From September 2024 to December 2024, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Oklahoma were 80,656, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 73,255, 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 7,401 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2024. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 5,654. (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 fourth quarter of 2024, gross job gains represented 5.9 percent of private-sector employment in Oklahoma; 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 Oklahoma, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 62,863 in the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 265 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 17,793 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2024, a decrease of 752 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job losses

In the fourth quarter of 2024, gross job losses represented 5.4 percent of private-sector employment in Oklahoma; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.7 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 Oklahoma, contracting establishments lost 57,597 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2024, a decrease of 986 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 15,658 jobs, a decrease of 1,248 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 8 of the 11 published industry sectors in Oklahoma in the fourth quarter of 2024. Leisure and hospitality had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 2,523 jobs. This was the result of 15,636 gross job gains and 13,113 gross job losses. Retail trade showed a net loss of 2,236 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state. This was the result of 11,420 gross job losses and 9,184 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 Business Employment Dynamics homepage and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary.

The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2025 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. (CT).

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, Oklahoma, seasonally adjusted

Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	82,628	76,918	76,038	81,143	80,656	6.1	5.6	5.6	6.0	5.9
At expanding establishments	63,798	60,167	59,308	62,598	62,863	4.7	4.4	4.4	4.6	4.6
At opening establishments	18,830	16,751	16,730	18,545	17,793	1.4	1.2	1.2	1.4	1.3
Gross job losses	77,515	71,037	86,024	75,489	73,255	5.8	5.2	6.4	5.6	5.4
At contracting establishments	60,192	55,728	65,978	58,583	57,597	4.5	4.1	4.9	4.3	4.2
At closing establishments	17,323	15,309	20,046	16,906	15,658	1.3	1.1	1.5	1.3	1.2
Net employment change (2)	5,113	5,881	-9,986	5,654	7,401	0.3	0.4	-0.8	0.4	0.5
Construction
Gross job gains	7,626	7,414	6,657	6,370	7,264	9.1	8.6	7.7	7.4	8.4
At expanding establishments	5,870	5,951	5,150	4,818	5,869	7.0	6.9	6.0	5.6	6.8
At opening establishments	1,756	1,463	1,507	1,552	1,395	2.1	1.7	1.7	1.8	1.6
Gross job losses	6,400	5,679	7,663	6,330	5,627	7.6	6.6	8.9	7.5	6.5
At contracting establishments	5,033	4,335	6,035	4,663	4,349	6.0	5.0	7.0	5.5	5.0
At closing establishments	1,367	1,344	1,628	1,667	1,278	1.6	1.6	1.9	2.0	1.5
Net employment change (2)	1,226	1,735	-1,006	40	1,637	1.5	2.0	-1.2	-0.1	1.9
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	4,797	4,321	4,493	4,068	4,360	3.4	3.0	3.1	2.9	3.1
At expanding establishments	4,257	3,847	4,001	3,474	3,991	3.0	2.7	2.8	2.5	2.8
At opening establishments	540	474	492	594	369	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.3
Gross job losses	4,680	4,253	4,101	4,408	4,097	3.4	3.0	2.9	3.2	2.9
At contracting establishments	3,902	3,773	3,301	3,618	3,348	2.8	2.7	2.3	2.6	2.4
At closing establishments	778	480	800	790	749	0.6	0.3	0.6	0.6	0.5
Net employment change (2)	117	68	392	-340	263	0.0	0.0	0.2	-0.3	0.2
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	3,012	2,735	2,894	2,953	2,866	5.0	4.6	4.8	4.9	4.8
At expanding establishments	2,180	1,911	2,303	2,190	2,161	3.6	3.2	3.8	3.6	3.6
At opening establishments	832	824	591	763	705	1.4	1.4	1.0	1.3	1.2
Gross job losses	2,471	2,461	2,696	2,734	2,958	4.1	4.1	4.5	4.5	4.9
At contracting establishments	1,797	1,868	1,911	2,008	2,214	3.0	3.1	3.2	3.3	3.7
At closing establishments	674	593	785	726	744	1.1	1.0	1.3	1.2	1.2
Net employment change (2)	541	274	198	219	-92	0.9	0.5	0.3	0.4	-0.1
Retail trade
Gross job gains	9,377	10,022	9,249	10,706	9,184	5.0	5.5	5.0	5.8	4.9
At expanding establishments	7,475	8,448	7,637	9,248	7,254	4.0	4.6	4.1	5.0	3.9
At opening establishments	1,902	1,574	1,612	1,458	1,930	1.0	0.9	0.9	0.8	1.0
Gross job losses	11,499	8,920	10,503	9,964	11,420	6.2	4.9	5.7	5.4	6.2
At contracting establishments	9,785	7,496	8,725	8,363	9,824	5.3	4.1	4.7	4.5	5.3
At closing establishments	1,714	1,424	1,778	1,601	1,596	0.9	0.8	1.0	0.9	0.9
Net employment change (2)	-2,122	1,102	-1,254	742	-2,236	-1.2	0.6	-0.7	0.4	-1.3
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	5,213	2,090	2,085	2,718	4,522	8.1	3.3	3.3	4.5	7.3
At expanding establishments	4,799	1,711	1,704	2,300	4,089	7.5	2.7	2.7	3.8	6.6
At opening establishments	414	379	381	418	433	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7
Gross job losses	2,931	4,501	3,635	3,137	2,527	4.6	7.1	5.9	5.1	4.0
At contracting establishments	2,430	3,806	3,143	2,653	1,880	3.8	6.0	5.1	4.3	3.0
At closing establishments	501	695	492	484	647	0.8	1.1	0.8	0.8	1.0
Net employment change (2)	2,282	-2,411	-1,550	-419	1,995	3.5	-3.8	-2.6	-0.6	3.3
Information
Gross job gains	1,243	813	960	1,142	1,001	6.9	4.6	5.5	6.6	5.8
At expanding establishments	618	591	771	710	624	3.4	3.3	4.4	4.1	3.6
At opening establishments	625	222	189	432	377	3.5	1.3	1.1	2.5	2.2
Gross job losses	1,209	1,147	1,112	1,075	1,244	6.7	6.5	6.4	6.2	7.2
At contracting establishments	931	835	785	872	880	5.2	4.7	4.5	5.0	5.1
At closing establishments	278	312	327	203	364	1.5	1.8	1.9	1.2	2.1
Net employment change (2)	34	-334	-152	67	-243	0.2	-1.9	-0.9	0.4	-1.4
Financial activities
Gross job gains	4,233	4,093	3,917	3,444	3,795	5.3	5.0	4.8	4.2	4.6
At expanding establishments	3,136	3,041	2,869	2,631	2,524	3.9	3.7	3.5	3.2	3.1
At opening establishments	1,097	1,052	1,048	813	1,271	1.4	1.3	1.3	1.0	1.5
Gross job losses	4,185	3,956	4,084	3,517	3,581	5.1	4.8	5.0	4.3	4.4
At contracting establishments	3,116	2,871	2,889	2,554	2,691	3.8	3.5	3.5	3.1	3.3
At closing establishments	1,069	1,085	1,195	963	890	1.3	1.3	1.5	1.2	1.1
Net employment change (2)	48	137	-167	-73	214	0.2	0.2	-0.2	-0.1	0.2
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	14,595	14,149	14,525	15,331	15,000	7.0	6.8	7.1	7.5	7.3
At expanding establishments	10,800	10,969	10,260	11,473	11,078	5.2	5.3	5.0	5.6	5.4
At opening establishments	3,795	3,180	4,265	3,858	3,922	1.8	1.5	2.1	1.9	1.9
Gross job losses	15,470	13,527	18,285	14,152	13,582	7.4	6.5	8.9	6.9	6.6
At contracting establishments	11,583	10,126	14,457	10,622	10,334	5.5	4.9	7.0	5.2	5.0
At closing establishments	3,887	3,401	3,828	3,530	3,248	1.9	1.6	1.9	1.7	1.6
Net employment change (2)	-875	622	-3,760	1,179	1,418	-0.4	0.3	-1.8	0.6	0.7
Education and health services
Gross job gains	11,771	11,959	13,017	12,303	11,553	5.0	5.0	5.4	5.1	4.7
At expanding establishments	9,271	9,350	11,100	9,489	9,143	3.9	3.9	4.6	3.9	3.7
At opening establishments	2,500	2,609	1,917	2,814	2,410	1.1	1.1	0.8	1.2	1.0
Gross job losses	9,633	8,386	11,415	11,165	9,766	4.1	3.5	4.7	4.6	4.0
At contracting establishments	6,747	6,404	7,052	8,407	7,635	2.9	2.7	2.9	3.5	3.1
At closing establishments	2,886	1,982	4,363	2,758	2,131	1.2	0.8	1.8	1.1	0.9
Net employment change (2)	2,138	3,573	1,602	1,138	1,787	0.9	1.5	0.7	0.5	0.7
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	15,558	14,225	13,367	16,935	15,636	8.6	7.7	7.4	9.3	8.4
At expanding establishments	11,443	10,501	9,798	12,502	12,023	6.3	5.7	5.4	6.9	6.5
At opening establishments	4,115	3,724	3,569	4,433	3,613	2.3	2.0	2.0	2.4	1.9
Gross job losses	13,461	13,335	16,853	13,911	13,113	7.3	7.3	9.3	7.7	7.1
At contracting establishments	10,457	10,429	13,464	10,891	10,388	5.7	5.7	7.4	6.0	5.6
At closing establishments	3,004	2,906	3,389	3,020	2,725	1.6	1.6	1.9	1.7	1.5
Net employment change (2)	2,097	890	-3,486	3,024	2,523	1.3	0.4	-1.9	1.6	1.3
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	2,737	2,817	2,612	2,721	3,000	7.0	7.3	6.8	7.1	7.7
At expanding establishments	2,135	2,172	2,006	1,929	2,189	5.5	5.6	5.2	5.0	5.6
At opening establishments	602	645	606	792	811	1.5	1.7	1.6	2.1	2.1
Gross job losses	2,961	2,405	2,886	2,606	2,583	7.6	6.2	7.5	6.8	6.7
At contracting establishments	2,368	1,859	2,091	2,045	1,961	6.1	4.8	5.4	5.3	5.1
At closing establishments	593	546	795	561	622	1.5	1.4	2.1	1.5	1.6
Net employment change (2)	-224	412	-274	115	417	-0.6	1.1	-0.7	0.3	1.0
(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)
	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024
United States(1)	6.0	5.7	5.8	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.8	5.7
Alabama	6.2	5.7	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.5	5.6	5.9	5.3
Alaska	10.2	10.5	10.2	7.9	10.3	9.9	8.6	9.6	9.7	9.6
Arizona	6.5	8.4	5.6	6.3	6.1	6.6	6.4	6.8	6.5	6.0
Arkansas	6.2	5.6	5.2	5.2	5.8	5.0	5.2	5.8	5.2	4.8
California	6.4	5.8	6.1	6.4	6.6	6.4	5.6	6.8	6.1	6.4
Colorado	8.2	6.4	6.5	6.3	6.1	7.6	7.7	6.2	6.7	6.7
Connecticut	5.6	5.6	5.8	5.5	5.5	5.7	5.2	5.6	5.7	5.6
Delaware	6.1	6.0	5.9	6.8	6.1	5.8	5.1	6.5	6.4	6.4
District of Columbia	5.2	5.1	5.1	4.9	5.0	5.6	4.9	6.0	5.0	5.5
Florida	6.1	5.8	6.0	6.6	6.0	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.7	6.2
Georgia	6.2	6.0	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.1	5.4
Hawaii	6.1	5.4	5.1	5.6	5.3	5.0	5.1	5.4	5.0	4.9
Idaho	8.5	7.9	7.5	7.2	8.2	5.8	8.3	7.4	7.6	6.8
Illinois	5.0	5.1	5.2	5.0	5.1	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.1	5.2
Indiana	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.3	5.4	5.1	5.0	5.5	5.4	5.2
Iowa	6.1	6.1	5.5	5.2	5.5	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0	5.6
Kansas	5.8	5.7	5.8	5.3	5.9	5.3	5.6	5.7	5.6	5.2
Kentucky	5.7	5.7	5.2	5.4	5.3	5.2	5.0	5.9	5.5	5.5
Louisiana	6.3	6.2	5.7	6.1	6.2	5.8	5.7	6.3	5.8	5.4
Maine	7.4	7.2	7.3	6.2	6.7	7.0	6.1	7.0	7.0	7.0
Maryland	6.2	5.8	7.2	6.1	6.0	5.8	5.7	6.5	6.1	5.9
Massachusetts	5.5	5.2	5.7	4.9	5.3	5.5	5.1	5.6	5.8	5.6
Michigan	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.4	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.8	6.0
Minnesota	6.9	5.8	5.7	5.1	5.5	6.9	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.1
Mississippi	6.1	5.7	5.8	6.1	6.3	5.7	6.1	6.3	5.7	6.4
Missouri	6.0	5.7	5.6	5.5	5.7	5.6	5.3	5.8	5.8	5.3
Montana	8.8	8.1	7.9	7.3	8.4	7.2	7.5	7.6	8.1	7.8
Nebraska	5.9	5.8	5.4	5.6	5.6	5.7	5.1	5.6	5.6	5.5
Nevada	6.7	5.9	5.8	6.1	6.2	5.4	6.2	5.7	5.9	5.8
New Hampshire	6.2	6.5	6.1	5.5	6.3	5.9	5.8	6.0	6.7	5.9
New Jersey	5.9	5.5	5.9	5.3	6.0	5.8	5.4	5.4	5.8	5.3
New Mexico	6.9	6.0	6.0	6.2	5.8	5.8	6.0	6.3	6.3	5.9
New York	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.6	5.6	5.6	5.0	5.5	5.7	5.5
North Carolina	6.3	5.4	5.6	5.6	6.1	4.9	5.5	5.7	6.1	5.5
North Dakota	6.7	6.9	6.6	6.5	6.5	6.3	6.1	6.6	6.6	6.7
Ohio	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.1	5.4	5.2	4.8	5.4	5.4	5.1
Oklahoma	6.1	5.6	5.6	6.0	5.9	5.8	5.2	6.4	5.6	5.4
Oregon	6.2	6.4	6.0	6.3	6.2	6.2	6.1	6.4	6.6	6.8
Pennsylvania	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.1	5.2	4.8	4.6	5.1	5.1	4.8
Rhode Island	6.8	6.9	6.6	6.2	7.2	6.3	5.7	6.7	6.5	6.3
South Carolina	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.2	6.5	5.3	6.3	6.4	5.9	6.0
South Dakota	6.6	6.3	6.0	5.9	6.7	5.8	5.8	6.3	5.9	5.9
Tennessee	6.2	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.6	5.5	4.9	5.7	5.8	5.0
Texas	5.7	5.4	5.4	5.6	5.8	5.2	5.1	5.3	5.3	5.1
Utah	6.6	6.7	6.4	6.6	6.6	6.5	6.0	6.6	6.1	6.2
Vermont	7.3	7.2	6.6	6.6	6.7	6.6	6.3	7.5	7.3	6.8
Virginia	5.9	5.7	5.7	5.8	5.8	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.5	5.5
Washington	6.0	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.4	5.3	5.3	5.4	5.3
West Virginia	6.5	6.9	6.6	5.8	6.4	5.8	5.7	6.8	6.6	6.1
Wisconsin	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.0	5.3	5.2	4.8	5.5	5.4	5.0
Wyoming	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.6	8.8	8.4	8.3	9.0	9.0	8.4
Puerto Rico	4.9	5.4	5.6	5.4	4.4	4.8	4.6	4.9	5.1	5.5
Virgin Islands	6.0	5.6	4.3	4.4	4.0	5.9	4.5	5.1	6.1	12.6
(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.