Business Employment Dynamics in Pennsylvania — Fourth Quarter 2023

From September 2023 to December 2023, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Pennsylvania were 278,168, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 260,921, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall Bovee noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 17,247 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2023. During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 930. (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 2023, gross job gains represented 5.2 percent of private-sector employment in Pennsylvania; 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 Pennsylvania, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 234,056 in the fourth quarter of 2023, a decrease of 2,007 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 44,112 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2023, an increase of 5,446 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job losses

In the fourth quarter of 2023, gross job losses represented 4.9 percent of private-sector employment in Pennsylvania; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.6 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 Pennsylvania, contracting establishments lost 217,947 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2023, a decrease of 15,593 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 42,974 jobs, an increase of 2,715 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 6 of the 11 industry sectors in Pennsylvania in the fourth quarter of 2023. Education and health services had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 13,184 jobs. This was the result of 50,608 gross job gains and 37,424 gross job losses. The transportation and warehousing industry had a net gain of 8,772 jobs. Professional and business services showed a net loss of 7,119 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state. Pennsylvania's retail trade industry sector had a net loss of 4,850 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 Home.

The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.

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, Pennsylvania, 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. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	289,349	291,327	278,274	274,729	278,168	5.5	5.5	5.2	5.2	5.2
At expanding establishments	249,125	249,109	241,061	236,063	234,056	4.7	4.7	4.5	4.5	4.4
At opening establishments	40,224	42,218	37,213	38,666	44,112	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.8
Gross job losses	269,933	246,312	293,852	273,799	260,921	5.2	4.6	5.5	5.2	4.9
At contracting establishments	224,343	207,179	249,827	233,540	217,947	4.3	3.9	4.7	4.4	4.1
At closing establishments	45,590	39,133	44,025	40,259	42,974	0.9	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8
Net employment change (2)	19,416	45,015	-15,578	930	17,247	0.3	0.9	-0.3	0.0	0.3
Construction
Gross job gains	21,659	22,522	20,624	17,653	21,027	8.4	8.5	7.9	6.8	8.2
At expanding establishments	18,196	18,311	17,779	14,976	17,454	7.1	6.9	6.8	5.8	6.8
At opening establishments	3,463	4,211	2,845	2,677	3,573	1.3	1.6	1.1	1.0	1.4
Gross job losses	20,614	19,388	22,007	21,135	21,099	8.0	7.4	8.4	8.2	8.2
At contracting establishments	16,671	15,982	17,614	17,455	17,515	6.5	6.1	6.7	6.8	6.8
At closing establishments	3,943	3,406	4,393	3,680	3,584	1.5	1.3	1.7	1.4	1.4
Net employment change (2)	1,045	3,134	-1,383	-3,482	-72	0.4	1.1	-0.5	-1.4	0.0
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	18,114	16,428	15,878	14,124	16,602	3.2	2.9	2.8	2.5	3.0
At expanding establishments	16,958	15,185	14,890	13,235	15,109	3.0	2.7	2.6	2.3	2.7
At opening establishments	1,156	1,243	988	889	1,493	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3
Gross job losses	15,357	15,556	17,394	16,789	15,674	2.8	2.7	3.1	2.9	2.7
At contracting establishments	13,931	14,144	16,262	15,556	14,262	2.5	2.5	2.9	2.7	2.5
At closing establishments	1,426	1,412	1,132	1,233	1,412	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
Net employment change (2)	2,757	872	-1,516	-2,665	928	0.4	0.2	-0.3	-0.4	0.3
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	8,581	9,111	8,599	8,213	8,582	4.0	4.2	4.0	3.8	4.0
At expanding establishments	7,557	7,657	7,564	7,140	7,346	3.5	3.5	3.5	3.3	3.4
At opening establishments	1,024	1,454	1,035	1,073	1,236	0.5	0.7	0.5	0.5	0.6
Gross job losses	7,905	7,364	8,313	8,027	7,816	3.6	3.4	3.8	3.7	3.5
At contracting establishments	6,076	5,748	6,568	6,652	6,186	2.8	2.7	3.0	3.1	2.8
At closing establishments	1,829	1,616	1,745	1,375	1,630	0.8	0.7	0.8	0.6	0.7
Net employment change (2)	676	1,747	286	186	766	0.4	0.8	0.2	0.1	0.5
Retail trade
Gross job gains	28,686	32,557	31,371	29,105	26,937	4.8	5.5	5.2	4.9	4.6
At expanding establishments	25,165	29,084	27,895	25,662	23,477	4.2	4.9	4.6	4.3	4.0
At opening establishments	3,521	3,473	3,476	3,443	3,460	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6
Gross job losses	32,949	25,815	34,335	33,953	31,787	5.6	4.3	5.7	5.7	5.4
At contracting establishments	29,072	22,928	30,312	29,973	27,772	4.9	3.8	5.0	5.0	4.7
At closing establishments	3,877	2,887	4,023	3,980	4,015	0.7	0.5	0.7	0.7	0.7
Net employment change (2)	-4,263	6,742	-2,964	-4,848	-4,850	-0.8	1.2	-0.5	-0.8	-0.8
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	19,797	12,189	13,392	18,119	22,579	6.5	4.0	4.5	6.1	7.4
At expanding establishments	18,520	11,106	12,123	15,752	19,140	6.1	3.6	4.1	5.3	6.3
At opening establishments	1,277	1,083	1,269	2,367	3,439	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.8	1.1
Gross job losses	13,433	18,615	19,872	16,438	13,807	4.4	6.1	6.7	5.5	4.6
At contracting establishments	11,859	17,264	18,114	15,116	11,968	3.9	5.7	6.1	5.1	4.0
At closing establishments	1,574	1,351	1,758	1,322	1,839	0.5	0.4	0.6	0.4	0.6
Net employment change (2)	6,364	-6,426	-6,480	1,681	8,772	2.1	-2.1	-2.2	0.6	2.8
Information
Gross job gains	4,065	5,278	4,167	3,858	4,218	4.4	5.6	4.4	4.1	4.5
At expanding establishments	3,151	4,214	3,389	2,884	3,159	3.4	4.5	3.6	3.1	3.4
At opening establishments	914	1,064	778	974	1,059	1.0	1.1	0.8	1.0	1.1
Gross job losses	6,470	3,749	6,142	4,488	4,511	6.9	4.0	6.6	4.9	4.9
At contracting establishments	5,360	3,014	5,028	3,589	3,714	5.7	3.2	5.4	3.9	4.0
At closing establishments	1,110	735	1,114	899	797	1.2	0.8	1.2	1.0	0.9
Net employment change (2)	-2,405	1,529	-1,975	-630	-293	-2.5	1.6	-2.2	-0.8	-0.4
Financial activities
Gross job gains	15,530	13,450	13,545	11,361	10,929	4.6	4.0	4.0	3.4	3.2
At expanding establishments	13,405	11,491	11,642	9,450	8,508	4.0	3.4	3.4	2.8	2.5
At opening establishments	2,125	1,959	1,903	1,911	2,421	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7
Gross job losses	16,393	12,870	12,822	12,848	11,138	4.8	3.8	3.8	3.8	3.3
At contracting establishments	13,912	10,320	10,034	10,375	9,080	4.1	3.0	3.0	3.1	2.7
At closing establishments	2,481	2,550	2,788	2,473	2,058	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.6
Net employment change (2)	-863	580	723	-1,487	-209	-0.2	0.2	0.2	-0.4	-0.1
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	52,252	48,670	48,671	51,260	45,463	6.1	5.7	5.8	6.1	5.4
At expanding establishments	42,669	40,089	40,498	42,337	36,653	5.0	4.7	4.8	5.0	4.4
At opening establishments	9,583	8,581	8,173	8,923	8,810	1.1	1.0	1.0	1.1	1.0
Gross job losses	51,051	49,036	59,175	49,294	52,582	6.0	5.8	7.0	5.9	6.2
At contracting establishments	40,660	39,874	50,354	40,368	42,357	4.8	4.7	6.0	4.8	5.0
At closing establishments	10,391	9,162	8,821	8,926	10,225	1.2	1.1	1.0	1.1	1.2
Net employment change (2)	1,201	-366	-10,504	1,966	-7,119	0.1	-0.1	-1.2	0.2	-0.8
Education and health services
Gross job gains	46,822	52,024	50,998	52,218	50,608	3.8	4.2	4.1	4.1	3.9
At expanding establishments	41,431	47,192	46,851	47,964	45,207	3.4	3.8	3.8	3.8	3.5
At opening establishments	5,391	4,832	4,147	4,254	5,401	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.4
Gross job losses	39,997	33,744	41,172	38,138	37,424	3.3	2.8	3.3	3.0	3.0
At contracting establishments	33,711	27,860	34,881	32,902	31,664	2.8	2.3	2.8	2.6	2.5
At closing establishments	6,286	5,884	6,291	5,236	5,760	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.5
Net employment change (2)	6,825	18,280	9,826	14,080	13,184	0.5	1.4	0.8	1.1	0.9
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	56,745	60,180	54,093	51,975	54,245	10.4	10.8	9.7	9.3	9.6
At expanding establishments	47,855	48,930	44,219	42,546	43,977	8.8	8.8	7.9	7.6	7.8
At opening establishments	8,890	11,250	9,874	9,429	10,268	1.6	2.0	1.8	1.7	1.8
Gross job losses	48,496	45,494	54,720	55,951	49,470	8.9	8.1	9.7	10.0	8.7
At contracting establishments	39,279	38,525	46,166	47,776	40,945	7.2	6.9	8.2	8.5	7.2
At closing establishments	9,217	6,969	8,554	8,175	8,525	1.7	1.2	1.5	1.5	1.5
Net employment change (2)	8,249	14,686	-627	-3,976	4,775	1.5	2.7	0.0	-0.7	0.9
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	12,674	13,749	12,719	12,829	12,964	6.5	7.0	6.5	6.5	6.6
At expanding establishments	10,503	11,341	10,577	10,625	10,649	5.4	5.8	5.4	5.4	5.4
At opening establishments	2,171	2,408	2,142	2,204	2,315	1.1	1.2	1.1	1.1	1.2
Gross job losses	12,542	11,226	12,950	12,381	11,567	6.4	5.8	6.6	6.3	5.9
At contracting establishments	10,155	8,746	10,211	10,014	9,054	5.2	4.5	5.2	5.1	4.6
At closing establishments	2,387	2,480	2,739	2,367	2,513	1.2	1.3	1.4	1.2	1.3
Net employment change (2)	132	2,523	-231	448	1,397	0.1	1.2	-0.1	0.2	0.7
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)
Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023
United States(1)	6.3	6.2	6.2	5.8	5.9	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.9	5.6
Alabama	6.6	6.4	5.9	5.9	6.2	6.1	5.5	5.7	6.0	5.8
Alaska	10.9	10.4	11.0	8.5	10.1	9.2	8.0	8.9	10.5	9.9
Arizona	6.6	5.9	7.0	6.7	6.6	6.0	5.4	6.5	5.9	6.9
Arkansas	6.2	5.8	5.8	5.6	6.1	5.2	5.0	6.0	5.7	5.3
California	6.6	6.1	6.7	6.2	6.3	6.6	6.4	6.4	6.5	6.5
Colorado	7.6	7.2	7.3	5.5	8.4	6.9	6.5	6.6	6.2	7.5
Connecticut	5.9	6.1	6.4	5.8	5.6	5.9	5.3	5.7	6.2	5.7
Delaware	7.0	6.7	6.0	6.0	6.2	7.5	5.2	5.7	6.5	5.9
District of Columbia	5.6	5.9	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.5	4.8	5.3	5.4	5.6
Florida	6.2	6.3	6.8	6.5	5.9	6.0	5.6	5.8	5.8	5.8
Georgia	6.7	6.2	6.4	6.1	6.1	5.9	5.8	6.5	6.1	5.7
Hawaii	6.0	5.5	5.7	5.3	6.1	4.9	5.0	5.2	6.9	5.0
Idaho	8.4	7.9	7.9	7.3	8.5	6.9	7.5	7.5	8.2	5.8
Illinois	5.4	5.8	5.4	4.8	4.9	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.5	5.1
Indiana	5.7	5.5	5.5	5.8	5.6	5.2	5.0	6.1	5.8	5.3
Iowa	6.4	6.0	6.0	5.5	6.0	6.2	5.4	5.9	5.8	5.7
Kansas	6.3	6.1	6.1	5.7	5.8	5.6	5.4	6.0	6.0	5.4
Kentucky	6.0	6.1	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.3	4.9	5.9	5.5	5.2
Louisiana	6.1	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.2	6.2	5.6	6.4	6.0	6.1
Maine	7.4	7.7	7.6	6.8	7.3	6.8	6.2	7.6	7.8	7.0
Maryland	6.6	6.8	6.7	6.4	6.3	6.9	5.6	6.3	6.5	5.9
Massachusetts	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.4	5.3	5.8	4.7	5.7	6.1	5.6
Michigan	5.9	5.7	5.9	5.2	5.5	5.2	4.9	5.3	5.9	5.6
Minnesota	5.9	5.7	6.0	3.1	6.8	5.8	4.9	5.6	4.2	7.0
Mississippi	6.8	6.1	6.3	6.2	6.1	6.2	5.7	6.6	6.2	5.7
Missouri	6.1	6.5	5.9	5.6	6.0	5.8	5.1	5.9	5.8	5.6
Montana	9.2	8.7	7.8	7.7	8.8	7.8	7.1	8.4	8.5	7.2
Nebraska	6.0	6.3	6.0	6.0	5.9	5.7	5.1	5.6	5.9	5.6
Nevada	6.4	6.2	6.6	6.5	6.6	6.1	5.7	6.0	5.5	5.1
New Hampshire	6.7	7.0	6.7	5.9	6.2	6.0	5.9	6.3	6.7	5.9
New Jersey	6.8	6.1	6.8	5.9	5.9	5.9	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.8
New Mexico	6.7	6.8	6.4	6.1	6.9	6.2	5.9	6.2	6.7	5.8
New York	5.9	6.5	6.3	5.8	5.8	6.0	5.1	5.7	6.1	5.7
North Carolina	6.6	6.4	6.1	5.6	6.1	5.7	5.3	5.7	6.2	4.7
North Dakota	6.4	7.6	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.7	5.6	6.7	6.6	6.3
Ohio	5.9	5.8	5.6	5.2	5.3	5.7	4.9	5.7	5.7	5.2
Oklahoma	6.6	6.3	6.2	6.2	6.1	5.9	5.3	6.0	6.0	5.7
Oregon	6.5	7.3	6.4	6.1	6.1	6.2	6.1	6.9	6.9	6.3
Pennsylvania	5.5	5.5	5.2	5.2	5.2	5.2	4.6	5.5	5.2	4.9
Rhode Island	6.9	7.5	6.7	6.5	6.8	6.4	5.9	7.0	6.8	6.4
South Carolina	6.9	6.8	6.4	6.8	6.2	6.2	5.8	6.8	5.7	5.4
South Dakota	6.5	7.2	6.8	6.3	6.6	6.5	5.9	6.2	6.3	5.9
Tennessee	5.8	5.9	5.9	2.7	4.9	5.6	5.0	5.5	4.2	4.6
Texas	6.2	5.9	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.3	5.0	5.4	5.5	5.2
Utah	6.9	7.0	6.8	6.8	6.4	6.6	6.2	6.2	6.5	6.2
Vermont	7.8	8.2	7.4	6.3	7.2	7.0	6.0	7.5	8.0	6.6
Virginia	6.2	6.2	6.0	5.8	5.9	5.8	5.2	5.8	6.0	5.6
Washington	5.9	6.4	6.0	5.4	6.0	5.3	5.5	5.6	6.0	5.2
West Virginia	6.6	7.1	6.1	6.5	6.1	6.4	5.3	6.1	6.5	6.5
Wisconsin	6.0	6.0	5.6	5.2	5.4	5.5	4.9	5.9	5.9	5.1
Wyoming	9.2	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.8	7.9	7.8	8.7	8.2	8.3
Puerto Rico	6.6	5.1	5.8	5.7	4.9	6.1	5.7	4.9	5.4	4.8
Virgin Islands	5.9	7.5	7.4	8.2	5.7	4.7	6.5	6.8	7.1	5.8
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.

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