Trendsights Newsletter

Industry Projections 2024 to 2034
Missouri employment is projected to grow by 3.2 percent from 2024 to 2034. Over the decade by industry sector, the fastest employment growth is projected to be in Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (9.3%); Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting (7.1%); Health Care and Social Assistance (5.9%); and Utilities (5.8%). Details on projected growth by industry are available for the state and each region in a web tool and downloadable Excel files.
Regional Profiles for Localized Data
Localized data is essential to understand Missouri’s diverse economy and regional variations across the state. Regional profiles on MERIC’s website provide county and regional level data for a variety of key labor market information data sets. Recent updates to the regional profiles include 2024-2034 industry and occupational projections and the latest personal and per capita income for each region. Explore the latest regional labor market data in this interactive tool.
GDP by State, 2nd Quarter 2026
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a comprehensive measure of the economy, estimating the value of the goods and services produced in each state. Real GDP increased in 44 states and the District of Columbia in the second quarter of 2026, with annualized percent changes ranging from 4.0 percent in New York to -2.3 percent in West Virginia. Missouri’s GDP increased by 1.9 percent.
September Online Job Postings
Job postings provide a current look at employer demand for talent across the state. During September 2026, there were 75,490 online job postings in Missouri. The Health Care and Social Assistance industry had the most online job postings statewide and in seven of the nine regions during the month.
Career Grades Methodology
Occupational projections include current employment, wages, and projected outlook data for approximately 800 occupations statewide. Career Grades evaluate the relative outlook of those occupations by assigning an A+ to F letter grade using projected percent employment growth, projected total openings, and current median wage. The methodology for calculating Career Grades was refined with the 2024-2034 release to reduce the influence of outliers and address differences in typical preparation for occupations in the state. See the details of the methodology refinements in this companion document.
Occupational Projections 2024 to 2034
Employment in Missouri is projected to grow by 3.2 percent from 2024 to 2034, and the state is projected to have more than 348,000 total job openings each year. Overall, healthcare practitioners and technical, transportation and material moving, and management occupational groups are projected to have the fastest growth over the decade. Occupational projections provide an outlook for job growth for both Missouri and its regions. Explore the latest data in the occupational projections web application or in Excel files for the state and each region.
Job Posting Comparison - August 2026
Missouri’s August job postings remained relatively unchanged from last year, increasing just 0.3 percent from 64,730 online job postings in August 2025 to 64,900 in August 2026. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers had the largest increase in job postings over the year (168%), while Customer Service Representatives had the largest decrease (36%).
Manufacturing in Missouri
Manufacturing is a major component of Missouri’s $468.47 billion economy, representing 11.0 percent ($51.56 billion) of the 2025 total Gross State Product (GSP) in current dollars. Nationally, manufacturing contributed 9.4 percent to total GDP. Manufacturing accounts for 11.4 percent of the state’s private sector employment, with 281,886 jobs across 8,864 establishments. The average annual wage for manufacturing jobs in Missouri in 2025 was $77,589. Celebrate National Manufacturing Month by exploring more of Missouri’s manufacturing data.
Missouri Business Index for August
Missouri’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for August 2026 increased 3.4 points to 57.5 from 54.1 in July. The Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-states region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, rose above growth neutral (expansionary economy) for the seventh straight month. This index measures such factors as new orders, production, supplier delivery times, backlogs, inventories, prices, employment, import orders and exports. Typically, a score above 50 indicates an expansionary economy, while a score below 50 forecasts a sluggish economy.
Women in Missouri's Workforce
There were more than 1.4 million women in Missouri’s workforce (in both private- and public-owned establishments) in 2025, making up 50.6 percent of total Missouri employment. The percentage of women in the workforce has remained steady over the last 10 years. Women’s share of employment varies by occupation. Across the state, Healthcare Support occupations have the largest female representation at 85 percent. Click on the link above to learn more about Missouri women in the workforce.
Federal Reserve Beige Book - Current Economic Conditions
The Beige Book is a Federal Reserve System publication about current economic conditions across the 12 Federal Reserve Districts. Published eight times per year, it characterizes regional economic conditions and prospects based on a variety of mostly qualitative information, gathered directly from each District's sources. Overall, economic activity increased at a slight-to-moderate pace in 11 of 12 Federal Reserve Districts in late May and June, while one District reported no change. Click on the link above to learn more about the economic activity nationally and in the 12 districts, including the Kansas City and St. Louis district reports.
Missouri Small Business Profile
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 2025 Small Business Profile, Missouri has more than 590,000 small businesses in the state, employing 1.1 million workers. Most Missouri businesses have fewer than 500 employees, and 44 percent of Missourians work for a small business. Learn more about small businesses in Missouri in this SBA profile.
Cost of Living Second Quarter 2026
Missouri had 7th lowest cost of living in the United States for the second quarter of 2026. In general, the most expensive areas to live in were Hawaii, Alaska, the Northeast, and the West Coast. The least expensive areas were the Midwest and Southern states. Missouri’s cost of living index for the second quarter of 2026 was 88.2, compared to the national benchmark index set to 100. MERIC derives the cost-of-living index for each state by averaging the indices of participating cities and metropolitan areas in that state.
MERIC Current Employment Statistics Dashboard
The Current Employment Statistics dashboard provides an interactive way to view nonfarm employment data for Missouri and its metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). Use this dashboard for an overview of current and historical employment for the state of Missouri, to compare employment in different MSAs, and to explore trends by detailed industries over time.
Census Bureau Report on Aging World Population
The share of the world population age 65 and older is projected to nearly double from 10.5 percent to 19.6 percent between 2025 and 2060, according to a new report by the U.S. Census Bureau. Between 2020 and 2025, the proportion of the world population age 65 and older exceeded the population age 5 and younger for the first time in recorded history. In the U.S., older adults are projected to make up 23.4 percent of the U.S. population by 2060, up from 18.9 percent in 2025.
Job Postings Comparison July 2026
Job postings decreased by 11.7 percent from July 2025 to July 2026. In July 2026, there were 70,510 online job postings compared to 79,830 in July 2025. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers had the largest increase (104%), while Retail Salespersons had the largest decrease (-39%).
Commuting Profile: Southwest Region
Of the 95,681 workers employed in the Southwest WDA in 2023, 70.9 percent commuted to work from within the region. The remainder (29.1%) commuted into the Southwest WDA from homes outside of the region. The top five counties where Southwest WDA residents work in private primary jobs (from most to least) are Jasper, Newton, Greene, Barry, and Lawrence.
New Tool Available for Local Employment and Wage Data
The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program provides data on employment and wages reported by employers, covering more than 95 percent of U.S. jobs available at the county, state, and national levels by detailed industry. A new interactive dashboard on the MERIC website can be used to explore QCEW data both by geography and industry. Users can customize the data for counties, MSAs, or workforce development areas, as well as by industry sector and ownership. This tool makes it easier for local workforce and economic developers to access and customize this valuable data for their specific uses.
Occupational Handbook: Welder, Cutter, Solderers and Brazers
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join, repair, or cut metal parts and products. To enter the occupations, welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, combined with technical training obtained through community colleges, vocational schools, apprenticeships or other programs. The Missouri average annual wage for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers was $55,470 in 2025, while the national average wage was $56,300.
Quarterly Real-Time Online Job Postings
Job postings data provides a current look at employer demand for talent across the state. From April 2026 to June 2026, there were 212,200 online job postings in Missouri. The Health Care and Social Assistance industry had the most online job postings statewide and in many regions.
Missouri Business Index for July
Missouri’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) decreased by 1.2 points, from 55.3 in June 2026 to 54.1 in July 2026, while remaining in expansion territory. The Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for a nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, was at 55.7 for the month. This index measures such factors as new orders, production, supplier delivery times, backlogs, inventories, prices, employment, import orders and exports. Typically, a score above 50 indicates an expansionary economy, while a score below 50 forecasts a sluggish economy.
Real Time Industry Report: Information
There were over 26,000 online job postings for the Information Technology industry from January 2025 to December 2025. The top occupation was Software Developers, which made up 7.9 percent of total industry job postings for the period. Top software skills requested in the Information Technology industry include Amazon Web Services, Python, and SQL. Other specialized skills commonly appearing in Information Technology job postings were project and workflow management, computer science, and automation.
Commuting Profile: Southeast Region
Of the 103,466 workers employed in the Southeast WDA in 2023, 76.4 percent commuted to work from within the region. The remainder commuted to the Southeast WDA from homes outside of the region. In 2023, 27.5 percent of employees living in the Southeast WDA commuted more than 50 miles to work, 14.9 percent of workers traveled 25 to 50 miles to work, 21 percent commuted 10 to 24 miles, and 36.6 percent commuted fewer than 10 miles to work.
Economic Diversification Index
Economic diversification measures how varied a state’s economy is in terms of industries, jobs, and sources of income. A diversified economy has a variety of industries and is generally considered more resilient because it can manage fluctuations in the business cycle. By contrast, a less diversified economy specializes in only a few industries. In 2024, Missouri ranked fifth in the index for economic diversity. Pennsylvania was the most diversified state, followed by Texas and Tennessee.