Business Employment Dynamics in Rhode Island — Fourth Quarter 2025

From September 2025 to December 2025, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Rhode Island were 28,673, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 26,739, 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 gain of 1,934 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2025. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 2,991. (See chart 1.)

Line chart of private-sector gross job gains and losses in Rhode Island, December 2020 to December 2025, seasonally adjusted. An accessible version is available in View Chart Data link below the chart.

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Rhode Island, December 2020–December 2025, seasonally adjusted
Period	Gross job gains	Gross job losses
Dec 2020	29,290	27,566
Mar 2021	38,492	22,121
Jun 2021	28,428	25,655
Sep 2021	30,711	28,444
Dec 2021	34,396	26,937
Mar 2022	32,875	24,905
Jun 2022	29,711	28,092
Sep 2022	28,029	30,715
Dec 2022	28,976	27,214
Mar 2023	31,740	25,267
Jun 2023	28,961	29,298
Sep 2023	27,460	28,942
Dec 2023	28,790	27,233
Mar 2024	29,619	24,695
Jun 2024	28,361	29,011
Sep 2024	27,098	27,874
Dec 2024	31,924	27,324
Mar 2025	29,048	26,008
Jun 2025	27,675	29,304
Sep 2025	26,251	29,242
Dec 2025	28,673	26,739

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 fourth quarter of 2025, gross job gains represented 6.6 percent of private-sector employment in Rhode Island; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.9 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 Rhode Island, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 21,720 in the fourth quarter of 2025, an increase of 1,996 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 6,953 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2025, an increase of 426 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 2. Private-sector gross job gains as a percent of employment, United States and Rhode Island, December 2020–December 2025, seasonally adjusted
Period	Rhode Island	United States
Dec 2020	7.6	7.4
Mar 2021	9.8	7.0
Jun 2021	7.0	6.8
Sep 2021	7.6	7.3
Dec 2021	8.4	7.7
Mar 2022	7.9	6.7
Jun 2022	7.0	6.5
Sep 2022	6.6	6.9
Dec 2022	6.9	6.3
Mar 2023	7.4	6.3
Jun 2023	6.7	6.2
Sep 2023	6.4	5.9
Dec 2023	6.8	6.0
Mar 2024	6.8	5.9
Jun 2024	6.6	5.8
Sep 2024	6.2	5.8
Dec 2024	7.3	5.9
Mar 2025	6.6	5.6
Jun 2025	6.3	5.7
Sep 2025	6.0	5.6
Dec 2025	6.6	5.9

Gross job losses

In the fourth quarter of 2025, gross job losses represented 6.2 percent of private-sector employment in Rhode Island; 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 Rhode Island, contracting establishments lost 20,348 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2025, a decrease of 2,316 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 6,391 jobs, a decrease of 187 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 3. Private-sector gross job losses as a percent of employment, United States and Rhode Island, December 2020–December 2025, seasonally adjusted
Period	Rhode Island	United States
Dec 2020	7.1	5.7
Mar 2021	5.7	5.5
Jun 2021	6.3	5.9
Sep 2021	7.1	6.0
Dec 2021	6.6	5.4
Mar 2022	6.0	5.5
Jun 2022	6.6	6.2
Sep 2022	7.3	5.9
Dec 2022	6.4	5.9
Mar 2023	5.9	5.5
Jun 2023	6.8	5.9
Sep 2023	6.7	5.9
Dec 2023	6.3	5.7
Mar 2024	5.7	5.5
Jun 2024	6.7	5.9
Sep 2024	6.4	5.8
Dec 2024	6.3	5.7
Mar 2025	5.9	5.4
Jun 2025	6.7	6.0
Sep 2025	6.7	5.7
Dec 2025	6.2	5.5

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 6 of the 8 published industry sectors in Rhode Island in the fourth quarter of 2025. Leisure and hospitality had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 618 jobs. This was the result of 7,195 gross job gains and 6,577 gross job losses. The financial activities industry had a net gain of 560 jobs. In contrast, Rhode Island’s retail trade industry had a net loss of 144 jobs, the result of 2,557 gross job losses and 2,413 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 at the Business Employment Dynamics homepage and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary.

The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2026 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Revisions to Business Employment Dynamics (BED) Data

The release of First Quarter 2026 Business Employment Dynamics data, scheduled for October 28, 2026, will incorporate annual revisions in accordance with standard procedures. The revisions will include the previous four quarters of not seasonally adjusted data and five years of seasonally adjusted data.

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, Rhode Island, seasonally adjusted
Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
Category	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	31,924	29,048	27,675	26,251	28,673	7.3	6.6	6.3	6.0	6.6
At expanding establishments	21,913	22,760	21,999	19,724	21,720	5.0	5.2	5.0	4.5	5.0
At opening establishments	10,011	6,288	5,676	6,527	6,953	2.3	1.4	1.3	1.5	1.6
Gross job losses	27,324	26,008	29,304	29,242	26,739	6.3	5.9	6.7	6.7	6.2
At contracting establishments	20,964	20,373	22,704	22,664	20,348	4.8	4.6	5.2	5.2	4.7
At closing establishments	6,360	5,635	6,600	6,578	6,391	1.5	1.3	1.5	1.5	1.5
Net employment change (2)	4,600	3,040	-1,629	-2,991	1,934	1.0	0.7	-0.4	-0.7	0.4
Construction
Gross job gains	2,531	2,947	1,978	2,163	2,351	11.5	12.8	8.6	9.9	10.6
At expanding establishments	1,810	2,115	1,473	1,402	1,665	8.2	9.2	6.4	6.4	7.5
At opening establishments	721	832	505	761	686	3.3	3.6	2.2	3.5	3.1
Gross job losses	2,477	1,916	2,700	2,277	2,290	11.2	8.3	11.7	10.3	10.3
At contracting establishments	1,681	1,407	1,848	1,583	1,598	7.6	6.1	8.0	7.2	7.2
At closing establishments	796	509	852	694	692	3.6	2.2	3.7	3.1	3.1
Net employment change (2)	54	1,031	-722	-114	61	0.3	4.5	-3.1	-0.4	0.3
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	818	749	766	901	893	4.9	4.6	4.7	5.5	5.5
At expanding establishments	581	511	564	609	636	3.5	3.1	3.5	3.7	3.9
At opening establishments	237	238	202	292	257	1.4	1.5	1.2	1.8	1.6
Gross job losses	814	776	806	786	907	4.9	4.8	4.9	4.8	5.5
At contracting establishments	532	538	554	608	608	3.2	3.3	3.4	3.7	3.7
At closing establishments	282	238	252	178	299	1.7	1.5	1.5	1.1	1.8
Net employment change (2)	4	-27	-40	115	-14	0.0	-0.2	-0.2	0.7	0.0
Retail trade
Gross job gains	2,623	2,582	2,315	2,146	2,413	5.5	5.4	4.9	4.7	5.2
At expanding establishments	2,222	2,186	1,977	1,788	2,087	4.7	4.6	4.2	3.9	4.5
At opening establishments	401	396	338	358	326	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.8	0.7
Gross job losses	2,645	2,432	2,889	2,836	2,557	5.6	5.2	6.1	6.1	5.6
At contracting establishments	2,163	2,067	2,350	2,226	2,185	4.6	4.4	5.0	4.8	4.8
At closing establishments	482	365	539	610	372	1.0	0.8	1.1	1.3	0.8
Net employment change (2)	-22	150	-574	-690	-144	-0.1	0.2	-1.2	-1.4	-0.4
Financial activities
Gross job gains	1,311	1,242	1,457	1,508	1,931	4.2	3.9	4.6	4.8	6.0
At expanding establishments	976	1,048	1,145	1,035	1,549	3.1	3.3	3.6	3.3	4.8
At opening establishments	335	194	312	473	382	1.1	0.6	1.0	1.5	1.2
Gross job losses	1,333	1,314	1,600	1,469	1,371	4.2	4.1	5.1	4.6	4.3
At contracting establishments	1,083	1,025	1,232	1,169	947	3.4	3.2	3.9	3.7	3.0
At closing establishments	250	289	368	300	424	0.8	0.9	1.2	0.9	1.3
Net employment change (2)	-22	-72	-143	39	560	0.0	-0.2	-0.5	0.2	1.7
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	4,914	5,023	5,699	4,460	5,329	7.1	7.3	8.3	6.5	7.9
At expanding establishments	3,308	3,496	4,121	2,824	3,772	4.8	5.1	6.0	4.1	5.6
At opening establishments	1,606	1,527	1,578	1,636	1,557	2.3	2.2	2.3	2.4	2.3
Gross job losses	5,964	4,979	5,271	5,664	5,189	8.6	7.3	7.7	8.2	7.7
At contracting establishments	4,037	3,414	3,642	3,858	3,451	5.8	5.0	5.3	5.6	5.1
At closing establishments	1,927	1,565	1,629	1,806	1,738	2.8	2.3	2.4	2.6	2.6
Net employment change (2)	-1,050	44	428	-1,204	140	-1.5	0.0	0.6	-1.7	0.2
Education and health services
Gross job gains	4,414	4,355	3,914	5,040	4,047	4.0	4.0	3.6	4.6	3.7
At expanding establishments	3,626	3,717	3,247	4,530	3,311	3.3	3.4	3.0	4.1	3.0
At opening establishments	788	638	667	510	736	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.7
Gross job losses	4,150	3,799	4,919	4,193	3,717	3.8	3.4	4.5	3.8	3.3
At contracting establishments	3,489	3,117	4,365	3,279	3,129	3.2	2.8	4.0	3.0	2.8
At closing establishments	661	682	554	914	588	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.8	0.5
Net employment change (2)	264	556	-1,005	847	330	0.2	0.6	-0.9	0.8	0.4
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	7,970	6,802	6,583	6,489	7,195	13.1	11.0	10.7	10.6	11.8
At expanding establishments	6,120	5,190	5,461	4,983	5,132	10.1	8.4	8.9	8.1	8.4
At opening establishments	1,850	1,612	1,122	1,506	2,063	3.0	2.6	1.8	2.5	3.4
Gross job losses	6,106	6,808	6,579	7,149	6,577	10.0	11.0	10.7	11.7	10.7
At contracting establishments	4,993	5,777	5,271	5,818	5,346	8.2	9.3	8.6	9.5	8.7
At closing establishments	1,113	1,031	1,308	1,331	1,231	1.8	1.7	2.1	2.2	2.0
Net employment change (2)	1,864	-6	4	-660	618	3.1	0.0	0.0	-1.1	1.1
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	1,418	1,328	1,549	1,041	1,337	8.2	7.8	9.0	6.0	7.9
At expanding establishments	1,074	1,041	1,198	727	928	6.2	6.1	7.0	4.2	5.5
At opening establishments	344	287	351	314	409	2.0	1.7	2.0	1.8	2.4
Gross job losses	1,296	1,402	1,347	1,456	1,314	7.4	8.2	7.9	8.5	7.8
At contracting establishments	997	1,026	952	1,129	1,034	5.7	6.0	5.6	6.6	6.1
At closing establishments	299	376	395	327	280	1.7	2.2	2.3	1.9	1.7
Net employment change (2)	122	-74	202	-415	23	0.8	-0.4	1.1	-2.5	0.1
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)
Category	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025	Dec. 2024	Mar. 2025	June 2025	Sept. 2025	Dec. 2025
United States(1)	5.9	5.6	5.7	5.6	5.9	5.7	5.4	6.0	5.7	5.5
Alabama	5.8	5.3	5.5	5.4	6.1	5.3	5.6	5.6	5.5	5.4
Alaska	10.3	10.0	9.9	7.5	11.8	9.5	8.1	10.3	10.0	9.3
Arizona	6.1	5.8	5.3	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.3	6.3	5.5	5.4
Arkansas	5.8	5.1	5.1	5.3	6.0	4.8	5.1	5.5	5.3	5.0
California	6.7	6.0	6.6	6.2	6.8	6.4	6.2	6.7	6.0	6.1
Colorado	6.2	6.2	6.4	6.5	6.2	6.5	6.8	7.1	6.5	6.4
Connecticut	5.5	5.6	5.8	5.3	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.8	5.9	5.5
Delaware	6.1	5.9	5.9	5.3	5.5	6.3	5.3	6.1	6.1	5.5
District of Columbia	5.0	4.8	5.7	4.6	5.2	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.9	5.0
Florida	6.0	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.9	6.2	5.5	5.8	6.0	5.7
Georgia	6.0	5.5	5.5	5.7	5.9	5.4	5.7	5.6	5.8	5.5
Hawaii	5.3	4.9	4.8	5.1	5.0	5.0	5.0	5.2	4.8	4.7
Idaho	8.2	7.3	7.7	6.7	8.1	6.8	7.3	7.2	7.6	6.3
Illinois	5.1	5.0	5.2	4.7	5.3	5.1	5.0	5.2	5.0	5.3
Indiana	5.5	5.4	5.0	5.1	5.5	5.1	5.2	5.6	5.1	5.1
Iowa	5.6	5.8	5.6	4.8	6.3	5.6	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.4
Kansas	5.9	5.5	5.4	5.8	5.7	5.2	5.4	6.3	5.8	5.3
Kentucky	5.3	5.2	5.0	5.3	5.2	5.5	4.8	5.4	5.6	5.0
Louisiana	6.2	5.6	5.5	5.9	6.0	5.5	5.6	6.3	6.0	5.9
Maine	7.0	7.4	7.2	6.2	6.8	7.1	6.3	7.4	7.0	7.0
Maryland	6.0	5.9	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.9	5.7	6.2	6.5	5.6
Massachusetts	5.3	5.0	5.5	5.3	5.4	5.5	5.1	5.8	5.9	5.6
Michigan	5.4	5.2	5.8	4.9	5.6	5.9	5.3	5.5	5.9	5.3
Minnesota	5.5	5.1	5.8	5.3	5.6	5.1	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.5
Mississippi	6.3	5.7	6.3	6.4	6.4	6.2	6.1	6.5	6.1	5.8
Missouri	5.7	5.4	5.5	5.6	6.1	5.3	5.2	6.1	5.9	5.5
Montana	8.4	8.0	7.7	7.0	8.4	7.8	7.5	8.3	7.9	7.4
Nebraska	5.6	5.2	5.4	5.5	5.7	5.5	5.3	5.5	5.8	5.2
Nevada	6.1	5.4	6.2	6.9	6.2	5.6	5.9	6.3	5.2	5.4
New Hampshire	6.3	6.5	6.3	5.6	6.2	5.9	6.1	6.7	6.8	5.7
New Jersey	6.0	5.6	5.8	5.3	5.7	5.5	5.4	5.5	5.8	5.3
New Mexico	6.1	5.9	5.9	5.8	6.1	5.9	5.8	6.0	6.2	6.0
New York	5.7	6.6	5.9	5.9	5.6	5.5	5.0	7.0	5.8	5.6
North Carolina	6.1	5.4	5.6	5.4	6.0	5.5	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.1
North Dakota	6.5	6.7	6.4	6.2	6.9	6.6	6.5	6.7	6.6	6.4
Ohio	5.4	5.2	5.3	5.1	5.3	5.1	4.9	5.4	5.3	5.0
Oklahoma	6.0	5.5	5.5	6.0	6.2	5.5	5.3	6.2	6.4	5.1
Oregon	6.2	5.8	6.4	5.7	6.0	6.6	6.2	6.5	6.7	6.0
Pennsylvania	5.2	5.0	4.9	5.0	5.1	4.8	4.7	5.2	5.2	4.7
Rhode Island	7.3	6.6	6.3	6.0	6.6	6.3	5.9	6.7	6.7	6.2
South Carolina	6.4	6.1	5.8	6.3	6.7	5.9	5.5	6.6	6.5	5.5
South Dakota	6.7	6.2	6.0	5.9	6.0	5.9	6.5	6.1	6.0	5.6
Tennessee	5.5	5.4	5.1	5.7	6.2	6.2	5.1	5.9	5.2	5.2
Texas	5.8	5.1	5.2	5.3	5.6	5.2	5.1	5.4	5.3	4.9
Utah	6.8	6.6	6.6	6.7	6.5	6.3	6.0	6.6	6.4	6.1
Vermont	6.7	6.9	6.9	6.6	6.9	6.7	6.8	7.5	7.8	7.0
Virginia	5.8	5.6	5.8	5.9	5.8	5.5	5.1	5.8	6.1	5.1
Washington	5.8	5.7	6.0	5.2	5.6	5.7	5.5	5.4	5.6	5.3
West Virginia	6.5	6.4	5.5	5.8	5.9	6.1	5.7	6.3	6.0	6.0
Wisconsin	5.3	5.0	5.3	4.9	5.6	5.2	4.9	5.5	5.6	5.1
Wyoming	8.9	8.1	8.3	7.7	9.0	8.3	8.7	8.9	8.4	8.0
Puerto Rico	4.3	6.3	7.0	5.4	4.4	5.4	5.4	6.1	5.7	5.2
Virgin Islands	5.2	5.4	15.0	7.1	9.1	10.8	7.6	9.5	8.4	7.2
Footnotes (1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Last Modified Date: Friday, July 31, 2026

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Business Employment Dynamics in Rhode Island — Fourth Quarter 2025