Data Desk · Michigan

Michigan government payrolls grew 2.4% in a year, outpacing private employers by the widest margin of any state

By The Liberty Tribune Data Desk · October 29, 2026

Government employers in Michigan had 643,400 jobs in September 2026, up 14,900 from a year earlier, a 2.4% increase, according to preliminary, seasonally adjusted figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the same 12 months, private-sector employment shrank 0.3%.

That gap of 2.7 percentage points between government and private job growth is the widest of any state.

Government accounts for 14.3% of all nonfarm jobs in Michigan, the 33rd highest share of the 50 states. The figures cover federal, state and local government, including public schools and universities.

Nationwide, government employment shrank 0.9% over the year while private employment grew 0.5%. Government grew faster than private employers in 9 of 50 states.

Elsewhere in the East North Central division, government job growth against private: Illinois government minus 0.1%, private +0.3%; Ohio government minus 1.0%, private +0.6%; Wisconsin government minus 1.3%, private +0.7%; Indiana government minus 5.6%, private +0.4%.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics (State and Area), seasonally adjusted, series SMS26000009000000001 (government), SMS26000000500000001 (private) and SMS26000000000000001 (all jobs); CES9000000001, CES0500000001 and CES0000000001 for the nation. Changes compare the same month a year earlier. Government covers federal, state and local government, including public education. State figures are preliminary and revised by BLS. Ranks exclude the District of Columbia. Computed by The Liberty Tribune from the published series.

Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.

Free to cite or republish with attribution and a link. The chart is ours and may be reused on the same terms.

More from September 2026

• Paychecks trailed prices in 38 of 50 states over the past year
• Wisconsin paychecks fell 4.1% behind prices over the past year, the widest gap of any state
• Minnesota paychecks fell 4.1% behind prices over the past year, the second-widest gap of any state
• North Dakota paychecks fell 4.0% behind prices over the past year, the third-widest gap of any state
• Hawaii paychecks beat prices by 5.5% over the past year, the most of any state
• New Mexico paychecks beat prices by 2.9% over the past year, the second-most of any state
• Texas paychecks beat prices by 2.3% over the past year, the third-most of any state
• Government payrolls shrank in 33 of 50 states over the past year