ST. PAUL, MN – Minnesota employers added 10,300 jobs in May, according to figures released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 4.6 percent, the lowest in seven years. The U.S. unemployment rate in May was 6.3 percent.
“Our outstanding businesses and talented workforce deserve a tremendous amount of credit for today’s strong jobs report,” said State Representative Will Morgan (DFL – Burnsville). “Minnesota’s economy is healthy and growing. That’s something we can all be proud of. And the facts show that the legislature’s approach of putting middle-class families ahead of special interests is a good recipe for economic growth. There is more work to do to create jobs, but if we keep putting middle-class families first, we can build an even brighter future for all.”
Professional and business services led all sectors in May, adding 4,100 jobs. That was followed by construction (up 3,800), manufacturing (up 2,900), information (up 900), other services (up 500), and trade, transportation and utilities (up 100). Logging and mining was unchanged.
The following sectors lost jobs: government (down 1,300), leisure and hospitality (down 500), financial activities (down 100), and education and health services (down 100).
Over the past year, construction added the most jobs and grew at the fastest pace of any industry in the state. The sector added 9,447 jobs in the last 12 months, a 9.2 percent growth rate, compared with a 3.3 percent growth rate in the U.S. construction industry.
Other sectors that grew in the past year were manufacturing (up 9,404), education and health services (up 8,917), professional and business services (up 8,677), leisure and hospitality (up 5,736), government (up 2,158), trade, transportation and utilities (up 1,600), other services (up 541), information (up 462), and logging and mining (up 261).