April 2026 Missouri Jobs Report

Missouri nonfarm payroll employment increased by 12,000 jobs in April 2026, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment increased by 11,800 jobs and government employment increased by 200 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 1,600 jobs from April 2025 to April 2026, and the unemployment rate decreased by two-tenths of a percentage point, from 4 percent in April 2025 to 3.8 percent in April 2026.

EMPLOYMENT

Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment was 2,994,100 in April 2026, up by 12,000 from the revised March 2026 figure. The March 2026 total was revised downward by 400 jobs from the preliminary estimate.

Private service-providing industries increased by 12,700 jobs between March 2026 and April 2026. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in professional and business services (7,500 jobs); private education and health services (4,100 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (1,900 jobs); financial activities (1,000 jobs); and other services (600 jobs). Employment decreased in leisure and hospitality (2,300 jobs) and information (100 jobs). Total government employment increased by 200 jobs over the month with an increase in local government (400 jobs) and a decrease in federal government (-200 jobs). Goods-producing industries decreased by 900 jobs over the month, with decreases of 500 jobs in manufacturing and 400 jobs in mining, logging, and construction.

Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 1,600 jobs from April 2025 to April 2026. Employment gains were in mining, logging, and construction (7,400 jobs); private education and health services (4,900 jobs); leisure and hospitality (2,300 jobs); financial activities (1,200 jobs); and information (200 jobs). Employment decreased in manufacturing (-5,100 jobs); other services (-600 jobs); professional and business services (-600 jobs); and trade, transportation, and utilities (-300 jobs). Government employment decreased by 7,800 jobs over the year, with decreases in federal (-5,600 jobs), state (-1,600 jobs), and local government (-600 jobs).

UNEMPLOYMENT

Missouri's smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point in April 2026, declining to 3.8 percent from the revised March 2026 rate of 3.9 percent. The April 2026 rate was two-tenths of a percentage point lower than the April 2025 rate. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 121,851 in April 2026, down by 433 from March's 122,284.

The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased in April 2026, declining by eight-tenths of a percentage point to 3.4 percent from the March 2026 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 4.2 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 3.7 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for April 2026 was 4 percent.

Missouri's labor force participation rate was 63.5 percent in April 2026, 1.7 percent higher than the national rate of 61.8 percent. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61 percent in April 2026, 1.9 percentage points higher than the national rate of 59.1 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate was 3.8 percent in April 2026, half of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 4.3 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for 11 years.

Read the full report: https://meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.