Michigan Employment

2027-2028 Michigan Economic Outlook

Updated August 31, 2026

Michigan Employment Forecast

Michigan Employment Forecast

Michigan Employment (000s) 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028
Total Nonfarm 4,461.63 4,487.45 4,483.83 4,478.96 4,503.63 4,538.56
  2.1% 0.6% -0.1% -0.1% 0.6% 0.8%
Total Private 3,858.52 3,867.96 3,856.78 3,842.70 3,868.09 3,903.06
  1.9% 0.2% -0.3% -0.4% 0.7% 0.9%
Goods Producing 815.40 808.70 793.72 785.80 785.28 785.38
  1.9% -0.8% -1.9% -1.0% -0.1% 0.0%
Service-Providing 3,646.22 3,678.67 3,690.03 3,693.09 3,718.36 3,753.18
  2.1% 0.9% 0.3% 0.1% 0.7% 0.9%
Mining and Logging 7.27 7.18 6.99 7.29 7.30 7.31
  1.4% -1.2% -2.6% 4.2% 0.1% 0.2%
Construction 190.07 196.38 200.81 198.74 197.66 197.09
  3.4% 3.3% 2.3% -1.0% -0.5% -0.3%
Construction of Buildings 47.42 48.74 48.85 47.02 45.91 45.48
  2.4% 2.8% 0.2% -3.8% -2.4% -0.9%
Specialty Trade Contractors 121.13 125.41 128.79 127.94 127.98 127.68
  3.7% 3.5% 2.7% -0.7% 0.0% -0.2%
Other Construction 21.52 22.23 23.17 23.77 23.77 23.92
  4.7% 3.3% 4.2% 2.6% 0.0% 0.6%
Manufacturing 618.08 605.12 585.89 579.82 580.31 580.99
  1.5% -2.1% -3.2% -1.0% 0.1% 0.1%
Durable Goods 462.39 450.70 434.96 432.90 433.74 433.75
  1.4% -2.5% -3.5% -0.5% 0.2% 0.0%
Primary Metal Manufacturing 19.01 18.63 18.33 18.10 18.07 18.04
  1.6% -2.0% -1.6% -1.3% -0.1% -0.2%
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 73.65 72.00 68.81 69.14 70.04 70.36
  2.7% -2.2% -4.4% 0.5% 1.3% 0.5%
Machinery Manufacturing 69.61 67.99 66.30 66.34 66.82 66.92
  0.6% -2.3% -2.5% 0.1% 0.7% 0.2%
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing 48.95 48.32 44.88 45.15 45.03 44.83
  1.1% -1.3% -7.1% 0.6% -0.3% -0.5%
Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 141.44 135.69 129.48 126.52 125.51 124.68
  0.9% -4.1% -4.6% -2.3% -0.8% -0.7%
Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing 20.25 19.53 19.63 19.66 19.46 19.19
  -2.1% -3.5% 0.5% 0.2% -1.0% -1.4%
Other Durable Goods Manufacturing 89.49 88.56 87.53 88.00 88.80 89.74
  2.8% -1.0% -1.2% 0.5% 0.9% 1.1%
Non-Durable Goods 155.69 154.42 150.93 146.92 146.57 147.23
  1.7% -0.8% -2.3% -2.7% -0.2% 0.4%
Food Manufacturing 42.74 43.82 44.48 43.54 43.59 43.63
  4.7% 2.5% 1.5% -2.1% 0.1% 0.1%
Printing and Related Support Activities 11.93 11.63 11.38 10.94 10.81 10.72
  -1.6% -2.5% -2.1% -3.9% -1.2% -0.8%
Chemical Manufacturing 31.45 30.62 29.90 29.37 29.33 29.24
  0.4% -2.6% -2.3% -1.8% -0.1% -0.3%
Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing 40.25 39.73 37.88 36.80 36.58 36.79
  1.0% -1.3% -4.7% -2.9% -0.6% 0.6%
Other Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing 29.32 28.63 27.29 26.27 26.26 26.85
  1.1% -2.4% -4.7% -3.7% 0.0% 2.2%
Trade Transportation and Utilities 813.22 810.14 804.77 798.64 801.31 804.80
  0.6% -0.4% -0.7% -0.8% 0.3% 0.4%
Wholesale Trade 175.58 176.16 174.69 170.41 169.94 170.28
  2.3% 0.3% -0.8% -2.4% -0.3% 0.2%
Retail Trade 459.19 455.63 452.65 452.04 451.71 451.20
  0.1% -0.8% -0.7% -0.1% -0.1% -0.1%
Transportation and Utilities 178.45 178.39 177.45 176.20 179.66 183.32
  0.3% 0.0% -0.5% -0.7% 2.0% 2.0%
Utilities 20.53 19.83 19.92 20.67 20.74 20.77
  -4.3% -3.4% 0.5% 3.8% 0.3% 0.1%
Transportation and Warehousing 157.93 158.55 157.53 155.52 158.92 162.55
  1.0% 0.4% -0.6% -1.3% 2.2% 2.3%
Information 57.96 56.35 54.91 52.64 50.82 48.81
  1.9% -2.8% -2.5% -4.1% -3.5% -4.0%
Financial Activities 234.97 237.35 240.45 241.45 242.92 244.88
  0.2% 1.0% 1.3% 0.4% 0.6% 0.8%
Professional and Business Services 653.12 637.48 625.02 622.37 624.58 627.75
  -0.4% -2.4% -2.0% -0.4% 0.4% 0.5%
Professional Scientific and Technical Services 315.62 313.30 307.88 306.16 308.03 310.10
  1.3% -0.7% -1.7% -0.6% 0.6% 0.7%
Management of Companies and Enterprises 69.22 66.97 64.53 62.32 61.44 60.92
  -2.7% -3.3% -3.6% -3.4% -1.4% -0.8%
Admin. and Support and Waste Mgt & Rem. Services 268.33 257.22 252.62 253.91 255.11 256.74
  -1.8% -4.1% -1.8% 0.5% 0.5% 0.6%
Education and Health Services 690.32 714.91 733.13 739.19 749.88 763.61
  4.3% 3.6% 2.5% 0.8% 1.4% 1.8%
Educational Services 78.12 80.68 81.18 80.21 81.22 82.83
  6.1% 3.3% 0.6% -1.2% 1.3% 2.0%
Health Care and Social Assistance 612.20 634.23 651.95 658.98 668.65 680.78
  4.1% 3.6% 2.8% 1.1% 1.5% 1.8%
Leisure and Hospitality 423.18 428.82 429.36 425.99 435.00 447.63
  4.8% 1.3% 0.1% -0.8% 2.1% 2.9%
Arts Entertainment and Recreation 54.52 57.60 59.16 58.41 59.39 61.27
  8.0% 5.7% 2.7% -1.3% 1.7% 3.2%
Accommodation and Food Services 368.69 371.22 370.21 367.69 375.61 386.36
  4.3% 0.7% -0.3% -0.7% 2.2% 2.9%
Other Services 170.36 174.36 175.42 176.51 178.30 180.20
  3.3% 2.4% 0.6% 0.6% 1.0% 1.1%
Government 603.03 619.22 626.89 636.01 635.55 635.50
  2.9% 2.7% 1.2% 1.5% -0.1% 0.0%
Federal Government 56.16 57.65 56.16 54.11 54.04 53.84
  3.7% 2.7% -2.6% -3.7% -0.1% -0.4%
State Government 180.50 182.64 186.19 190.16 191.26 192.68
  3.1% 1.2% 1.9% 2.1% 0.6% 0.7%
Local Government 366.37 378.92 384.54 391.74 390.25 388.98
  2.7% 3.4% 1.5% 1.9% -0.4% -0.3%
Employment Survey Statistics            
Labor Force 5,003,824 5,060,718 5,025,996 4,882,529 4,867,264 4,885,021
Employment 4,808,277 4,822,854 4,768,495 4,643,186 4,639,821 4,648,900
Unemployment 195,547 237,864 257,501 239,342 227,443 236,121
Unemployment Rate 3.9 4.7 5.1 4.9 4.7 4.8
Source: Center for Economic Analysis, Michigan State University