The latest jobs report for Missouri shows a mix of both progress and challenges within the state's economy. Last month, Missouri saw an increase in nonfarm payroll employment with 17,100 additional jobs, according to a report from the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development. However, this same period brought a slight uptick in the unemployment rate, from 4.0% in June to 4.1% in July. The state's job gains primarily came from government employment, which added 10,300 jobs, and the private sector tacked on 6,800 jobs.
Within the private sector, manufacturing managed to gain 1,200 jobs despite goods-producing industries experiencing an overall dip. Meanwhile, the service-providing industries were the driving force behind private sector growth, adding 7,000 jobs throughout June and July 2025. Among the sectors, trade, transportation, and utilities experienced significant growth, adding 4,000 jobs, with leisure and hospitality coming in close behind with 2,800 jobs. However, recorded by the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development, there were declines in information and financial activities jobs, signaling volatility in certain fields.
Looking at the year-over-year figures, Missouri's job market saw an overall increase of 49,300 jobs from July 2024 to July 2025. The largest gains were observed in sectors that often indicate broader health in the economy, such as private education and health services, which added a notable 24,800 jobs. This was followed by other sectors like leisure and hospitality with 9,300 jobs and manufacturing with 5,000 jobs. These increases point to a trend of gradual growth within the state even amidst some setbacks in global and national economic landscapes.
The unemployment data provided a more nuanced picture of the labor force dynamics. The state's unemployment rate, while higher compared to the previous month, still managed to be one-tenth of a percentage point below the national rate of 4.2 percent. A slight increase in job seekers pushed the estimated number of unemployed Missourians to 129,776 last month. Contributing to the labor force statistics, the Missouri labor force participation rate was recorded at 63.5 percent, outpacing the national rate by 1.3 percentage points. Reported by the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development, Missouri has maintained its unemployment rate at or below the national rate for over a decade.
