JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri nonfarm payroll employment increased by 13,900 jobs in March 2025, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment increased by 12,600 jobs and government employment increased by 1,300 jobs.
Over the year, there was an increase of 20,200 jobs from March 2024 to March 2025, and the unemployment rate increased by two-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.6 percent in March 2024 to 3.8 percent in March 2025.
EMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment was 3,006,300 in March 2025, up by 13,900 from the revised February 2025 figure. The February 2025 total was revised downward by 1,500 jobs from the preliminary estimate.
Goods-producing industries increased by 1,600 jobs over the month, with all of that increase occurring in mining, logging, and construction. Private service-providing industries increased by 11,000 jobs between February 2025 and March 2025. Employment increased in leisure and hospitality (5,800 jobs); private education and health services (1,800 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (1,500 jobs); other services (1,500 jobs); and financial activities (700 jobs). Employment decreased in professional and business services (-200 jobs) and information (-100 jobs). Total government employment increased by 1,300 jobs over the month, with an increase in local government (1,600 jobs) and decreases in both in federal (-200 jobs) and state government (-100 jobs).
Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 20,200 jobs from March 2024 to March 2025. Employment gains were in private education and health services (20,400 jobs), other services (2,600 jobs), and financial activities (1,900 jobs). Employment decreased in leisure and hospitality (-4,200 jobs); professional and business services (-2,500 jobs); information (-1,800 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-1,800 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (-1,000 jobs); and manufacturing (-900 jobs). Government employment increased by 7,500 jobs over the year, with increases in local (4,200 jobs) and state (4,100 jobs) government and a decrease in federal government (-800 jobs).
UNEMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point in March 2025, rising to 3.8 percent from the revised February 2025 rate of 3.7 percent. The March 2025 rate was two-tenths of a percentage point higher than the March 2024 rate. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 120,849 in March 2025, up by 3,182 from the revised February total of 117,667.
The state’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate remained at 4.4 percent in March 2025. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 3.9 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for March 2025 was 4.2 percent.
Missouri’s labor force participation rate was 63.4 percent in March 2025, nine-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.5 percent. Missouri’s employment-population ratio was 60.9 percent in March 2025, one point higher than the national rate of 59.9 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate was 3.8 percent in March 2025, four-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 4.2 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than nine years.
Read the full report at https://meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.