The latest jobs report for November 2025 from the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development reveals a slight uptick in employment numbers in the state. According to the report, Missouri saw an increase in nonfarm payroll employment by 5,500 jobs compared to October 2025, with a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate that decreased by a tenth of a percentage point from September 2025. The detailed report, shared by the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development, indicates that the private sector accounted for 4,100 of these jobs while government roles increased by 1,400.
Despite a previous federal government shutdown that impacted data collection and publication timing, the report was able to compare the November labor force and unemployment data to September's, on a seasonally adjusted basis. The report showcases an overall year-over-year growth in jobs, with an increase of 59,700 from November 2024 to November 2025, yet, a slightly higher unemployment rate of 4 percent compared to 3.6 percent in the same month the year prior. The goods-producing sector including mining, logging, and construction, added 4,400 jobs over the month, while manufacturing gained 1,300 positions.
Private service-providing industries did not fare as well, showing a decline of 300 jobs, with leisure and hospitality taking a significant hit, losing 4,000 jobs between October and November 2025. However, this was partially offset by gains in professional and business services, which added 2,400 jobs, financial activities, which added 800 jobs, other services with 700 jobs, and private education and health services which saw an increase of 600 jobs. According to the report, total government employment saw an increase, attributed mainly to local government job gains of 1,800 positions, despite a decrease in state government roles by 400 and no change in federal government employment.
Missouri's smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate showed a slight improvement, with a drop to 4 percent in November 2025 from September's revised rate of 4.1 percent. The report highlights that the number of unemployed Missourians was 129,139 in November 2025, a decrease by 2,669 from September's count of 131,808. The state's labor force participation rate stood at 63.9 percent, higher than the national rate of 62.5 percent, and its employment-population ratio was noted at 61.3 percent, which is 1.7 percentage points above the national figure of 59.6 percent. Missouri's persistent lower unemployment rate compared to the national average signifies a trend that has continued for more than a decade.
