From December 2025 to March 2026, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Missouri were 139,141, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 133,205, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner James B. Howard, Jr., noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 5,936 jobs in the private sector during the first quarter of 2026. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 16,723. (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 2026, gross job gains represented 5.6 percent of private-sector employment in Missouri; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.5 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 Missouri, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 107,199 in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 11,845 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 31,942 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 1,626 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job losses

In the first quarter of 2026, gross job losses represented 5.3 percent of private-sector employment in Missouri; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.5 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 Missouri, contracting establishments lost 104,927 jobs in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 516 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 28,278 jobs, a decrease of 2,168 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 5 of the 11 published industry sectors in Missouri in the first quarter of 2026. Construction had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 2,898 jobs. This was the result of 13,215 gross job gains and 10,317 gross job losses. The retail trade industry had a net gain of 2,640 jobs, followed by the education and health services sector with a net gain of 2,504 jobs. Professional and business services showed a net loss of 1,974 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 2026 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, January 27, 2027, at 9:00 a.m. (CT).

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.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Missouri, 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. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Mar. 2026	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Mar. 2026
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	133,763	137,236	140,477	152,612	139,141	5.4	5.6	5.7	6.2	5.6
At expanding establishments	106,649	108,148	111,823	119,044	107,199	4.3	4.4	4.5	4.8	4.3
At opening establishments	27,114	29,088	28,654	33,568	31,942	1.1	1.2	1.2	1.4	1.3
Gross job losses	131,331	150,465	143,784	135,889	133,205	5.2	6.1	5.9	5.4	5.3
At contracting establishments	105,342	121,177	115,040	105,443	104,927	4.2	4.9	4.7	4.2	4.2
At closing establishments	25,989	29,288	28,744	30,446	28,278	1.0	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.1
Net employment change (2)	2,432	-13,229	-3,307	16,723	5,936	0.2	-0.5	-0.2	0.8	0.3
Construction
Gross job gains	13,285	11,492	12,008	12,732	13,215	8.8	7.6	8.0	8.4	8.5
At expanding establishments	10,549	9,454	9,695	10,429	10,705	7.0	6.3	6.5	6.9	6.9
At opening establishments	2,736	2,038	2,313	2,303	2,510	1.8	1.3	1.5	1.5	1.6
Gross job losses	10,144	12,643	11,352	10,832	10,317	6.8	8.3	7.6	7.1	6.6
At contracting establishments	8,245	10,030	9,128	8,532	8,538	5.5	6.6	6.1	5.6	5.5
At closing establishments	1,899	2,613	2,224	2,300	1,779	1.3	1.7	1.5	1.5	1.1
Net employment change (2)	3,141	-1,151	656	1,900	2,898	2.0	-0.7	0.4	1.3	1.9
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	7,286	7,274	7,121	11,021	7,292	2.6	2.6	2.5	3.9	2.6
At expanding establishments	6,490	6,440	6,287	10,269	6,402	2.3	2.3	2.2	3.6	2.3
At opening establishments	796	834	834	752	890	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3
Gross job losses	7,975	7,317	10,444	7,670	7,568	2.8	2.6	3.7	2.7	2.7
At contracting establishments	7,269	6,171	9,611	6,596	6,704	2.6	2.2	3.4	2.3	2.4
At closing establishments	706	1,146	833	1,074	864	0.2	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.3
Net employment change (2)	-689	-43	-3,323	3,351	-276	-0.2	0.0	-1.2	1.2	-0.1
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	4,695	5,091	4,636	5,659	4,537	3.7	4.1	3.7	4.5	3.7
At expanding establishments	3,720	4,347	3,902	4,790	3,703	2.9	3.5	3.1	3.8	3.0
At opening establishments	975	744	734	869	834	0.8	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7
Gross job losses	6,045	5,493	4,571	5,038	5,393	4.8	4.4	3.6	4.0	4.3
At contracting establishments	4,911	4,286	3,882	4,072	4,500	3.9	3.4	3.1	3.2	3.6
At closing establishments	1,134	1,207	689	966	893	0.9	1.0	0.5	0.8	0.7
Net employment change (2)	-1,350	-402	65	621	-856	-1.1	-0.3	0.1	0.5	-0.6
Retail trade
Gross job gains	16,522	14,431	15,715	13,546	15,790	5.4	4.7	5.1	4.5	5.2
At expanding establishments	14,766	12,411	14,132	11,556	13,048	4.8	4.0	4.6	3.8	4.3
At opening establishments	1,756	2,020	1,583	1,990	2,742	0.6	0.7	0.5	0.7	0.9
Gross job losses	13,707	18,749	14,858	16,984	13,150	4.5	6.1	4.9	5.6	4.3
At contracting establishments	11,951	16,379	13,039	14,468	11,265	3.9	5.3	4.3	4.8	3.7
At closing establishments	1,756	2,370	1,819	2,516	1,885	0.6	0.8	0.6	0.8	0.6
Net employment change (2)	2,815	-4,318	857	-3,438	2,640	0.9	-1.4	0.2	-1.1	0.9
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	5,504	5,347	6,078	8,722	6,448	5.0	5.0	5.7	8.1	5.9
At expanding establishments	4,254	4,576	5,003	7,576	5,319	3.9	4.3	4.7	7.0	4.9
At opening establishments	1,250	771	1,075	1,146	1,129	1.1	0.7	1.0	1.1	1.0
Gross job losses	7,803	6,819	6,667	6,018	7,143	7.1	6.4	6.3	5.6	6.6
At contracting establishments	6,454	5,780	5,649	4,753	5,615	5.9	5.4	5.3	4.4	5.2
At closing establishments	1,349	1,039	1,018	1,265	1,528	1.2	1.0	1.0	1.2	1.4
Net employment change (2)	-2,299	-1,472	-589	2,704	-695	-2.1	-1.4	-0.6	2.5	-0.7
Information
Gross job gains	1,735	1,580	2,181	1,751	1,824	3.8	3.5	4.9	3.9	4.1
At expanding establishments	1,194	1,223	1,654	1,318	1,203	2.6	2.7	3.7	2.9	2.7
At opening establishments	541	357	527	433	621	1.2	0.8	1.2	1.0	1.4
Gross job losses	2,220	2,310	2,252	2,341	2,201	4.8	5.0	5.0	5.2	4.9
At contracting establishments	1,665	1,693	1,746	1,738	1,758	3.6	3.7	3.9	3.9	3.9
At closing establishments	555	617	506	603	443	1.2	1.3	1.1	1.3	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-485	-730	-71	-590	-377	-1.0	-1.5	-0.1	-1.3	-0.8
Financial activities
Gross job gains	7,577	7,653	7,037	9,236	7,397	4.4	4.4	4.1	5.3	4.3
At expanding establishments	5,914	5,971	5,345	6,623	5,415	3.4	3.4	3.1	3.8	3.1
At opening establishments	1,663	1,682	1,692	2,613	1,982	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.5	1.2
Gross job losses	7,101	8,356	8,109	8,454	7,968	4.1	4.8	4.7	4.9	4.6
At contracting establishments	5,481	6,454	5,882	6,340	6,034	3.2	3.7	3.4	3.7	3.5
At closing establishments	1,620	1,902	2,227	2,114	1,934	0.9	1.1	1.3	1.2	1.1
Net employment change (2)	476	-703	-1,072	782	-571	0.3	-0.4	-0.6	0.4	-0.3
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	20,813	22,539	25,045	24,533	21,305	5.6	6.2	6.9	6.8	5.8
At expanding establishments	16,301	17,447	19,102	18,417	16,139	4.4	4.8	5.3	5.1	4.4
At opening establishments	4,512	5,092	5,943	6,116	5,166	1.2	1.4	1.6	1.7	1.4
Gross job losses	22,631	25,811	23,532	24,402	23,279	6.2	7.1	6.4	6.7	6.4
At contracting establishments	17,453	21,244	18,338	18,444	17,968	4.8	5.8	5.0	5.1	4.9
At closing establishments	5,178	4,567	5,194	5,958	5,311	1.4	1.3	1.4	1.6	1.5
Net employment change (2)	-1,818	-3,272	1,513	131	-1,974	-0.6	-0.9	0.5	0.1	-0.6
Education and health services
Gross job gains	22,865	28,163	24,655	27,143	26,582	4.5	5.6	4.8	5.3	5.2
At expanding establishments	16,094	18,953	17,315	17,911	17,583	3.2	3.8	3.4	3.5	3.4
At opening establishments	6,771	9,210	7,340	9,232	8,999	1.3	1.8	1.4	1.8	1.8
Gross job losses	19,669	25,686	24,168	22,893	24,078	4.0	5.1	4.8	4.5	4.7
At contracting establishments	13,353	17,627	16,287	15,084	15,402	2.7	3.5	3.2	3.0	3.0
At closing establishments	6,316	8,059	7,881	7,809	8,676	1.3	1.6	1.6	1.5	1.7
Net employment change (2)	3,196	2,477	487	4,250	2,504	0.5	0.5	0.0	0.8	0.5
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	26,079	26,125	28,723	30,957	26,805	8.3	8.5	9.3	10.0	8.5
At expanding establishments	21,459	21,301	23,726	24,474	21,773	6.8	6.9	7.7	7.9	6.9
At opening establishments	4,620	4,824	4,997	6,483	5,032	1.5	1.6	1.6	2.1	1.6
Gross job losses	26,685	29,318	30,275	23,707	24,617	8.5	9.5	9.9	7.6	7.8
At contracting establishments	22,750	25,056	25,330	19,676	21,352	7.2	8.1	8.3	6.3	6.8
At closing establishments	3,935	4,262	4,945	4,031	3,265	1.3	1.4	1.6	1.3	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-606	-3,193	-1,552	7,250	2,188	-0.2	-1.0	-0.6	2.4	0.7
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	5,389	5,816	5,414	5,295	5,582	7.0	7.5	7.0	6.9	7.3
At expanding establishments	4,225	4,649	4,064	4,084	4,059	5.5	6.0	5.3	5.3	5.3
At opening establishments	1,164	1,167	1,350	1,211	1,523	1.5	1.5	1.7	1.6	2.0
Gross job losses	5,367	5,354	5,878	5,467	5,425	7.0	6.9	7.6	7.1	7.1
At contracting establishments	4,164	4,090	4,762	4,150	4,075	5.4	5.3	6.2	5.4	5.3
At closing establishments	1,203	1,264	1,116	1,317	1,350	1.6	1.6	1.4	1.7	1.8
Net employment change (2)	22	462	-464	-172	157	0.0	0.6	-0.6	-0.2	0.2
(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. (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. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Mar. 2026	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Mar. 2026
United States(1)	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.5	5.5	6.0	5.7	5.5	5.5
Alabama	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.9	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.5	5.3	5.2
Alaska	10.4	10.0	7.4	11.9	9.6	8.3	9.9	10.0	9.4	9.4
Arizona	5.8	5.2	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.3	6.2	5.3	5.4	5.6
Arkansas	5.1	5.1	5.4	6.0	5.3	5.1	5.6	5.4	5.3	5.4
California	6.1	6.4	6.3	6.9	6.3	6.4	6.7	6.1	6.1	6.0
Colorado	6.4	6.5	6.5	6.3	6.0	6.6	6.7	6.4	6.2	6.5
Connecticut	5.7	5.8	5.4	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.7	5.7	5.5	5.4
Delaware	6.0	6.0	5.3	5.5	5.5	5.4	6.1	6.0	5.6	5.4
District of Columbia	4.9	5.7	4.6	5.5	5.0	5.8	6.1	6.0	5.1	4.9
Florida	5.8	5.7	6.0	5.9	5.3	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.6	5.5
Georgia	5.6	5.5	5.7	5.9	5.3	5.7	5.6	5.7	5.4	5.5
Hawaii	5.2	4.9	5.2	5.1	5.0	5.2	5.2	4.8	4.7	5.1
Idaho	7.5	7.6	6.7	8.0	7.7	7.3	7.1	7.6	6.3	7.0
Illinois	5.0	5.2	4.7	5.3	5.1	5.0	5.1	5.0	5.3	5.0
Indiana	5.4	5.1	5.1	5.5	4.9	5.1	5.4	5.1	5.1	5.1
Iowa	6.0	5.5	4.8	6.2	6.0	5.6	5.8	5.9	5.4	5.4
Kansas	5.5	5.4	5.8	5.8	5.4	5.4	6.3	5.8	5.4	5.3
Kentucky	5.3	5.0	5.3	5.3	5.2	4.9	5.3	5.6	5.1	5.3
Louisiana	5.8	5.6	6.0	6.0	5.7	5.7	6.2	5.9	5.9	5.4
Maine	7.3	7.1	6.4	6.8	6.4	6.4	7.3	7.0	7.0	6.3
Maryland	5.9	5.7	5.8	6.1	5.6	5.8	6.6	6.3	5.5	6.0
Massachusetts	5.0	5.5	5.3	5.4	5.2	5.1	5.7	5.9	5.5	5.3
Michigan	5.3	5.8	4.9	5.6	5.4	5.3	5.4	5.9	5.3	4.9
Minnesota	5.1	5.8	5.3	5.5	5.2	5.4	5.5	5.6	5.5	5.6
Mississippi	6.0	6.2	6.4	6.4	5.7	6.1	6.2	6.0	5.9	6.3
Missouri	5.4	5.6	5.7	6.2	5.6	5.2	6.1	5.9	5.4	5.3
Montana	8.0	7.7	7.1	8.4	7.8	7.6	8.3	7.9	7.4	7.0
Nebraska	5.3	5.4	5.6	5.7	5.4	5.3	5.5	6.0	5.3	5.4
Nevada	5.4	6.1	6.9	6.4	5.7	5.9	6.3	5.3	5.4	5.7
New Hampshire	6.6	6.3	5.6	6.3	6.1	6.1	6.7	6.8	5.7	6.3
New Jersey	5.4	5.7	5.3	5.8	5.3	5.5	5.6	5.8	5.4	5.5
New Mexico	6.1	6.0	6.1	6.3	6.0	5.8	6.0	6.4	6.0	5.9
New York	7.0	6.1	5.9	5.6	5.4	5.2	7.0	5.7	5.5	5.2
North Carolina	5.6	5.7	5.4	6.0	5.8	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.0	5.3
North Dakota	6.7	6.4	6.2	6.9	6.8	6.5	6.8	6.6	6.4	6.7
Ohio	5.2	5.3	5.2	5.3	5.2	4.9	5.4	5.3	5.0	5.1
Oklahoma	5.5	5.6	6.0	6.2	5.3	5.3	6.2	6.3	5.3	5.3
Oregon	6.1	6.1	5.7	5.9	5.7	6.1	6.4	6.6	6.0	5.9
Pennsylvania	5.0	4.9	5.0	5.1	4.7	4.7	5.1	5.1	4.7	4.8
Rhode Island	6.6	6.3	6.0	6.6	5.8	5.9	6.7	6.6	6.2	6.0
South Carolina	6.1	5.9	6.3	6.6	6.0	5.6	6.1	6.1	5.5	5.7
South Dakota	6.3	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.9	6.4	6.0	5.9	6.1
Tennessee	5.5	5.3	5.8	6.0	5.4	5.3	6.5	5.5	5.3	4.9
Texas	5.1	5.2	5.3	5.8	5.4	5.1	5.3	5.2	4.9	5.4
Utah	6.8	6.9	6.9	6.6	6.4	6.2	6.8	6.5	6.2	6.1
Vermont	7.0	6.9	6.7	7.0	6.6	6.8	7.4	7.7	7.0	6.5
Virginia	5.6	5.9	5.8	5.8	5.5	5.2	5.8	6.1	5.2	5.4
Washington	5.7	6.0	5.2	5.6	5.7	6.0	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.5
West Virginia	6.7	5.6	6.1	6.1	6.4	5.9	6.4	6.2	6.2	5.4
Wisconsin	5.1	5.3	4.9	5.5	5.4	5.0	5.4	5.6	5.1	4.9
Wyoming	8.1	8.3	7.7	9.0	8.8	8.8	8.9	8.4	8.0	8.2
Puerto Rico	6.5	7.0	5.2	4.6	4.6	5.2	6.0	5.4	5.3	4.6
Virgin Islands	6.1	11.9	6.9	8.4	7.3	8.8	9.2	7.5	5.7	7.1
(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.