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MARYLAND AT A GLANCE

ECONOMY

EMPLOYMENT

WORKFORCE

[photo, Mural, East Antietam St. (near North Potomac St.), Hagerstown, Maryland]
  • Civilian Workforce
  • Private & Public Sector Workforce
  • Total Workforce

    • Maryland's workforce is among the best educated. Over one-third of its population aged 25 or older holds a bachelor's degree or higher (4th among all states), while 15.7% have a graduate or professional degree (2nd highest nationally).

    Mural, East Antietam St. (near North Potomac St.), Hagerstown, Maryland, June 2004. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

    Maryland ranks second in the country for its high percentage of professional and technical workers (25.4%) in the workforce with more than 200,000 workers employed in professional, scientific and technical service industries.

    Most Marylanders work in the service-providing sector. Jobs cover a wide spectrum: from government positions to transportation-related professions, from wholesale trade to the finance and insurance industry. In 2008, nearly 18% of the workforce was employed by federal, State and local governments, while professional and business services accounted for 15.7% of employment. A substantial number of workers (49,820) are employed in information industries, with 21,000 in telecommunications. Nonetheless, 81% of workers are employed in the private sector with 12.3% (313,044) employed in goods-producing business establishments.

    TOTAL WORKFORCE - MARYLAND*
    (annual averages)
    2006 2007 2008
    Maryland 2,530,129 2,546,850 2,537,400

    2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
    Maryland 2,423,138 2,427,396 2,434,480 2,461,074 2,497,416

    1997 1998 1999 2000
    Maryland 2,231,499 2,284,671 2,347,638 2,404,095

    PRIVATE & PUBLIC SECTOR WORKFORCE - MARYLAND*
    2006 2007 2008
    Private Sector
    goods producing    		 331,590 (13.1%) 326,133 (12.8%) 313,044 (12.3%)
    natural resources & mining 6,836 6,556 6,528
    construction 188,420 187,878 178,076
    manufacturing 136,334 131,699 128,440
    Private Sector
    service providing    		 1,741,777 (68.8%) 1,758,249 (69.0%) 1,753,071 (69.1%)
    trade, transportation & utilities 470,271 472,173 461,034
    information 50,726 50,646 49,820
    financial activities 157,729 154,556 149,220
    professional & business 394,518 396,733 398,952
    education & health 349,136 359,053 367,671
    leisure & hospitality 229,694 234,278 236,048
    other 89,703 90,618 90,111
    Public Sector 455,492 (18.0%) 461,356 (18.1%) 470,409 (18.5%)
    local government 232,795 237,879 243,576
    state government 97,519 98,634 99,683
    federal government 125,178 124,843 127,150

    2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
    Private Sector
    goods producing    		 339,518 (14.0%) 328,847 (13.5%) 321,733 (13.2%) 325,826 (13.2%) 330,435 (13.2%)
    natural resources & mining 6,278 6,247 6,440 6,687 6,891
    construction 164,880 165,725 167,495 175,967 182,878
    manufacturing 168,360 156,875 147,798 143,172 140,666
    Private Sector
    service providing    		 1,634,258 (67.4%) 1,644,350 (67.7%) 1,660,125 (68.1%) 1,686,668 (68.5%) 1,716,583 (68.7%)
    trade, transportation & utilities 466,494 461,501 458,526 463,227 466,162
    information 58,380 53,402 50,365 50,121 50,368
    financial activities 148,821 151,187 156,231 156,352 158,234
    professional & business 358,310 357,504 360,676 370,638 383,250
    education & health 307,161 318,044 326,564 333,435 340,182
    leisure & hospitality 208,691 215,106 218,993 224,371 229,246
    other 86,401 87,606 88,770 88,524 89,141
    Public Sector 442,648 (18.2%) 450,215 (18.5%) 450,458 (18.5%) 446,342 (18.1%) 448,627 (17.9%)
    local government 218,036 223,486 225,125 223,492 226,183
    state government 98,134 98,415 97,069 95,928 96,707
    federal government 126,782 128,314 128,264 126,922 125,737

    1997 1998 1999 2000
    Private Sector
    manufacturing    		 176,722 (7.9%) 178,051 (7.8%) 176,862 (7.5%) 180,101 (7.4%)
    Private Sector
    nonmanufacturing    		 1,645,289 (73.7%) 1,687,246 (73.8%) 1,744,916 (74.3%) 1,792,860 (74.6%)
    services 710,287 737,058 766,113 793,234
    trade (wholesale) 110,300 110,795 112,958 114,255
    trade (retail) 426,555 430,447 435,939 441,981
    contract construction 137,820 140,815 149,808 156,501
    finance, insurance, real estate 131,161 134,394 139,642 138,203
    transportation, communications,
    public utilities    		 103,126 103,892 108,446 111,441
    other 26,070 29,745 32,010 37,245
    Public Sector 409,488 (18.4%) 419,274 (18.4%) 425,860 (18.1%) 431,134 (17.9%)
    local government 195,356 203,116 207,284 210,707
    state government 89,662 89,483 91,634 93,713
    federal government 125,470 126,675 126,942 126,714

    * Resident and nonresident wage-earners working in Maryland.


    CIVILIAN WORKFORCE - MARYLAND
    (annual averages)
    2006 2007 2008
    Employed* 2,892,620 2,873,512 2,867,178
    Unemployed** 116,523 (3.9%) 106,841 (3.6%) 130,531 (4.4%)
    TOTAL 3,009,143 2,980,353 2,997,709

    2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
    Employed* 2,712,268 2,732,057 2,749,111 2,764,110 2,813,781
    Unemployed** 114,779 (4.1%) 128,139 (4.5%) 128,858 (4.5%) 124,047 (4.3%) 121,283 (4.1%)
    TOTAL 2,827,047 2,860,196 2,877,969 2,888,157 2,935,064

    1997 1998 1999 2000
    Employed* 2,646,200 2,661,192 2,687,843 2,711,382
    Unemployed** 132,002 (4.8%) 118,817 (4.3%) 100,027 (3.6%) 100,275 (3.6%)
    TOTAL 2,778,202 2,780,009 2,787,870 2,811,657

    * Resident wage-earners working either in Maryland or out of state.
    ** Unemployed Maryland residents actively seeking work.


    Source:     Workforce Profile, Department of Business & Economic Development

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