Wisconsin Adds Most Manufacturing Jobs of Any State in Q1 2018

Wisconsin added the most manufacturing jobs of any state in the first quarter of 2018 and ranks fourth nationally in the number of private sector jobs added in March, the state Department of Workforce Development (DWD) reported.

State-by-state rankings released by the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show Wisconsin added 8,900 private sector jobs in March 2018.

The data show that Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate of 68.7 percent ranked fifth nationally, while Wisconsin’s historically low unemployment rate of 2.9 percent was the eighth lowest nationally.

Highlights of the BLS rankings include:

• Wisconsin ranked second in the nation in one-month construction job gains, and first in the Midwest.
• Wisconsin ranked 1st in the nation in manufacturing job gains in 2018.
• Wisconsin’s addition of 2,100 manufacturing jobs in March ranked third nationally, and first in the Midwest.
• Wisconsin’s addition of 6,800 total non-farm jobs in March ranked fifth nationally.
• Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate of 68.7 percent ranked fifth nationally and the 0.1 percent increase ranked tied for fourth nationally.
• Wisconsin’s addition of 8,900 private sector jobs in March ranked fourth nationally and second in the Midwest, in terms of actual job growth, and first in the Midwest in percent growth.
• Wisconsin’s addition of 13,200 manufacturing jobs over the year ranked third nationally and second in the Midwest.