From December 2025 to March 2026, gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments in Massachusetts were 168,577, while gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments were 165,250, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Mark J. Maggi noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment loss of 3,327 jobs in the private sector during the first quarter of 2026. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 775. (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 losses

In the first quarter of 2026, gross job losses represented 5.3 percent of private-sector employment in Massachusetts; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.5 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 Massachusetts, contracting establishments lost 135,448 jobs in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 5,061 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 33,129 jobs, an increase of 727 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job gains

In the first quarter of 2026, gross job gains represented 5.2 percent of private-sector employment in Massachusetts; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.5 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 Massachusetts, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 123,968 in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 9,929 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 41,282 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 3,043 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job losses exceeded gross job gains in 6 of the 11 published industry sectors in Massachusetts in the first quarter of 2026. Transportation and warehousing had the largest over-the-quarter net job decrease, with a loss of 3,602 jobs. This was the result of 8,112 gross job losses and 4,510 gross job gains. Manufacturing had the next largest net loss, with 1,584 jobs lost. Among industries with net gains, education and health services added 2,151 jobs, the result of 30,325 gross job gains and 28,174 gross job losses. Retail trade had a net gain of 1,281 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 Second Quarter 2026 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, January 27, 2027, 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.

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, Massachusetts, 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	161,588	176,218	166,588	172,136	165,250	5.0	5.5	5.3	5.4	5.2
At expanding establishments	128,748	142,969	124,996	133,897	123,968	4.0	4.5	4.0	4.2	3.9
At opening establishments	32,840	33,249	41,592	38,239	41,282	1.0	1.0	1.3	1.2	1.3
Gross job losses	164,087	182,040	185,579	172,911	168,577	5.1	5.7	5.9	5.5	5.3
At contracting establishments	134,706	146,578	148,377	140,509	135,448	4.2	4.6	4.7	4.5	4.3
At closing establishments	29,381	35,462	37,202	32,402	33,129	0.9	1.1	1.2	1.0	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-2,499	-5,822	-18,991	-775	-3,327	-0.1	-0.2	-0.6	-0.1	-0.1
Construction
Gross job gains	12,953	13,314	11,849	14,254	13,307	7.5	7.9	7.2	8.7	8.0
At expanding establishments	9,801	10,633	8,904	10,829	9,980	5.7	6.3	5.4	6.6	6.0
At opening establishments	3,152	2,681	2,945	3,425	3,327	1.8	1.6	1.8	2.1	2.0
Gross job losses	13,614	15,418	14,500	13,407	12,739	8.0	9.1	8.8	8.2	7.7
At contracting establishments	10,928	12,221	11,191	10,428	10,141	6.4	7.2	6.8	6.4	6.1
At closing establishments	2,686	3,197	3,309	2,979	2,598	1.6	1.9	2.0	1.8	1.6
Net employment change (2)	-661	-2,104	-2,651	847	568	-0.5	-1.2	-1.6	0.5	0.3
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	5,237	6,433	5,389	6,607	6,191	2.3	2.8	2.4	2.9	2.7
At expanding establishments	4,476	5,763	4,450	5,608	5,435	2.0	2.5	2.0	2.5	2.4
At opening establishments	761	670	939	999	756	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.3
Gross job losses	6,680	7,287	7,299	6,509	7,775	2.9	3.2	3.3	2.9	3.5
At contracting establishments	6,011	6,356	6,470	5,620	6,902	2.6	2.8	2.9	2.5	3.1
At closing establishments	669	931	829	889	873	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4
Net employment change (2)	-1,443	-854	-1,910	98	-1,584	-0.6	-0.4	-0.9	0.0	-0.8
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	5,289	4,873	5,225	4,205	4,654	4.5	4.2	4.4	3.6	4.0
At expanding establishments	4,265	3,826	3,796	3,307	3,577	3.6	3.3	3.2	2.8	3.1
At opening establishments	1,024	1,047	1,429	898	1,077	0.9	0.9	1.2	0.8	0.9
Gross job losses	4,882	5,599	5,000	5,169	4,611	4.1	4.8	4.3	4.5	4.0
At contracting establishments	3,827	4,231	3,696	3,799	3,550	3.2	3.6	3.2	3.3	3.1
At closing establishments	1,055	1,368	1,304	1,370	1,061	0.9	1.2	1.1	1.2	0.9
Net employment change (2)	407	-726	225	-964	43	0.4	-0.6	0.1	-0.9	0.0
Retail trade
Gross job gains	18,346	17,197	16,468	14,522	16,949	5.7	5.2	5.1	4.6	5.4
At expanding establishments	16,416	14,816	14,070	12,747	14,188	5.1	4.5	4.4	4.0	4.5
At opening establishments	1,930	2,381	2,398	1,775	2,761	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.9
Gross job losses	15,057	21,535	20,916	18,313	15,668	4.7	6.6	6.5	5.7	4.9
At contracting establishments	12,841	18,493	15,382	16,055	12,984	4.0	5.7	4.8	5.0	4.1
At closing establishments	2,216	3,042	5,534	2,258	2,684	0.7	0.9	1.7	0.7	0.8
Net employment change (2)	3,289	-4,338	-4,448	-3,791	1,281	1.0	-1.4	-1.4	-1.1	0.5
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	4,426	5,064	5,135	9,701	4,510	4.5	5.2	5.3	8.9	4.1
At expanding establishments	3,369	4,397	4,268	8,813	3,886	3.4	4.5	4.4	8.1	3.5
At opening establishments	1,057	667	867	888	624	1.1	0.7	0.9	0.8	0.6
Gross job losses	5,818	5,940	5,215	4,942	8,112	5.9	6.1	5.4	4.6	7.4
At contracting establishments	5,150	5,282	4,385	4,203	7,361	5.2	5.4	4.5	3.9	6.7
At closing establishments	668	658	830	739	751	0.7	0.7	0.9	0.7	0.7
Net employment change (2)	-1,392	-876	-80	4,759	-3,602	-1.4	-0.9	-0.1	4.3	-3.3
Information
Gross job gains	3,294	4,269	3,999	4,282	3,659	3.6	4.7	4.4	4.7	4.1
At expanding establishments	2,527	3,350	2,925	3,169	2,363	2.8	3.7	3.2	3.5	2.6
At opening establishments	767	919	1,074	1,113	1,296	0.8	1.0	1.2	1.2	1.5
Gross job losses	3,656	4,296	4,978	4,672	4,522	4.0	4.7	5.5	5.2	5.1
At contracting establishments	2,803	3,085	3,770	3,787	3,659	3.1	3.4	4.2	4.2	4.1
At closing establishments	853	1,211	1,208	885	863	0.9	1.3	1.3	1.0	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-362	-27	-979	-390	-863	-0.4	0.0	-1.1	-0.5	-1.0
Financial activities
Gross job gains	6,729	8,931	7,276	8,380	8,547	3.1	4.2	3.4	4.0	4.0
At expanding establishments	5,269	7,488	5,374	6,736	6,412	2.4	3.5	2.5	3.2	3.0
At opening establishments	1,460	1,443	1,902	1,644	2,135	0.7	0.7	0.9	0.8	1.0
Gross job losses	7,518	8,224	9,661	8,375	7,972	3.5	3.8	4.5	3.9	3.8
At contracting establishments	6,045	6,621	7,725	6,823	6,095	2.8	3.1	3.6	3.2	2.9
At closing establishments	1,473	1,603	1,936	1,552	1,877	0.7	0.7	0.9	0.7	0.9
Net employment change (2)	-789	707	-2,385	5	575	-0.4	0.4	-1.1	0.1	0.2
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	31,071	35,511	35,557	29,991	31,851	5.0	5.8	5.7	5.0	5.3
At expanding establishments	24,469	27,620	25,447	22,810	22,980	3.9	4.5	4.1	3.8	3.8
At opening establishments	6,602	7,891	10,110	7,181	8,871	1.1	1.3	1.6	1.2	1.5
Gross job losses	34,213	33,732	36,588	37,146	32,792	5.5	5.5	5.9	6.1	5.5
At contracting establishments	27,321	26,333	28,681	28,579	25,762	4.4	4.3	4.6	4.7	4.3
At closing establishments	6,892	7,399	7,907	8,567	7,030	1.1	1.2	1.3	1.4	1.2
Net employment change (2)	-3,142	1,779	-1,031	-7,155	-941	-0.5	0.3	-0.2	-1.1	-0.2
Education and health services
Gross job gains	31,981	32,756	32,085	31,050	30,325	4.0	4.0	4.0	3.8	3.7
At expanding establishments	26,534	27,595	25,764	22,956	23,475	3.3	3.4	3.2	2.8	2.9
At opening establishments	5,447	5,161	6,321	8,094	6,850	0.7	0.6	0.8	1.0	0.8
Gross job losses	28,350	31,944	30,925	30,598	28,174	3.5	4.0	3.8	3.7	3.5
At contracting establishments	23,237	25,821	26,007	25,446	22,506	2.9	3.2	3.2	3.1	2.8
At closing establishments	5,113	6,123	4,918	5,152	5,668	0.6	0.8	0.6	0.6	0.7
Net employment change (2)	3,631	812	1,160	452	2,151	0.5	0.0	0.2	0.1	0.2
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	33,601	36,915	34,600	39,602	36,226	9.1	10.2	9.6	10.9	9.9
At expanding establishments	25,019	28,988	23,727	30,154	25,259	6.8	8.0	6.6	8.3	6.9
At opening establishments	8,582	7,927	10,873	9,448	10,967	2.3	2.2	3.0	2.6	3.0
Gross job losses	35,176	38,013	39,340	34,833	36,777	9.7	10.4	10.9	9.6	10.0
At contracting establishments	29,468	30,262	32,361	28,878	29,329	8.1	8.3	9.0	8.0	8.0
At closing establishments	5,708	7,751	6,979	5,955	7,448	1.6	2.1	1.9	1.6	2.0
Net employment change (2)	-1,575	-1,098	-4,740	4,769	-551	-0.6	-0.2	-1.3	1.3	-0.1
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	7,063	9,092	7,123	7,714	7,163	6.4	8.2	6.4	7.1	6.5
At expanding establishments	5,444	7,003	4,914	5,664	4,937	4.9	6.3	4.4	5.2	4.5
At opening establishments	1,619	2,089	2,209	2,050	2,226	1.5	1.9	2.0	1.9	2.0
Gross job losses	7,187	7,396	9,491	6,945	7,416	6.5	6.6	8.5	6.3	6.8
At contracting establishments	5,515	5,603	7,356	5,325	5,569	5.0	5.0	6.6	4.8	5.1
At closing establishments	1,672	1,793	2,135	1,620	1,847	1.5	1.6	1.9	1.5	1.7
Net employment change (2)	-124	1,696	-2,368	769	-253	-0.1	1.6	-2.1	0.8	-0.3
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. (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
Footnotes (1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.