Business Employment Dynamics in Louisiana – Third Quarter 2024

From June 2024 to September 2024, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Louisiana were 97,338, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 93,417, 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 gain of 3,921 jobs in the private sector during the third quarter of 2024. During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 9,373. (See chart 1.)

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Louisiana, September 2019–September 2024, seasonally adjusted

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Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Louisiana, September 2019–September 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	Gross job gains	Gross job losses
Sep 2019	95,315	97,441
Dec 2019	93,968	92,732
Mar 2020	86,730	103,698
Jun 2020	66,167	252,023
Sep 2020	129,815	99,131
Dec 2020	126,851	81,809
Mar 2021	101,412	87,758
Jun 2021	104,361	92,418
Sep 2021	102,903	127,047
Dec 2021	146,973	87,267
Mar 2022	103,648	97,570
Jun 2022	104,420	99,205
Sep 2022	109,013	89,197
Dec 2022	96,195	98,063
Mar 2023	102,603	88,240
Jun 2023	96,049	102,368
Sep 2023	97,519	95,262
Dec 2023	101,138	92,509
Mar 2024	99,148	91,885
Jun 2024	91,781	101,154
Sep 2024	97,338	93,417

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 third quarter of 2024, gross job gains represented 6.1 percent of private-sector employment in Louisiana; 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 Louisiana, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 79,591 in the third quarter of 2024, an increase of 5,274 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 17,747 jobs gained in the third quarter of 2024, an increase of 283 jobs from the previous quarter.

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Chart 2. Private-sector gross job gains as a percent of employment, United States and Louisiana, September 2019–September 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	Louisiana	United States
Sep 2019	6.0	5.9
Dec 2019	5.8	6.2
Mar 2020	5.4	5.5
Jun 2020	4.4	4.8
Sep 2020	9.1	9.5
Dec 2020	8.7	7.4
Mar 2021	6.8	6.9
Jun 2021	6.9	6.8
Sep 2021	6.9	7.3
Dec 2021	9.6	7.7
Mar 2022	6.7	6.7
Jun 2022	6.7	6.5
Sep 2022	6.9	6.9
Dec 2022	6.0	6.3
Mar 2023	6.5	6.3
Jun 2023	6.0	6.2
Sep 2023	6.2	5.9
Dec 2023	6.3	6.0
Mar 2024	6.2	5.7
Jun 2024	5.7	5.8
Sep 2024	6.1	5.8

Gross job losses

In the third quarter of 2024, gross job losses represented 5.8 percent of private-sector employment in Louisiana; nationally, gross job losses also accounted for 5.8 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 Louisiana, contracting establishments lost 79,275 jobs in the third quarter of 2024, a decrease of 1,700 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 14,142 jobs, a decrease of 6,037 jobs from the previous quarter.

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Chart 3. Private-sector gross job losses as a percent of employment, United States and Louisiana, September 2019–September 2024, seasonally adjusted
Period	Louisiana	United States
Sep 2019	6.1	5.8
Dec 2019	5.8	5.5
Mar 2020	6.5	6.3
Jun 2020	16.7	16.8
Sep 2020	6.9	5.9
Dec 2020	5.6	5.7
Mar 2021	5.9	5.5
Jun 2021	6.1	5.9
Sep 2021	8.4	6.1
Dec 2021	5.8	5.4
Mar 2022	6.3	5.5
Jun 2022	6.4	6.2
Sep 2022	5.6	5.9
Dec 2022	6.2	5.9
Mar 2023	5.5	5.5
Jun 2023	6.5	5.9
Sep 2023	6.0	6.0
Dec 2023	5.8	5.7
Mar 2024	5.7	5.4
Jun 2024	6.3	5.9
Sep 2024	5.8	5.8

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 6 of the 11 published industry sectors in Louisiana in the third quarter of 2024. Transportation and warehousing had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 3,769 jobs. This was the result of 7,269 gross job gains and 3,500 gross job losses. The education and health services industry had a net gain of 2,741 jobs. Retail trade showed a net loss of 1,892 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state. Louisiana’s manufacturing industry sector had a net loss of 1,470 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 Fourth Quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, July 30, 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, Louisiana, 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	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	97,519	101,138	99,148	91,781	97,338	6.2	6.3	6.2	5.7	6.1
At expanding establishments	80,789	76,883	79,523	74,317	79,591	5.1	4.8	5.0	4.6	5.0
At opening establishments	16,730	24,255	19,625	17,464	17,747	1.1	1.5	1.2	1.1	1.1
Gross job losses	95,262	92,509	91,885	101,154	93,417	6.0	5.8	5.7	6.3	5.8
At contracting establishments	75,161	74,730	72,444	80,975	79,275	4.7	4.7	4.5	5.0	4.9
At closing establishments	20,101	17,779	19,441	20,179	14,142	1.3	1.1	1.2	1.3	0.9
Net employment change (2)	2,257	8,629	7,263	-9,373	3,921	0.2	0.5	0.5	-0.6	0.3
Construction
Gross job gains	11,850	12,166	16,094	11,071	13,127	9.1	9.2	11.9	8.0	9.4
At expanding establishments	10,433	10,056	14,395	9,824	11,337	8.0	7.6	10.6	7.1	8.1
At opening establishments	1,417	2,110	1,699	1,247	1,790	1.1	1.6	1.3	0.9	1.3
Gross job losses	10,125	11,718	9,151	11,722	12,851	7.8	8.9	6.8	8.5	9.2
At contracting establishments	8,180	10,186	7,305	9,962	11,809	6.3	7.7	5.4	7.2	8.5
At closing establishments	1,945	1,532	1,846	1,760	1,042	1.5	1.2	1.4	1.3	0.7
Net employment change (2)	1,725	448	6,943	-651	276	1.3	0.3	5.1	-0.5	0.2
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	4,329	5,660	4,614	4,151	3,582	3.1	4.1	3.3	3.0	2.6
At expanding establishments	4,005	5,124	4,258	3,789	3,207	2.9	3.7	3.0	2.7	2.3
At opening establishments	324	536	356	362	375	0.2	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3
Gross job losses	5,306	4,005	4,579	4,612	5,052	3.8	2.8	3.3	3.3	3.6
At contracting establishments	4,564	3,526	4,028	3,941	4,566	3.3	2.5	2.9	2.8	3.3
At closing establishments	742	479	551	671	486	0.5	0.3	0.4	0.5	0.3
Net employment change (2)	-977	1,655	35	-461	-1,470	-0.7	1.3	0.0	-0.3	-1.0
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	2,954	3,360	2,640	2,904	2,727	4.4	4.9	3.8	4.3	4.0
At expanding establishments	2,439	2,559	2,135	2,393	2,172	3.6	3.7	3.1	3.5	3.2
At opening establishments	515	801	505	511	555	0.8	1.2	0.7	0.8	0.8
Gross job losses	2,991	2,754	2,910	3,235	2,778	4.4	4.0	4.2	4.7	4.1
At contracting establishments	2,251	2,146	2,220	2,523	2,365	3.3	3.1	3.2	3.7	3.5
At closing establishments	740	608	690	712	413	1.1	0.9	1.0	1.0	0.6
Net employment change (2)	-37	606	-270	-331	-51	0.0	0.9	-0.4	-0.4	-0.1
Retail trade
Gross job gains	12,456	10,839	11,127	11,395	9,968	5.7	5.0	5.1	5.3	4.6
At expanding establishments	10,489	8,438	9,166	9,762	8,484	4.8	3.9	4.2	4.5	3.9
At opening establishments	1,967	2,401	1,961	1,633	1,484	0.9	1.1	0.9	0.8	0.7
Gross job losses	12,610	12,689	11,352	12,834	11,860	5.7	5.8	5.3	5.9	5.5
At contracting establishments	10,394	10,731	9,513	10,459	10,588	4.7	4.9	4.4	4.8	4.9
At closing establishments	2,216	1,958	1,839	2,375	1,272	1.0	0.9	0.9	1.1	0.6
Net employment change (2)	-154	-1,850	-225	-1,439	-1,892	0.0	-0.8	-0.2	-0.6	-0.9
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	3,742	5,400	3,517	4,167	7,269	5.0	7.1	4.6	5.6	9.5
At expanding establishments	3,254	4,542	2,826	3,516	6,750	4.3	6.0	3.7	4.7	8.8
At opening establishments	488	858	691	651	519	0.7	1.1	0.9	0.9	0.7
Gross job losses	4,241	3,464	4,752	4,714	3,500	5.6	4.6	6.2	6.2	4.6
At contracting establishments	3,384	2,541	3,903	3,853	2,825	4.5	3.4	5.1	5.1	3.7
At closing establishments	857	923	849	861	675	1.1	1.2	1.1	1.1	0.9
Net employment change (2)	-499	1,936	-1,235	-547	3,769	-0.6	2.5	-1.6	-0.6	4.9
Information
Gross job gains	1,534	1,677	1,583	1,043	2,047	8.0	8.7	8.3	5.6	11.0
At expanding establishments	1,246	1,405	1,303	893	1,568	6.5	7.3	6.8	4.8	8.4
At opening establishments	288	272	280	150	479	1.5	1.4	1.5	0.8	2.6
Gross job losses	1,744	1,390	1,614	1,966	1,215	9.0	7.2	8.5	10.5	6.5
At contracting establishments	1,257	1,137	1,276	1,580	978	6.5	5.9	6.7	8.4	5.2
At closing establishments	487	253	338	386	237	2.5	1.3	1.8	2.1	1.3
Net employment change (2)	-210	287	-31	-923	832	-1.0	1.5	-0.2	-4.9	4.5
Financial activities
Gross job gains	4,072	4,516	4,191	4,157	4,222	4.6	5.1	4.8	4.8	4.9
At expanding establishments	3,259	3,164	3,039	3,123	3,211	3.7	3.6	3.5	3.6	3.7
At opening establishments	813	1,352	1,152	1,034	1,011	0.9	1.5	1.3	1.2	1.2
Gross job losses	4,397	4,163	4,770	4,693	5,131	5.0	4.7	5.4	5.4	5.9
At contracting establishments	3,185	3,166	3,428	3,265	4,056	3.6	3.6	3.9	3.8	4.7
At closing establishments	1,212	997	1,342	1,428	1,075	1.4	1.1	1.5	1.6	1.2
Net employment change (2)	-325	353	-579	-536	-909	-0.4	0.4	-0.6	-0.6	-1.0
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	17,651	16,165	16,411	15,586	16,225	8.0	7.3	7.5	7.2	7.4
At expanding establishments	14,062	11,532	12,525	11,498	12,425	6.4	5.2	5.7	5.3	5.7
At opening establishments	3,589	4,633	3,886	4,088	3,800	1.6	2.1	1.8	1.9	1.7
Gross job losses	15,699	17,277	15,539	17,362	14,685	7.2	7.8	7.1	8.0	6.7
At contracting establishments	11,568	13,263	11,215	13,711	11,790	5.3	6.0	5.1	6.3	5.4
At closing establishments	4,131	4,014	4,324	3,651	2,895	1.9	1.8	2.0	1.7	1.3
Net employment change (2)	1,952	-1,112	872	-1,776	1,540	0.8	-0.5	0.4	-0.8	0.7
Education and health services
Gross job gains	14,814	16,853	16,287	15,737	15,876	4.6	5.2	5.0	4.8	4.9
At expanding establishments	12,326	12,307	13,042	13,232	13,273	3.8	3.8	4.0	4.0	4.1
At opening establishments	2,488	4,546	3,245	2,505	2,603	0.8	1.4	1.0	0.8	0.8
Gross job losses	14,494	12,949	14,365	14,393	13,135	4.5	4.0	4.4	4.4	4.0
At contracting establishments	11,518	10,310	11,390	11,331	11,074	3.6	3.2	3.5	3.5	3.4
At closing establishments	2,976	2,639	2,975	3,062	2,061	0.9	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.6
Net employment change (2)	320	3,904	1,922	1,344	2,741	0.1	1.2	0.6	0.4	0.9
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	18,683	18,480	16,829	16,480	17,034	8.4	8.3	7.5	7.4	7.7
At expanding establishments	14,867	13,323	12,149	12,215	12,921	6.7	6.0	5.4	5.5	5.8
At opening establishments	3,816	5,157	4,680	4,265	4,113	1.7	2.3	2.1	1.9	1.9
Gross job losses	17,514	16,285	17,182	18,454	17,476	7.9	7.3	7.7	8.3	7.9
At contracting establishments	14,148	13,063	13,889	14,834	14,331	6.4	5.9	6.2	6.7	6.5
At closing establishments	3,366	3,222	3,293	3,620	3,145	1.5	1.4	1.5	1.6	1.4
Net employment change (2)	1,169	2,195	-353	-1,974	-442	0.5	1.0	-0.2	-0.9	-0.2
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	3,270	3,381	3,606	3,087	3,250	7.2	7.4	7.9	6.7	7.1
At expanding establishments	2,580	2,386	2,693	2,407	2,563	5.7	5.2	5.9	5.2	5.6
At opening establishments	690	995	913	680	687	1.5	2.2	2.0	1.5	1.5
Gross job losses	3,066	3,307	3,348	3,610	2,977	6.8	7.3	7.2	7.8	6.4
At contracting establishments	2,350	2,456	2,361	2,547	2,498	5.2	5.4	5.1	5.5	5.4
At closing establishments	716	851	987	1,063	479	1.6	1.9	2.1	2.3	1.0
Net employment change (2)	204	74	258	-523	273	0.4	0.1	0.7	-1.1	0.7
(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)
Category	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024
United States(1)	5.9	6.0	5.7	5.8	5.8	6.0	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.8
Alabama	6.0	6.2	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0	5.7	5.5	5.6	5.9
Alaska	8.5	10.2	10.5	10.2	7.9	10.5	9.9	8.6	9.6	9.7
Arizona	6.8	6.5	8.4	5.6	6.3	5.7	6.6	6.4	6.8	6.5
Arkansas	5.6	6.2	5.6	5.2	5.2	5.8	5.0	5.2	5.8	5.2
California	6.4	6.4	5.8	6.1	6.4	6.5	6.4	5.6	6.8	6.1
Colorado	5.4	8.2	6.4	6.5	6.3	6.1	7.6	7.7	6.2	6.7
Connecticut	5.8	5.6	5.6	5.8	5.5	6.2	5.7	5.2	5.6	5.7
Delaware	6.0	6.1	6.0	5.9	6.8	6.5	5.8	5.1	6.5	6.4
District of Columbia	5.4	5.2	5.1	5.1	4.9	5.4	5.6	4.9	6.0	5.0
Florida	6.5	6.1	5.8	6.0	6.6	5.9	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.7
Georgia	6.1	6.2	6.0	5.7	5.7	6.1	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.1
Hawaii	5.3	6.1	5.4	5.1	5.6	6.8	5.0	5.1	5.4	5.0
Idaho	7.2	8.5	7.9	7.5	7.2	7.9	5.8	8.3	7.4	7.6
Illinois	4.8	5.0	5.1	5.2	5.0	5.3	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.1
Indiana	5.7	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.3	5.7	5.1	5.0	5.5	5.4
Iowa	5.6	6.1	6.1	5.5	5.2	5.8	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0
Kansas	5.7	5.8	5.7	5.8	5.3	6.0	5.3	5.6	5.7	5.6
Kentucky	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.2	5.4	5.6	5.2	5.0	5.9	5.5
Louisiana	6.2	6.3	6.2	5.7	6.1	6.0	5.8	5.7	6.3	5.8
Maine	7.0	7.4	7.2	7.3	6.2	7.8	7.0	6.1	7.0	7.0
Maryland	6.3	6.2	5.8	7.2	6.1	6.4	5.8	5.7	6.5	6.1
Massachusetts	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.7	4.9	5.9	5.5	5.1	5.6	5.8
Michigan	5.2	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.8
Minnesota	3.3	6.9	5.8	5.7	5.1	4.3	6.9	5.7	5.4	5.9
Mississippi	6.2	6.1	5.7	5.8	6.1	6.2	5.7	6.1	6.3	5.7
Missouri	5.6	6.0	5.7	5.6	5.5	5.8	5.6	5.3	5.8	5.8
Montana	7.7	8.8	8.1	7.9	7.3	8.4	7.2	7.5	7.6	8.1
Nebraska	6.0	5.9	5.8	5.4	5.6	5.9	5.7	5.1	5.6	5.6
Nevada	6.5	6.7	5.9	5.8	6.1	5.6	5.4	6.2	5.7	5.9
New Hampshire	5.8	6.2	6.5	6.1	5.5	6.7	5.9	5.8	6.0	6.7
New Jersey	6.0	5.9	5.5	5.9	5.3	6.0	5.8	5.4	5.4	5.8
New Mexico	6.4	6.9	6.0	6.0	6.2	6.8	5.8	6.0	6.3	6.3
New York	5.8	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.6	6.0	5.6	5.0	5.5	5.7
North Carolina	5.7	6.3	5.4	5.6	5.6	6.1	4.9	5.5	5.7	6.1
North Dakota	6.6	6.7	6.9	6.6	6.5	6.6	6.3	6.1	6.6	6.6
Ohio	5.2	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.1	5.6	5.2	4.8	5.4	5.4
Oklahoma	6.3	6.1	5.6	5.6	6.0	6.0	5.8	5.2	6.4	5.6
Oregon	6.1	6.2	6.4	6.0	6.3	6.7	6.2	6.1	6.4	6.6
Pennsylvania	5.2	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.1	5.1	4.8	4.6	5.1	5.1
Rhode Island	6.4	6.8	6.9	6.6	6.2	6.7	6.3	5.7	6.7	6.5
South Carolina	6.6	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.2	5.7	5.3	6.3	6.4	5.9
South Dakota	6.3	6.6	6.3	6.0	5.9	6.3	5.8	5.8	6.3	5.9
Tennessee	5.6	6.2	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.7	5.5	4.9	5.7	5.8
Texas	5.7	5.7	5.4	5.4	5.6	5.5	5.2	5.1	5.3	5.3
Utah	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.4	6.6	6.6	6.5	6.0	6.6	6.1
Vermont	6.4	7.3	7.2	6.6	6.6	7.9	6.6	6.3	7.5	7.3
Virginia	5.9	5.9	5.7	5.7	5.8	6.0	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.5
Washington	5.8	6.0	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.4	5.3	5.3	5.4
West Virginia	6.5	6.5	6.9	6.6	5.8	6.6	5.8	5.7	6.8	6.6
Wisconsin	5.2	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.0	5.8	5.2	4.8	5.5	5.4
Wyoming	8.3	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.6	8.2	8.4	8.3	9.0	9.0
Puerto Rico	5.7	4.9	5.4	5.6	5.4	5.3	4.8	4.6	4.9	5.1
Virgin Islands	8.2	6.0	5.6	4.3	4.4	6.8	5.9	4.5	5.1	6.1
(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: Friday, May 16, 2025

Southwest Information Office

Business Employment Dynamics in Louisiana – Third Quarter 2024