From December 2024 to March 2025, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Delaware were 24,351, while gross job losses from contracting and closing private-sector establishments were 21,986, 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 2,365 jobs in the private sector during the first quarter of 2025. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 636. (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 first quarter of 2025, gross job gains represented 5.9 percent of private-sector employment in Delaware; 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 Delaware, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 18,289 in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 601 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 6,062 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of 1,219 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job losses

In the first quarter of 2025, gross job losses represented 5.3 percent of private-sector employment in Delaware; 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 Delaware, contracting establishments lost 16,605 jobs in the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of 2,585 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 5,381 jobs, a decrease of 1,034 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 6 of the 8 published industry sectors in Delaware in the first quarter of 2025. Professional and business services had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 1,317 jobs. This was the result of 4,996 gross job gains and 3,679 gross job losses. Leisure and hospitality showed a net loss of 644 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state. This was the result of 5,280 gross job losses and 4,636 gross job gains.

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, Delaware, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	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	25,441	23,919	28,053	24,969	24,351	6.2	5.8	6.8	6.1	5.9
At expanding establishments	19,556	18,448	20,629	17,688	18,289	4.8	4.5	5.0	4.3	4.4
At opening establishments	5,885	5,471	7,424	7,281	6,062	1.4	1.3	1.8	1.8	1.5
Gross job losses	20,470	26,592	26,106	25,605	21,986	5.0	6.5	6.4	6.3	5.3
At contracting establishments	15,817	20,079	19,227	19,190	16,605	3.9	4.9	4.7	4.7	4.0
At closing establishments	4,653	6,513	6,879	6,415	5,381	1.1	1.6	1.7	1.6	1.3
Net employment change (2)	4,971	-2,673	1,947	-636	2,365	1.2	-0.7	0.4	-0.2	0.6
Construction
Gross job gains	2,333	1,704	1,826	1,761	1,880	9.5	7.0	7.6	7.2	7.6
At expanding establishments	1,859	1,246	1,274	1,268	1,332	7.6	5.1	5.3	5.2	5.4
At opening establishments	474	458	552	493	548	1.9	1.9	2.3	2.0	2.2
Gross job losses	1,250	2,507	1,747	1,567	1,571	5.2	10.2	7.3	6.5	6.4
At contracting establishments	915	2,128	1,316	1,133	1,184	3.8	8.7	5.5	4.7	4.8
At closing establishments	335	379	431	434	387	1.4	1.5	1.8	1.8	1.6
Net employment change (2)	1,083	-803	79	194	309	4.3	-3.2	0.3	0.7	1.2
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	657	715	756	981	743	5.3	5.7	6.0	7.7	5.8
At expanding establishments	436	467	566	463	513	3.5	3.7	4.5	3.6	4.0
At opening establishments	221	248	190	518	230	1.8	2.0	1.5	4.1	1.8
Gross job losses	572	807	680	579	805	4.6	6.4	5.4	4.6	6.2
At contracting establishments	459	542	449	444	640	3.7	4.3	3.6	3.5	4.9
At closing establishments	113	265	231	135	165	0.9	2.1	1.8	1.1	1.3
Net employment change (2)	85	-92	76	402	-62	0.7	-0.7	0.6	3.1	-0.4
Retail trade
Gross job gains	3,481	3,021	3,265	2,504	3,197	6.7	5.8	6.4	4.9	6.3
At expanding establishments	3,004	2,588	2,563	2,013	2,662	5.8	5.0	5.0	3.9	5.2
At opening establishments	477	433	702	491	535	0.9	0.8	1.4	1.0	1.1
Gross job losses	3,517	3,117	3,012	3,756	2,434	6.8	6.0	5.9	7.3	4.8
At contracting establishments	2,120	2,562	2,616	3,226	2,032	4.1	4.9	5.1	6.3	4.0
At closing establishments	1,397	555	396	530	402	2.7	1.1	0.8	1.0	0.8
Net employment change (2)	-36	-96	253	-1,252	763	-0.1	-0.2	0.5	-2.4	1.5
Financial activities
Gross job gains	1,504	1,202	2,500	1,948	1,797	3.0	2.4	5.0	3.9	3.6
At expanding establishments	1,206	947	2,058	1,094	1,353	2.4	1.9	4.1	2.2	2.7
At opening establishments	298	255	442	854	444	0.6	0.5	0.9	1.7	0.9
Gross job losses	1,085	1,609	2,804	2,196	1,393	2.1	3.2	5.7	4.4	2.8
At contracting establishments	918	1,320	2,376	1,042	1,031	1.8	2.6	4.8	2.1	2.1
At closing establishments	167	289	428	1,154	362	0.3	0.6	0.9	2.3	0.7
Net employment change (2)	419	-407	-304	-248	404	0.9	-0.8	-0.7	-0.5	0.8
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	4,953	5,637	6,487	3,903	4,996	7.8	8.6	9.9	6.0	7.8
At expanding establishments	3,671	4,103	4,712	2,448	3,248	5.8	6.3	7.2	3.8	5.1
At opening establishments	1,282	1,534	1,775	1,455	1,748	2.0	2.3	2.7	2.2	2.7
Gross job losses	3,190	5,331	5,483	6,474	3,679	5.0	8.1	8.3	10.0	5.7
At contracting establishments	2,512	3,991	3,674	4,804	2,443	3.9	6.1	5.6	7.4	3.8
At closing establishments	678	1,340	1,809	1,670	1,236	1.1	2.0	2.7	2.6	1.9
Net employment change (2)	1,763	306	1,004	-2,571	1,317	2.8	0.5	1.6	-4.0	2.1
Education and health services
Gross job gains	3,867	3,623	4,620	4,530	3,909	4.7	4.4	5.5	5.3	4.5
At expanding establishments	3,054	2,750	3,199	3,408	2,776	3.7	3.3	3.8	4.0	3.2
At opening establishments	813	873	1,421	1,122	1,133	1.0	1.1	1.7	1.3	1.3
Gross job losses	2,195	3,992	2,814	3,060	3,610	2.7	4.8	3.4	3.5	4.2
At contracting establishments	1,763	2,259	1,887	2,084	2,311	2.2	2.7	2.3	2.4	2.7
At closing establishments	432	1,733	927	976	1,299	0.5	2.1	1.1	1.1	1.5
Net employment change (2)	1,672	-369	1,806	1,470	299	2.0	-0.4	2.1	1.8	0.3
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	5,558	5,218	5,239	5,530	4,636	10.3	9.6	9.8	10.3	8.6
At expanding establishments	3,889	4,118	3,563	3,967	3,760	7.2	7.6	6.7	7.4	7.0
At opening establishments	1,669	1,100	1,676	1,563	876	3.1	2.0	3.1	2.9	1.6
Gross job losses	4,949	5,092	6,367	4,942	5,280	9.1	9.4	11.9	9.2	9.9
At contracting establishments	4,010	4,149	4,553	4,032	4,168	7.4	7.7	8.5	7.5	7.8
At closing establishments	939	943	1,814	910	1,112	1.7	1.7	3.4	1.7	2.1
Net employment change (2)	609	126	-1,128	588	-644	1.2	0.2	-2.1	1.1	-1.3
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	1,155	1,110	1,123	904	1,019	9.4	9.0	9.0	7.3	8.2
At expanding establishments	932	871	908	644	792	7.6	7.1	7.3	5.2	6.4
At opening establishments	223	239	215	260	227	1.8	1.9	1.7	2.1	1.8
Gross job losses	885	1,271	965	1,132	963	7.3	10.3	7.8	9.2	7.8
At contracting establishments	679	727	738	972	753	5.6	5.9	6.0	7.9	6.1
At closing establishments	206	544	227	160	210	1.7	4.4	1.8	1.3	1.7
Net employment change (2)	270	-161	158	-228	56	2.1	-1.3	1.2	-1.9	0.4
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)
	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.