JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri nonfarm payroll employment increased by 3,700 jobs in May 2025, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment increased by 3,600 jobs and government employment increased by 100 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 10,900 jobs from May 2024 to May 2025, and the unemployment rate increased by three-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.7 percent in May 2024 to 4 percent in May 2025.
EMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment was 3,002,300 in May 2025, up by 3,700 from the revised April 2025 figure. The April 2025 total was revised upward by 4,000 jobs from the preliminary estimate.
Goods-producing industries increased by 3,200 jobs over the month, with mining, logging, and construction gaining 2,200 jobs and manufacturing gaining 1,000 jobs. Private service-providing industries increased by 400 jobs between April 2025 and May 2025. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in trade, transportation, and utilities (2,000 jobs); leisure and hospitality (1,300 jobs); private education and health services (1,000 jobs); and financial activities (200 jobs). Employment decreased in professional and business services (-2,600 jobs); information (-1,100 jobs); and other services (-400 jobs). Total government employment increased by 100 jobs over the month, with an increase in local government (2,000 jobs) and decreases in state (-1,300 jobs) and federal government (-600 jobs).
Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 10,900 jobs from May 2024 to May 2025. The largest gains were in private education and health services (17,600 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (2,900 jobs;) and other services (1,200 jobs). Employment decreased in professional and business services (-4,800 jobs); leisure and hospitality (-4,300 jobs); information (-3,200 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-3,000 jobs); manufacturing (-600 jobs); and financial activities (-100 jobs). Government employment increased by 5,200 jobs over the year, with increases in local (4,600 jobs) and state government (2,200 jobs) and a decrease in federal government (-1,600 jobs).
UNEMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point in May 2025, rising to 4 percent from the revised April 2025 rate of 3.9 percent. The May 2025 rate was three-tenths of a percentage point higher than the May 2024 rate of 3.7 percent. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 125,042 in May 2025, up by 944 from the revised April total of 124,098.
The state’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased in May 2025 by one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.9 percent from the April 2025 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 3.8 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 3.7 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for May 2025 was 4 percent.
Missouri’s labor force participation rate was 63.4 percent in May 2025, one point higher than the national rate of 62.4 percent. Missouri’s employment-population ratio was 60.9 percent in May 2025, 1.2 percentage points higher than the national rate of 59.7 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate was 4 percent in May 2025, two-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 10 years.
Read the full report at https://meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.