From December 2024 to March 2025, gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments in Mississippi were 57,475, while gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments were 53,782, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment loss of 3,693 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 1,171. (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 2025, gross job losses represented 6.1 percent of private-sector employment in Mississippi; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.4 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 Mississippi, contracting establishments lost 49,547 jobs in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 5,535 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 7,928 jobs, a decrease of 5,837 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job gains

In the first quarter of 2025, gross job gains represented 5.7 percent of private-sector employment in Mississippi; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.6 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 Mississippi, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 42,204 in the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of 5,638 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 11,578 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 472 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job losses exceeded gross job gains in 4 of the 10 published industry sectors in Mississippi in the first quarter of 2025. Leisure and hospitality had the largest over-the-quarter net job decrease, with a loss of 2,468 jobs. This was the result of 11,471 gross job losses and 9,003 gross job gains. The professional and business services industry had a net loss of 2,257 jobs. Construction showed a net gain of 1,804 jobs, the largest gain of any sector in the state. Mississippi’s education and health services industry sector had a net gain of 1,085 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 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, Mississippi, 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	55,402	53,426	58,102	58,948	53,782	6.0	5.7	6.3	6.3	5.7
At expanding establishments	44,582	43,397	46,280	47,842	42,204	4.8	4.6	5.0	5.1	4.5
At opening establishments	10,820	10,029	11,822	11,106	11,578	1.2	1.1	1.3	1.2	1.2
Gross job losses	53,966	58,904	53,671	57,777	57,475	5.8	6.3	5.7	6.2	6.1
At contracting establishments	45,767	48,275	44,003	44,012	49,547	4.9	5.2	4.7	4.7	5.3
At closing establishments	8,199	10,629	9,668	13,765	7,928	0.9	1.1	1.0	1.5	0.8
Net employment change (2)	1,436	-5,478	4,431	1,171	-3,693	0.2	-0.6	0.6	0.1	-0.4
Construction
Gross job gains	6,039	4,310	5,078	5,196	5,733	11.9	8.5	10.1	10.1	10.8
At expanding establishments	4,964	3,463	4,135	4,131	4,757	9.8	6.8	8.2	8.0	9.0
At opening establishments	1,075	847	943	1,065	976	2.1	1.7	1.9	2.1	1.8
Gross job losses	4,186	6,191	3,824	4,348	3,929	8.3	12.2	7.6	8.4	7.5
At contracting establishments	3,546	5,106	3,268	3,095	3,261	7.0	10.1	6.5	6.0	6.2
At closing establishments	640	1,085	556	1,253	668	1.3	2.1	1.1	2.4	1.3
Net employment change (2)	1,853	-1,881	1,254	848	1,804	3.6	-3.7	2.5	1.7	3.3
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	4,037	3,482	2,743	3,953	3,303	2.8	2.5	1.9	2.8	2.4
At expanding establishments	3,733	3,383	2,450	3,645	3,067	2.6	2.4	1.7	2.6	2.2
At opening establishments	304	99	293	308	236	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2
Gross job losses	4,158	4,088	4,902	4,056	4,751	2.9	2.9	3.4	2.9	3.4
At contracting establishments	3,849	3,576	4,586	3,734	4,519	2.7	2.5	3.2	2.7	3.2
At closing establishments	309	512	316	322	232	0.2	0.4	0.2	0.2	0.2
Net employment change (2)	-121	-606	-2,159	-103	-1,448	-0.1	-0.4	-1.5	-0.1	-1.0
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	1,733	1,819	1,873	1,655	1,801	4.7	4.9	5.1	4.6	4.9
At expanding establishments	1,340	1,374	1,461	1,300	1,504	3.6	3.7	4.0	3.6	4.1
At opening establishments	393	445	412	355	297	1.1	1.2	1.1	1.0	0.8
Gross job losses	1,561	1,971	1,826	1,929	1,658	4.3	5.4	4.9	5.3	4.5
At contracting establishments	1,200	1,649	1,411	1,483	1,392	3.3	4.5	3.8	4.1	3.8
At closing establishments	361	322	415	446	266	1.0	0.9	1.1	1.2	0.7
Net employment change (2)	172	-152	47	-274	143	0.4	-0.5	0.2	-0.7	0.4
Retail trade
Gross job gains	7,417	7,641	8,628	7,276	7,749	5.3	5.4	6.2	5.2	5.6
At expanding establishments	6,104	6,469	7,056	5,975	6,592	4.4	4.6	5.1	4.3	4.8
At opening establishments	1,313	1,172	1,572	1,301	1,157	0.9	0.8	1.1	0.9	0.8
Gross job losses	7,429	8,608	8,204	9,654	7,178	5.3	6.2	5.9	7.0	5.2
At contracting establishments	6,427	7,065	6,931	8,016	6,066	4.6	5.1	5.0	5.8	4.4
At closing establishments	1,002	1,543	1,273	1,638	1,112	0.7	1.1	0.9	1.2	0.8
Net employment change (2)	-12	-967	424	-2,378	571	0.0	-0.8	0.3	-1.8	0.4
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	2,502	2,665	3,464	3,533	2,502	4.0	4.3	5.7	5.7	4.1
At expanding establishments	2,016	2,244	2,737	3,181	2,095	3.2	3.6	4.5	5.1	3.4
At opening establishments	486	421	727	352	407	0.8	0.7	1.2	0.6	0.7
Gross job losses	3,695	3,384	2,701	3,176	4,209	5.9	5.5	4.4	5.2	6.9
At contracting establishments	3,402	2,857	2,176	2,269	3,681	5.4	4.6	3.5	3.7	6.0
At closing establishments	293	527	525	907	528	0.5	0.9	0.9	1.5	0.9
Net employment change (2)	-1,193	-719	763	357	-1,707	-1.9	-1.2	1.3	0.5	-2.8
Financial activities
Gross job gains	2,394	2,558	2,603	2,126	2,240	5.4	5.7	5.8	4.7	4.9
At expanding establishments	1,864	2,052	1,854	1,584	1,647	4.2	4.6	4.1	3.5	3.6
At opening establishments	530	506	749	542	593	1.2	1.1	1.7	1.2	1.3
Gross job losses	2,394	2,513	2,321	2,393	2,125	5.3	5.7	5.2	5.3	4.7
At contracting establishments	1,843	1,821	1,640	1,723	1,655	4.1	4.1	3.7	3.8	3.7
At closing establishments	551	692	681	670	470	1.2	1.6	1.5	1.5	1.0
Net employment change (2)	0	45	282	-267	115	0.1	0.0	0.6	-0.6	0.2
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	9,636	9,816	12,832	11,955	9,396	8.2	8.5	11.0	10.0	7.9
At expanding establishments	7,539	7,521	10,123	9,579	7,367	6.4	6.5	8.7	8.0	6.2
At opening establishments	2,097	2,295	2,709	2,376	2,029	1.8	2.0	2.3	2.0	1.7
Gross job losses	10,944	11,874	9,422	10,602	11,653	9.3	10.2	8.1	8.9	9.8
At contracting establishments	9,111	9,917	7,347	7,764	10,091	7.7	8.5	6.3	6.5	8.5
At closing establishments	1,833	1,957	2,075	2,838	1,562	1.6	1.7	1.8	2.4	1.3
Net employment change (2)	-1,308	-2,058	3,410	1,353	-2,257	-1.1	-1.7	2.9	1.1	-1.9
Education and health services
Gross job gains	7,633	8,233	6,806	7,736	7,909	5.0	5.4	4.4	5.0	5.0
At expanding establishments	6,354	7,032	5,744	6,457	6,132	4.2	4.6	3.7	4.2	3.9
At opening establishments	1,279	1,201	1,062	1,279	1,777	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.8	1.1
Gross job losses	6,770	4,822	6,947	7,957	6,824	4.4	3.1	4.4	5.1	4.3
At contracting establishments	5,665	4,029	5,646	5,818	5,838	3.7	2.6	3.6	3.7	3.7
At closing establishments	1,105	793	1,301	2,139	986	0.7	0.5	0.8	1.4	0.6
Net employment change (2)	863	3,411	-141	-221	1,085	0.6	2.3	0.0	-0.1	0.7
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	10,206	9,065	10,346	11,551	9,003	7.5	6.7	7.7	8.5	6.6
At expanding establishments	7,753	7,267	7,821	9,165	5,961	5.7	5.4	5.8	6.7	4.4
At opening establishments	2,453	1,798	2,525	2,386	3,042	1.8	1.3	1.9	1.8	2.2
Gross job losses	9,031	10,886	9,635	9,219	11,471	6.7	8.0	7.2	6.7	8.5
At contracting establishments	7,790	8,973	8,212	7,111	10,007	5.8	6.6	6.1	5.2	7.4
At closing establishments	1,241	1,913	1,423	2,108	1,464	0.9	1.4	1.1	1.5	1.1
Net employment change (2)	1,175	-1,821	711	2,332	-2,468	0.8	-1.3	0.5	1.8	-1.9
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	1,469	1,530	1,923	1,727	1,444	6.8	7.1	8.9	7.9	6.7
At expanding establishments	1,096	1,118	1,419	1,261	1,040	5.1	5.2	6.6	5.8	4.8
At opening establishments	373	412	504	466	404	1.7	1.9	2.3	2.1	1.9
Gross job losses	1,546	1,482	1,532	1,999	1,437	7.2	6.9	7.0	9.1	6.6
At contracting establishments	1,159	1,132	1,046	1,316	1,211	5.4	5.3	4.8	6.0	5.6
At closing establishments	387	350	486	683	226	1.8	1.6	2.2	3.1	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-77	48	391	-272	7	-0.4	0.2	1.9	-1.2	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. 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.