From December 2024 to March 2025, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in West Virginia were 36,060, while gross job losses from contracting and closing private-sector establishments were 31,822, 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 4,238 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 2,368. (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 6.4 percent of private-sector employment in West Virginia; 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 West Virginia, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 30,213 in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 3,285 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 5,847 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of 3,583 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job losses

In the first quarter of 2025, gross job losses represented 5.7 percent of private-sector employment in West Virginia; 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 West Virginia, contracting establishments lost 24,588 jobs in the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of 2,780 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 7,234 jobs, an increase of 612 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 7 of the 9 published industry sectors in West Virginia in the first quarter of 2025. Construction had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 2,141 jobs. This was the result of 4,799 gross job gains and 2,658 gross job losses. The retail trade industry had a net gain of 1,186 jobs. The education and health services sector had a net gain of 1,080 jobs. Transportation and warehousing showed a net loss of 341 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state.

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, West Virginia, 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	39,199	39,152	32,797	36,358	36,060	7.1	7.0	5.9	6.5	6.4
At expanding establishments	29,394	28,999	26,338	26,928	30,213	5.3	5.2	4.7	4.8	5.4
At opening establishments	9,805	10,153	6,459	9,430	5,847	1.8	1.8	1.2	1.7	1.0
Gross job losses	34,190	37,458	36,503	33,990	31,822	6.1	6.7	6.6	6.1	5.7
At contracting establishments	26,136	29,243	29,325	27,368	24,588	4.7	5.2	5.3	4.9	4.4
At closing establishments	8,054	8,215	7,178	6,622	7,234	1.4	1.5	1.3	1.2	1.3
Net employment change (2)	5,009	1,694	-3,706	2,368	4,238	1.0	0.3	-0.7	0.4	0.7
Construction
Gross job gains	4,972	3,617	3,271	3,644	4,799	14.3	10.5	9.9	11.0	13.7
At expanding establishments	4,134	2,927	2,679	2,644	4,164	11.9	8.5	8.1	8.0	11.9
At opening establishments	838	690	592	1,000	635	2.4	2.0	1.8	3.0	1.8
Gross job losses	4,342	3,967	3,943	3,747	2,658	12.5	11.5	11.9	11.4	7.6
At contracting establishments	3,727	3,046	3,242	2,993	2,142	10.7	8.8	9.8	9.1	6.1
At closing establishments	615	921	701	754	516	1.8	2.7	2.1	2.3	1.5
Net employment change (2)	630	-350	-672	-103	2,141	1.8	-1.0	-2.0	-0.4	6.1
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	923	1,008	1,063	907	1,046	4.7	5.1	5.4	4.6	5.4
At expanding establishments	653	692	631	636	808	3.3	3.5	3.2	3.2	4.2
At opening establishments	270	316	432	271	238	1.4	1.6	2.2	1.4	1.2
Gross job losses	897	959	968	923	887	4.6	4.9	4.9	4.7	4.5
At contracting establishments	529	735	750	740	611	2.7	3.8	3.8	3.8	3.1
At closing establishments	368	224	218	183	276	1.9	1.1	1.1	0.9	1.4
Net employment change (2)	26	49	95	-16	159	0.1	0.2	0.5	-0.1	0.9
Retail trade
Gross job gains	4,848	3,766	4,390	3,835	4,595	6.2	4.7	5.6	5.0	5.9
At expanding establishments	4,034	3,255	3,923	3,006	4,097	5.2	4.1	5.0	3.9	5.3
At opening establishments	814	511	467	829	498	1.0	0.6	0.6	1.1	0.6
Gross job losses	3,485	4,711	4,796	4,609	3,409	4.4	6.0	6.2	6.0	4.4
At contracting establishments	3,073	4,156	3,938	3,868	3,008	3.9	5.3	5.1	5.0	3.9
At closing establishments	412	555	858	741	401	0.5	0.7	1.1	1.0	0.5
Net employment change (2)	1,363	-945	-406	-774	1,186	1.8	-1.3	-0.6	-1.0	1.5
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	889	876	1,131	1,383	1,089	4.9	4.9	6.3	7.6	6.0
At expanding establishments	712	703	963	1,203	964	3.9	3.9	5.4	6.6	5.3
At opening establishments	177	173	168	180	125	1.0	1.0	0.9	1.0	0.7
Gross job losses	1,378	1,104	824	1,047	1,430	7.6	6.1	4.6	5.8	7.9
At contracting establishments	1,199	903	653	780	1,250	6.6	5.0	3.6	4.3	6.9
At closing establishments	179	201	171	267	180	1.0	1.1	1.0	1.5	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-489	-228	307	336	-341	-2.7	-1.2	1.7	1.8	-1.9
Financial activities
Gross job gains	1,352	1,788	1,576	1,461	1,533	5.2	6.9	6.1	5.7	6.0
At expanding establishments	1,036	1,326	1,235	1,059	1,184	4.0	5.1	4.8	4.1	4.6
At opening establishments	316	462	341	402	349	1.2	1.8	1.3	1.6	1.4
Gross job losses	1,451	1,800	1,489	1,749	1,405	5.6	6.9	5.7	6.8	5.4
At contracting establishments	1,171	1,141	1,117	1,345	1,040	4.5	4.4	4.3	5.2	4.0
At closing establishments	280	659	372	404	365	1.1	2.5	1.4	1.6	1.4
Net employment change (2)	-99	-12	87	-288	128	-0.4	0.0	0.4	-1.1	0.6
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	6,544	5,797	5,117	6,143	5,690	9.0	8.0	7.1	8.5	7.9
At expanding establishments	4,668	4,062	3,588	3,533	4,610	6.4	5.6	5.0	4.9	6.4
At opening establishments	1,876	1,735	1,529	2,610	1,080	2.6	2.4	2.1	3.6	1.5
Gross job losses	5,706	5,987	6,186	6,007	5,324	7.8	8.2	8.6	8.4	7.4
At contracting establishments	4,224	4,508	4,522	4,594	3,711	5.8	6.2	6.3	6.4	5.2
At closing establishments	1,482	1,479	1,664	1,413	1,613	2.0	2.0	2.3	2.0	2.2
Net employment change (2)	838	-190	-1,069	136	366	1.2	-0.2	-1.5	0.1	0.5
Education and health services
Gross job gains	8,248	12,350	6,180	6,967	6,048	6.1	8.9	4.4	4.9	4.2
At expanding establishments	4,896	8,022	5,217	5,098	4,910	3.6	5.8	3.7	3.6	3.4
At opening establishments	3,352	4,328	963	1,869	1,138	2.5	3.1	0.7	1.3	0.8
Gross job losses	6,721	7,983	6,048	5,861	4,968	4.9	5.8	4.2	4.1	3.4
At contracting establishments	4,112	5,416	4,711	4,807	3,494	3.0	3.9	3.3	3.4	2.4
At closing establishments	2,609	2,567	1,337	1,054	1,474	1.9	1.9	0.9	0.7	1.0
Net employment change (2)	1,527	4,367	132	1,106	1,080	1.2	3.1	0.2	0.8	0.8
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	6,485	5,301	5,862	6,830	6,728	8.9	7.4	8.2	9.4	9.3
At expanding establishments	5,449	4,248	4,881	5,576	5,809	7.5	5.9	6.8	7.7	8.0
At opening establishments	1,036	1,053	981	1,254	919	1.4	1.5	1.4	1.7	1.3
Gross job losses	6,177	5,883	7,008	5,174	6,844	8.5	8.1	9.8	7.2	9.4
At contracting establishments	4,868	5,075	5,955	4,372	5,532	6.7	7.0	8.3	6.1	7.6
At closing establishments	1,309	808	1,053	802	1,312	1.8	1.1	1.5	1.1	1.8
Net employment change (2)	308	-582	-1,146	1,656	-116	0.4	-0.7	-1.6	2.2	-0.1
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	1,498	1,460	1,399	1,485	1,511	8.5	8.2	7.9	8.4	8.5
At expanding establishments	1,182	1,179	1,163	1,057	1,294	6.7	6.6	6.6	6.0	7.3
At opening establishments	316	281	236	428	217	1.8	1.6	1.3	2.4	1.2
Gross job losses	1,180	1,475	1,601	1,559	1,292	6.7	8.3	9.0	8.8	7.3
At contracting establishments	957	1,278	1,277	1,235	974	5.4	7.2	7.2	7.0	5.5
At closing establishments	223	197	324	324	318	1.3	1.1	1.8	1.8	1.8
Net employment change (2)	318	-15	-202	-74	219	1.8	-0.1	-1.1	-0.4	1.2
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.