,277	1.1	1.0	0.9	1.1	1.1
Net employment change (2)	626	2,009	1,071	1,768	2,299	0.4	1.1	0.5	0.8	1.1
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	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024
United States(1)	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.8	5.8	6.0	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.8
Alabama	6.0	6.2	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0	5.7	5.5	5.6	5.9
Alaska	8.5	10.2	10.5	10.2	7.9	10.5	9.9	8.6	9.6	9.7
Arizona	6.8	6.5	8.4	5.6	6.3	5.7	6.6	6.4	6.8	6.5
Arkansas	5.6	6.2	5.6	5.2	5.2	5.8	5.0	5.2	5.8	5.2
California	6.4	6.4	5.8	6.1	6.4	6.5	6.4	5.6	6.8	6.1
Colorado	5.4	8.2	6.4	6.5	6.3	6.1	7.6	7.7	6.2	6.7
Connecticut	5.8	5.6	5.6	5.8	5.5	6.2	5.7	5.2	5.6	5.7
Delaware	6.0	6.1	6.0	5.9	6.8	6.5	5.8	5.1	6.5	6.4
District of Columbia	5.4	5.2	5.1	5.1	4.9	5.4	5.6	4.9	6.0	5.0
Florida	6.5	6.1	5.8	6.0	6.6	5.9	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.7
Georgia	6.1	6.2	6.0	5.7	5.7	6.1	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.1
Hawaii	5.3	6.1	5.4	5.1	5.6	6.8	5.0	5.1	5.4	5.0
Idaho	7.2	8.5	7.9	7.5	7.2	7.9	5.8	8.3	7.4	7.6
Illinois	4.8	5.0	5.1	5.2	5.0	5.3	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.1
Indiana	5.7	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.3	5.7	5.1	5.0	5.5	5.4
Iowa	5.6	6.1	6.1	5.5	5.2	5.8	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0
Kansas	5.7	5.8	5.7	5.8	5.3	6.0	5.3	5.6	5.7	5.6
Kentucky	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.2	5.4	5.6	5.2	5.0	5.9	5.5
Louisiana	6.2	6.3	6.2	5.7	6.1	6.0	5.8	5.7	6.3	5.8
Maine	7.0	7.4	7.2	7.3	6.2	7.8	7.0	6.1	7.0	7.0
Maryland	6.3	6.2	5.8	7.2	6.1	6.4	5.8	5.7	6.5	6.1
Massachusetts	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.7	4.9	5.9	5.5	5.1	5.6	5.8
Michigan	5.2	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.8
Minnesota	3.3	6.9	5.8	5.7	5.1	4.3	6.9	5.7	5.4	5.9
Mississippi	6.2	6.1	5.7	5.8	6.1	6.2	5.7	6.1	6.3	5.7
Missouri	5.6	6.0	5.7	5.6	5.5	5.8	5.6	5.3	5.8	5.8
Montana	7.7	8.8	8.1	7.9	7.3	8.4	7.2	7.5	7.6	8.1
Nebraska	6.0	5.9	5.8	5.4	5.6	5.9	5.7	5.1	5.6	5.6
Nevada	6.5	6.7	5.9	5.8	6.1	5.6	5.4	6.2	5.7	5.9
New Hampshire	5.8	6.2	6.5	6.1	5.5	6.7	5.9	5.8	6.0	6.7
New Jersey	6.0	5.9	5.5	5.9	5.3	6.0	5.8	5.4	5.4	5.8
New Mexico	6.4	6.9	6.0	6.0	6.2	6.8	5.8	6.0	6.3	6.3
New York	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.6	6.0	5.6	5.0	5.5	5.7
North Carolina	5.7	6.3	5.4	5.6	5.6	6.1	4.9	5.5	5.7	6.1
North Dakota	6.6	6.7	6.9	6.6	6.5	6.6	6.3	6.1	6.6	6.6
Ohio	5.2	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.1	5.6	5.2	4.8	5.4	5.4
Oklahoma	6.3	6.1	5.6	5.6	6.0	6.0	5.8	5.2	6.4	5.6
Oregon	6.1	6.2	6.4	6.0	6.3	6.7	6.2	6.1	6.4	6.6
Pennsylvania	5.2	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.1	5.1	4.8	4.6	5.1	5.1
Rhode Island	6.4	6.8	6.9	6.6	6.2	6.7	6.3	5.7	6.7	6.5
South Carolina	6.6	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.2	5.7	5.3	6.3	6.4	5.9
South Dakota	6.3	6.6	6.3	6.0	5.9	6.3	5.8	5.8	6.3	5.9
Tennessee	5.6	6.2	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.7	5.5	4.9	5.7	5.8
Texas	5.7	5.7	5.4	5.4	5.6	5.5	5.2	5.1	5.3	5.3
Utah	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.4	6.6	6.6	6.5	6.0	6.6	6.1
Vermont	6.4	7.3	7.2	6.6	6.6	7.9	6.6	6.3	7.5	7.3
Virginia	5.9	5.9	5.7	5.7	5.8	6.0	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.5
Washington	5.8	6.0	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.4	5.3	5.3	5.4
West Virginia	6.5	6.5	6.9	6.6	5.8	6.6	5.8	5.7	6.8	6.6
Wisconsin	5.2	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.0	5.8	5.2	4.8	5.5	5.4
Wyoming	8.3	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.6	8.2	8.4	8.3	9.0	9.0
Puerto Rico	5.7	4.9	5.4	5.6	5.4	5.3	4.8	4.6	4.9	5.1
Virgin Islands	8.2	6.0	5.6	4.3	4.4	6.8	5.9	4.5	5.1	6.1
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: Thursday, May 08, 2025

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