Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

News Release Information

25-147-DAL
Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (972) 850-4800

Business Employment Dynamics in Arkansas — Second Quarter 2024

From March 2024 to June 2024, gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments in Arkansas were 64,586, while gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments were 58,006, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment loss of 6,580 jobs in the private sector during the second quarter of 2024. During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 3,501. (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 second quarter of 2024, gross job gains represented 5.2 percent of private-sector employment in Arkansas; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.8 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 Arkansas, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 46,558 in the second quarter of 2024, a decrease of 1,281 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 11,448 jobs gained in the second quarter of 2024, a decrease of 1,263 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job losses

In the second quarter of 2024, gross job losses represented 5.8 percent of private-sector employment in Arkansas; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.9 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 Arkansas, contracting establishments lost 53,148 jobs in the second quarter of 2024, an increase of 8,180 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 11,438 jobs, a decrease of 643 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job losses exceeded gross job gains in 8 of the 10 published industry sectors in Arkansas in the second quarter of 2024. Professional and business services had the largest over-the-quarter net job decrease, with a loss of 2,012 jobs. This was the result of 13,371 gross job losses and 11,359 gross job gains. The leisure and hospitality industry had a net loss of 1,535 jobs, followed by retail trade with a net loss of 1,318 jobs. Education and health services showed a net gain of 758 jobs, the largest gain 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 Home.

The Business Employment Dynamics for Third Quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.


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, Arkansas, seasonally adjusted
CategoryGross job gains and losses
(3 months ended)
Gross job gains and losses
as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023
Mar.
2024
June
2024
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023
Mar.
2024
June
2024

Total private (1)

Gross job gains

64,04161,36667,36460,55058,0065.95.66.25.65.2

At expanding establishments

51,25950,11253,25847,83946,5584.74.64.94.44.2

At opening establishments

12,78211,25414,10612,71111,4481.21.01.31.21.0

Gross job losses

64,81761,85254,53557,04964,5866.05.85.05.25.8

At contracting establishments

54,19249,15843,88044,96853,1485.04.64.04.14.8

At closing establishments

10,62512,69410,65512,08111,4381.01.21.01.11.0

Net employment change (2)

-776-48612,8293,501-6,580-0.1-0.21.20.4-0.6

Construction

Gross job gains

6,0195,0395,9955,8075,1379.58.09.38.77.6

At expanding establishments

4,6093,9694,5754,6783,9927.36.37.17.05.9

At opening establishments

1,4101,0701,4201,1291,1452.21.72.21.71.7

Gross job losses

4,6754,9134,0064,4145,4347.47.86.26.68.1

At contracting establishments

3,7753,8653,1423,3064,1476.06.14.94.96.2

At closing establishments

9001,0488641,1081,2871.41.71.31.71.9

Net employment change (2)

1,3441261,9891,393-2972.10.23.12.1-0.5

Manufacturing

Gross job gains

5,0123,9774,5263,8374,1693.02.52.82.32.6

At expanding establishments

4,7893,6824,2313,4523,9062.92.32.62.12.4

At opening establishments

2232952953852630.10.20.20.20.2

Gross job losses

5,1014,9704,7404,2084,8033.13.02.92.62.9

At contracting establishments

4,6404,6314,4613,4934,4272.82.82.72.22.7

At closing establishments

4613392797153760.30.20.20.40.2

Net employment change (2)

-89-993-214-371-634-0.1-0.5-0.1-0.3-0.3

Wholesale trade

Gross job gains

3,1732,8112,9923,0132,8706.05.45.75.65.4

At expanding establishments

2,4162,3392,2612,4132,1684.64.54.34.54.1

At opening establishments

7574727316007021.40.91.41.11.3

Gross job losses

2,9532,5642,2762,8402,9085.74.94.35.35.5

At contracting establishments

2,4401,7931,8622,1782,3304.73.43.54.14.4

At closing establishments

5137714146625781.01.50.81.21.1

Net employment change (2)

220247716173-380.30.51.40.3-0.1

Retail trade

Gross job gains

7,6268,2566,9007,4746,7655.35.84.85.24.7

At expanding establishments

6,6467,0185,9276,0595,8884.64.94.14.24.1

At opening establishments

9801,2389731,4158770.70.90.71.00.6

Gross job losses

7,7707,2577,5166,4908,0835.45.05.24.55.6

At contracting establishments

6,6316,2226,3135,5746,6184.64.34.43.94.6

At closing establishments

1,1391,0351,2039161,4650.80.70.80.61.0

Net employment change (2)

-144999-616984-1,318-0.10.8-0.40.7-0.9

Transportation and warehousing

Gross job gains

3,3062,1294,2122,7613,3315.23.56.94.55.4

At expanding establishments

2,8471,7553,7852,2242,9404.52.96.23.64.8

At opening establishments

4593744275373910.70.60.70.90.6

Gross job losses

5,2243,6152,3243,9073,1388.35.93.86.35.1

At contracting establishments

4,7843,0361,8843,4612,5457.65.03.15.64.1

At closing establishments

4405794404465930.70.90.70.71.0

Net employment change (2)

-1,918-1,4861,888-1,146193-3.1-2.43.1-1.80.3

Financial activities

Gross job gains

3,0333,1623,2873,0082,5905.55.76.05.44.7

At expanding establishments

2,1492,1722,3552,1542,0623.93.94.33.93.7

At opening establishments

8849909328545281.61.81.71.51.0

Gross job losses

3,1863,2843,4092,9672,9955.75.96.15.35.4

At contracting establishments

2,3592,4242,6122,2162,1964.24.44.74.04.0

At closing establishments

8278607977517991.51.51.41.31.4

Net employment change (2)

-153-122-12241-405-0.2-0.2-0.10.1-0.7

Professional and business services

Gross job gains

11,67512,99311,48411,24811,3597.58.37.37.07.1

At expanding establishments

8,89310,3578,2248,4878,6045.76.65.25.35.4

At opening establishments

2,7822,6363,2602,7612,7551.81.72.11.71.7

Gross job losses

12,96712,2699,95810,01913,3718.37.86.36.28.4

At contracting establishments

11,1049,2487,4947,39811,1977.15.94.74.67.0

At closing establishments

1,8633,0212,4642,6212,1741.21.91.61.61.4

Net employment change (2)

-1,2927241,5261,229-2,012-0.80.51.00.8-1.3

Education and health services

Gross job gains

9,6448,6769,7289,2208,9805.04.45.04.74.5

At expanding establishments

7,9637,4308,1898,0107,3704.13.84.24.13.7

At opening establishments

1,6811,2461,5391,2101,6100.90.60.80.60.8

Gross job losses

7,3227,9927,7087,5628,2223.84.13.93.94.1

At contracting establishments

5,9006,4046,0555,6836,7623.13.33.12.93.4

At closing establishments

1,4221,5881,6531,8791,4600.70.80.81.00.7

Net employment change (2)

2,3226842,0201,6587581.20.31.10.80.4

Leisure and hospitality

Gross job gains

9,84910,00412,8339,2899,0097.77.910.07.17.0

At expanding establishments

7,4137,9409,6336,6966,7855.86.37.55.15.3

At opening establishments

2,4362,0643,2002,5932,2241.91.62.52.01.7

Gross job losses

10,90910,1458,48810,45810,5448.68.06.68.08.2

At contracting establishments

8,9208,0106,9538,4439,0097.06.35.46.57.0

At closing establishments

1,9892,1351,5352,0151,5351.61.71.21.51.2

Net employment change (2)

-1,060-1414,345-1,169-1,535-0.9-0.13.4-0.9-1.2

Other services (3)

Gross job gains

2,4032,1842,6042,3632,1948.98.09.48.47.9

At expanding establishments

1,7831,6821,8211,7661,5496.66.26.66.35.6

At opening establishments

6205027835976452.31.82.82.12.3

Gross job losses

2,1632,1431,9262,1452,2587.97.87.07.78.1

At contracting establishments

1,6071,4471,3781,5341,7305.95.35.05.56.2

At closing establishments

5566965486115282.02.52.02.21.9

Net employment change (2)

24041678218-641.00.22.40.7-0.2

(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. 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
CategoryGross job gains as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
Gross job losses as a percent of employment
(3 months ended)
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023
Mar.
2024
June
2024
June
2023
Sept.
2023
Dec.
2023
Mar.
2024
June
2024

United States(1)

6.25.96.05.75.85.96.05.75.45.9

Alabama

6.06.06.25.75.65.76.05.75.55.6

Alaska

11.08.510.210.510.28.910.59.98.69.6

Arizona

7.06.86.58.45.66.35.76.66.46.8

Arkansas

5.95.66.25.65.26.05.85.05.25.8

California

6.86.46.45.86.16.46.56.45.66.8

Colorado

7.35.48.26.46.56.56.17.67.76.2

Connecticut

6.45.85.65.65.85.76.25.75.25.6

Delaware

6.46.06.16.05.95.86.55.85.16.5

District of Columbia

5.45.45.25.15.15.35.45.64.96.0

Florida

6.86.56.15.86.05.95.95.95.45.9

Georgia

6.36.16.26.05.76.46.15.75.75.7

Hawaii

5.75.36.15.45.15.36.85.05.15.4

Idaho

7.87.28.57.97.57.47.95.88.37.4

Illinois

5.44.85.05.15.25.25.35.14.85.3

Indiana

5.65.75.55.35.25.85.75.15.05.5

Iowa

6.05.66.16.15.55.95.85.75.65.7

Kansas

6.15.75.85.75.86.06.05.35.65.7

Kentucky

5.65.75.75.75.25.95.65.25.05.9

Louisiana

6.06.26.36.25.76.56.05.85.76.3

Maine

7.67.07.47.27.37.67.87.06.17.0

Maryland

6.76.36.25.87.26.66.45.85.76.5

Massachusetts

5.95.45.55.25.75.65.95.55.15.6

Michigan

5.95.25.55.45.75.35.95.55.25.6

Minnesota

6.03.36.95.85.75.54.36.95.75.4

Mississippi

6.46.26.15.75.86.56.25.76.16.3

Missouri

5.85.66.05.75.65.95.85.65.35.8

Montana

7.87.78.88.17.98.48.47.27.57.6

Nebraska

6.26.05.95.85.45.75.95.75.15.6

Nevada

6.56.56.75.95.85.95.65.46.25.7

New Hampshire

6.75.86.26.56.16.36.75.95.86.0

New Jersey

6.46.05.95.55.96.06.05.85.45.4

New Mexico

6.66.46.96.06.06.36.85.86.06.3

New York

6.25.85.75.95.95.86.05.65.05.5

North Carolina

6.15.76.35.45.65.76.14.95.55.7

North Dakota

6.96.66.76.96.66.76.66.36.16.6

Ohio

5.65.25.45.55.25.65.65.24.85.4

Oklahoma

6.36.36.15.65.66.16.05.85.26.4

Oregon

6.46.16.26.46.06.66.76.26.16.4

Pennsylvania

5.25.25.25.14.95.55.14.84.65.1

Rhode Island

6.76.46.86.96.66.86.76.35.76.7

South Carolina

6.46.66.26.45.96.65.75.36.36.4

South Dakota

6.76.36.66.36.06.06.35.85.86.3

Tennessee

5.85.66.25.55.55.55.75.54.95.7

Texas

5.85.75.75.45.45.45.55.25.15.3

Utah

6.96.96.66.76.46.46.66.56.06.6

Vermont

7.46.47.37.26.67.57.96.66.37.5

Virginia

6.15.95.95.75.75.96.05.55.25.6

Washington

6.15.86.05.75.75.76.05.45.35.3

West Virginia

6.16.56.56.96.66.46.65.85.76.8

Wisconsin

5.65.25.55.55.35.85.85.24.85.5

Wyoming

8.48.38.98.48.28.78.28.48.39.0

Puerto Rico

5.95.74.95.45.65.05.34.84.64.9

Virgin Islands

7.58.26.05.64.36.56.85.94.55.1

(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.

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, February 11, 2025