With more than 3 million highly educated workers, Missouri’s
growing, diverse population is a strong point of difference among other Midwest states. In fact, Missouri’s substantial number of skilled employees exceeds the entire populations of many surrounding states.
Missouri workers support a wide range of industries in the state with their diverse skill sets, while earning average wages significantly lower than the national average.
Missouri boasts a workforce with a greater level of educational attainment than the national average, in addition to having more post-secondary educational institutions than most other midwestern states. Missouri also offers several highly successful workforce training programs.
All of these factors combined make Missouri's people its greatest resource, and one of the main reasons why so many businesses find success here.
| Missouri Labor Force Statistics |
| Source: DecisionData, 2008 |
| |
1990 Census |
2000 Census |
2007 Estimate |
2012 Projection |
Percent Change 1990 to 2000 |
Percent Change 2007 to 2012 |
| Age 16 Population |
3,939,287 |
|
4,331,937 |
|
4,678,199 |
|
4,851,273 |
|
10.00% |
3.70% |
| In Labor Force |
2,542,131 |
|
2,822,582 |
|
3,119,322 |
|
3,236,339 |
|
11.00% |
3.80% |
| Employed |
2,368,381 |
|
2,658,472 |
|
2,896,601 |
|
3,005,176 |
|
12.20% |
3.70% |
| Unemployed |
155,083 |
|
148,809 |
|
206,606 |
|
214,389 |
|
-4.00% |
3.80% |
| In Armed Forces |
18,457 |
|
15,301 |
|
16,115 |
|
16,774 |
|
-17.10% |
4.10% |
| Not In Labor Force |
1,397,156 |
|
1,509,355 |
|
1,542,762 |
|
1,598,160 |
|
8.00% |
3.60% |
| |
|
| Number of Employees (Daytime Pop) |
|
2,914,379 |
|
| Number of Establishments |
|
225,245 |
|
| |
|
| Emp in Blue Collar Occupations |
|
1,108,121 |
|
|
| Emp in White Collar Occupations |
|
1,550,351 |
|
|
Download Missouri Workforce Statistics Excel Document