From December 2025 to March 2026, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Montana were 33,593, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 30,266, 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 3,327 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 4,123. (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 7.8 percent of private-sector employment in Montana; 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 Montana, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 25,395 in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 1,953 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 8,198 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 143 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job losses

In the first quarter of 2026, gross job losses represented 7.0 percent of private-sector employment in Montana; 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 Montana, contracting establishments lost 23,614 jobs in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 244 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 6,652 jobs, a decrease of 1,056 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 5 of the 10 published industry sectors in Montana in the first quarter of 2026. Education and health services had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 1,295 jobs. This was the result of 4,467 gross job gains and 3,172 gross job losses. The construction industry had a net gain of 1,270 jobs. Transportation and warehousing showed a net loss of 294 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 8:00 a.m. (MT).

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.

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Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Montana, 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	34,338	32,652	30,193	35,689	33,593	8.0	7.7	7.1	8.4	7.8
At expanding establishments	26,945	25,540	22,645	27,348	25,395	6.3	6.0	5.3	6.4	5.9
At opening establishments	7,393	7,112	7,548	8,341	8,198	1.7	1.7	1.8	2.0	1.9
Gross job losses	32,333	35,515	33,464	31,566	30,266	7.6	8.3	7.9	7.4	7.0
At contracting establishments	25,217	26,489	25,543	23,858	23,614	5.9	6.2	6.0	5.6	5.5
At closing establishments	7,116	9,026	7,921	7,708	6,652	1.7	2.1	1.9	1.8	1.5
Net employment change (2)	2,005	-2,863	-3,271	4,123	3,327	0.4	-0.6	-0.8	1.0	0.8
Construction
Gross job gains	4,485	4,094	3,462	4,735	4,991	11.7	10.9	9.6	12.9	12.7
At expanding establishments	3,422	3,070	2,442	3,346	3,853	8.9	8.2	6.8	9.1	9.8
At opening establishments	1,063	1,024	1,020	1,389	1,138	2.8	2.7	2.8	3.8	2.9
Gross job losses	4,086	4,396	4,287	3,525	3,721	10.7	11.7	11.9	9.5	9.5
At contracting establishments	3,060	3,115	3,240	2,480	2,756	8.0	8.3	9.0	6.7	7.0
At closing establishments	1,026	1,281	1,047	1,045	965	2.7	3.4	2.9	2.8	2.5
Net employment change (2)	399	-302	-825	1,210	1,270	1.0	-0.8	-2.3	3.4	3.2
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	1,028	948	1,001	928	1,084	4.8	4.5	4.8	4.5	5.2
At expanding establishments	826	779	768	829	808	3.9	3.7	3.7	4.0	3.9
At opening establishments	202	169	233	99	276	0.9	0.8	1.1	0.5	1.3
Gross job losses	973	1,184	1,192	1,103	949	4.6	5.6	5.7	5.3	4.6
At contracting establishments	805	926	965	812	805	3.8	4.4	4.6	3.9	3.9
At closing establishments	168	258	227	291	144	0.8	1.2	1.1	1.4	0.7
Net employment change (2)	55	-236	-191	-175	135	0.2	-1.1	-0.9	-0.8	0.6
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	930	944	815	1,003	844	4.9	5.0	4.3	5.3	4.5
At expanding establishments	746	721	572	731	621	3.9	3.8	3.0	3.9	3.3
At opening establishments	184	223	243	272	223	1.0	1.2	1.3	1.4	1.2
Gross job losses	972	1,149	1,136	867	932	5.1	6.0	6.1	4.6	5.0
At contracting establishments	762	779	839	684	667	4.0	4.1	4.5	3.6	3.6
At closing establishments	210	370	297	183	265	1.1	1.9	1.6	1.0	1.4
Net employment change (2)	-42	-205	-321	136	-88	-0.2	-1.0	-1.8	0.7	-0.5
Retail trade
Gross job gains	4,058	3,132	3,547	3,263	3,645	6.3	4.9	5.6	5.2	5.7
At expanding establishments	3,519	2,689	3,048	2,678	2,999	5.5	4.2	4.8	4.3	4.7
At opening establishments	539	443	499	585	646	0.8	0.7	0.8	0.9	1.0
Gross job losses	2,690	4,541	3,372	3,566	2,814	4.3	7.2	5.4	5.7	4.4
At contracting establishments	2,339	3,664	2,898	2,903	2,441	3.7	5.8	4.6	4.6	3.8
At closing establishments	351	877	474	663	373	0.6	1.4	0.8	1.1	0.6
Net employment change (2)	1,368	-1,409	175	-303	831	2.0	-2.3	0.2	-0.5	1.3
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	1,048	1,078	770	1,199	787	7.6	7.9	5.8	9.1	6.0
At expanding establishments	728	787	516	962	669	5.3	5.8	3.9	7.3	5.1
At opening establishments	320	291	254	237	118	2.3	2.1	1.9	1.8	0.9
Gross job losses	1,217	1,303	1,053	1,102	1,081	8.8	9.5	7.9	8.3	8.2
At contracting establishments	963	823	822	705	852	7.0	6.0	6.2	5.3	6.5
At closing establishments	254	480	231	397	229	1.8	3.5	1.7	3.0	1.7
Net employment change (2)	-169	-225	-283	97	-294	-1.2	-1.6	-2.1	0.8	-2.2
Financial activities
Gross job gains	1,555	1,468	1,337	1,431	1,345	6.5	6.2	5.6	6.1	5.7
At expanding establishments	1,006	1,127	931	1,002	969	4.2	4.8	3.9	4.3	4.1
At opening establishments	549	341	406	429	376	2.3	1.4	1.7	1.8	1.6
Gross job losses	1,673	1,399	1,555	1,392	1,392	7.1	5.9	6.6	6.0	5.9
At contracting establishments	1,159	937	1,125	908	929	4.9	4.0	4.8	3.9	3.9
At closing establishments	514	462	430	484	463	2.2	1.9	1.8	2.1	2.0
Net employment change (2)	-118	69	-218	39	-47	-0.6	0.3	-1.0	0.1	-0.2
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	4,824	5,269	4,872	5,212	4,876	9.1	9.9	9.2	9.7	9.0
At expanding establishments	3,561	3,983	3,024	3,514	3,236	6.7	7.5	5.7	6.5	6.0
At opening establishments	1,263	1,286	1,848	1,698	1,640	2.4	2.4	3.5	3.2	3.0
Gross job losses	4,873	4,720	4,938	4,930	4,920	9.2	8.9	9.2	9.2	9.1
At contracting establishments	3,512	3,119	3,311	3,450	3,503	6.6	5.9	6.2	6.4	6.5
At closing establishments	1,361	1,601	1,627	1,480	1,417	2.6	3.0	3.0	2.8	2.6
Net employment change (2)	-49	549	-66	282	-44	-0.1	1.0	0.0	0.5	-0.1
Education and health services
Gross job gains	3,804	3,826	3,454	3,822	4,467	4.7	4.7	4.2	4.7	5.5
At expanding establishments	3,216	3,077	2,771	3,092	3,516	4.0	3.8	3.4	3.8	4.3
At opening establishments	588	749	683	730	951	0.7	0.9	0.8	0.9	1.2
Gross job losses	3,654	3,456	3,509	3,820	3,172	4.5	4.3	4.3	4.7	3.8
At contracting establishments	2,843	2,658	2,801	2,852	2,646	3.5	3.3	3.4	3.5	3.2
At closing establishments	811	798	708	968	526	1.0	1.0	0.9	1.2	0.6
Net employment change (2)	150	370	-55	2	1,295	0.2	0.4	-0.1	0.0	1.7
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	8,366	8,604	7,541	10,556	8,143	11.3	11.6	10.3	14.2	10.8
At expanding establishments	6,607	6,917	6,062	8,780	6,340	8.9	9.3	8.3	11.8	8.4
At opening establishments	1,759	1,687	1,479	1,776	1,803	2.4	2.3	2.0	2.4	2.4
Gross job losses	8,557	9,613	9,092	7,825	8,222	11.5	12.9	12.4	10.5	10.9
At contracting establishments	6,997	7,969	7,306	6,604	6,817	9.4	10.7	10.0	8.9	9.0
At closing establishments	1,560	1,644	1,786	1,221	1,405	2.1	2.2	2.4	1.6	1.9
Net employment change (2)	-191	-1,009	-1,551	2,731	-79	-0.2	-1.3	-2.1	3.7	-0.1
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	1,453	1,288	1,290	1,508	1,383	7.9	7.0	7.1	8.3	7.6
At expanding establishments	1,111	988	1,012	1,032	1,022	6.0	5.4	5.6	5.7	5.6
At opening establishments	342	300	278	476	361	1.9	1.6	1.5	2.6	2.0
Gross job losses	1,464	1,593	1,409	1,277	1,284	8.0	8.7	7.8	7.1	7.0
At contracting establishments	1,046	1,047	1,029	940	954	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.2	5.2
At closing establishments	418	546	380	337	330	2.3	3.0	2.1	1.9	1.8
Net employment change (2)	-11	-305	-119	231	99	-0.1	-1.7	-0.7	1.2	0.6
(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.