Data / Rankings / Covered employment (QCEW) / US states

US states by covered employment (QCEW)

California had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 51 states in 2018, at 17,355,855 jobs. Wyoming had the lowest, at 272,171 jobs. The median was 1,920,804 jobs and the figure for the United States was 146,131,754 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest17,355,855California
Lowest272,171Wyoming
Median1,920,80451 states
United States146,131,754History

Map of states, 2018

Alabama: 1,961,625 jobsAlaska: 321,078 jobsArizona: 2,826,095 jobsArkansas: 1,211,021 jobsCalifornia: 17,355,855 jobsColorado: 2,674,030 jobsConnecticut: 1,673,925 jobsDelaware: 447,075 jobsDistrict of Columbia: 771,750 jobsFlorida: 8,700,654 jobsGeorgia: 4,430,136 jobsHawaii: 658,341 jobsIdaho: 730,716 jobsIllinois: 5,973,316 jobsIndiana: 3,051,879 jobsIowa: 1,549,958 jobsKansas: 1,383,119 jobsKentucky: 1,884,653 jobsLouisiana: 1,921,498 jobsMaine: 615,271 jobsMaryland: 2,679,064 jobsMassachusetts: 3,586,034 jobsMichigan: 4,340,045 jobsMinnesota: 2,882,944 jobsMississippi: 1,130,786 jobsMissouri: 2,794,483 jobsMontana: 464,818 jobsNebraska: 978,066 jobsNevada: 1,371,030 jobsNew Hampshire: 658,836 jobsNew Jersey: 4,043,517 jobsNew Mexico: 822,351 jobsNew York: 9,432,830 jobsNorth Carolina: 4,410,791 jobsNorth Dakota: 417,578 jobsOhio: 5,405,891 jobsOklahoma: 1,605,887 jobsOregon: 1,920,804 jobsPennsylvania: 5,867,783 jobsRhode Island: 481,569 jobsSouth Carolina: 2,091,683 jobsSouth Dakota: 426,927 jobsTennessee: 2,976,889 jobsTexas: 12,302,358 jobsUtah: 1,478,493 jobsVermont: 310,334 jobsVirginia: 3,893,254 jobsWashington: 3,372,533 jobsWest Virginia: 693,478 jobsWisconsin: 2,876,534 jobsWyoming: 272,171 jobs
  • Under 600K
  • 600K to 1.2M
  • 1.2M to 1.9M
  • 1.9M to 2.9M
  • 2.9M to 4.4M
  • 4.4M and over
jobs, 2018. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2018

California: 17,355,855 jobsCalifornia17,355,855Texas: 12,302,358 jobsTexas12,302,358New York: 9,432,830 jobsNew York9,432,830Florida: 8,700,654 jobsFlorida8,700,654Illinois: 5,973,316 jobsIllinois5,973,316Pennsylvania: 5,867,783 jobsPennsylvania5,867,783Ohio: 5,405,891 jobsOhio5,405,891Georgia: 4,430,136 jobsGeorgia4,430,136North Carolina: 4,410,791 jobsNorth Carolina4,410,791Michigan: 4,340,045 jobsMichigan4,340,045New Jersey: 4,043,517 jobsNew Jersey4,043,517Virginia: 3,893,254 jobsVirginia3,893,254Massachusetts: 3,586,034 jobsMassachusetts3,586,034Washington: 3,372,533 jobsWashington3,372,533Indiana: 3,051,879 jobsIndiana3,051,879Tennessee: 2,976,889 jobsTennessee2,976,889Minnesota: 2,882,944 jobsMinnesota2,882,944Wisconsin: 2,876,534 jobsWisconsin2,876,534Arizona: 2,826,095 jobsArizona2,826,095Missouri: 2,794,483 jobsMissouri2,794,483Maryland: 2,679,064 jobsMaryland2,679,064Colorado: 2,674,030 jobsColorado2,674,030South Carolina: 2,091,683 jobsSouth Carolina2,091,683Alabama: 1,961,625 jobsAlabama1,961,625Louisiana: 1,921,498 jobsLouisiana1,921,498Oregon: 1,920,804 jobsOregon1,920,804Kentucky: 1,884,653 jobsKentucky1,884,653Connecticut: 1,673,925 jobsConnecticut1,673,925Oklahoma: 1,605,887 jobsOklahoma1,605,887Iowa: 1,549,958 jobsIowa1,549,958Utah: 1,478,493 jobsUtah1,478,493Kansas: 1,383,119 jobsKansas1,383,119Nevada: 1,371,030 jobsNevada1,371,030Arkansas: 1,211,021 jobsArkansas1,211,021Mississippi: 1,130,786 jobsMississippi1,130,786Nebraska: 978,066 jobsNebraska978,066New Mexico: 822,351 jobsNew Mexico822,351District of Columbia: 771,750 jobsDistrict of Columbia771,750Idaho: 730,716 jobsIdaho730,716West Virginia: 693,478 jobsWest Virginia693,478New Hampshire: 658,836 jobsNew Hampshire658,836Hawaii: 658,341 jobsHawaii658,341Maine: 615,271 jobsMaine615,271Rhode Island: 481,569 jobsRhode Island481,569Montana: 464,818 jobsMontana464,818Delaware: 447,075 jobsDelaware447,075South Dakota: 426,927 jobsSouth Dakota426,927North Dakota: 417,578 jobsNorth Dakota417,578Alaska: 321,078 jobsAlaska321,078Vermont: 310,334 jobsVermont310,334Wyoming: 272,171 jobsWyoming272,171California: 17,355,855 jobsCalifornia17,355,855Texas: 12,302,358 jobsTexas12,302,358New York: 9,432,830 jobsNew York9,432,830Florida: 8,700,654 jobsFlorida8,700,654Illinois: 5,973,316 jobsIllinois5,973,316Pennsylvania: 5,867,783 jobsPennsylvania5,867,783Ohio: 5,405,891 jobsOhio5,405,891Georgia: 4,430,136 jobsGeorgia4,430,136North Carolina: 4,410,791 jobsNorth Carolina4,410,791Michigan: 4,340,045 jobsMichigan4,340,045New Jersey: 4,043,517 jobsNew Jersey4,043,517Virginia: 3,893,254 jobsVirginia3,893,254Massachusetts: 3,586,034 jobsMassachusetts3,586,034Washington: 3,372,533 jobsWashington3,372,533Indiana: 3,051,879 jobsIndiana3,051,879Tennessee: 2,976,889 jobsTennessee2,976,889Minnesota: 2,882,944 jobsMinnesota2,882,944Wisconsin: 2,876,534 jobsWisconsin2,876,534Arizona: 2,826,095 jobsArizona2,826,095Missouri: 2,794,483 jobsMissouri2,794,483Maryland: 2,679,064 jobsMaryland2,679,064Colorado: 2,674,030 jobsColorado2,674,030South Carolina: 2,091,683 jobsSouth Carolina2,091,683Alabama: 1,961,625 jobsAlabama1,961,625Louisiana: 1,921,498 jobsLouisiana1,921,498Oregon: 1,920,804 jobsOregon1,920,804Kentucky: 1,884,653 jobsKentucky1,884,653Connecticut: 1,673,925 jobsConnecticut1,673,925Oklahoma: 1,605,887 jobsOklahoma1,605,887Iowa: 1,549,958 jobsIowa1,549,958Utah: 1,478,493 jobsUtah1,478,493Kansas: 1,383,119 jobsKansas1,383,119Nevada: 1,371,030 jobsNevada1,371,030Arkansas: 1,211,021 jobsArkansas1,211,021Mississippi: 1,130,786 jobsMississippi1,130,786Nebraska: 978,066 jobsNebraska978,066New Mexico: 822,351 jobsNew Mexico822,351District of Columbia: 771,750 jobsDistrict of Columbia771,750Idaho: 730,716 jobsIdaho730,716West Virginia: 693,478 jobsWest Virginia693,478New Hampshire: 658,836 jobsNew Hampshire658,836Hawaii: 658,341 jobsHawaii658,341Maine: 615,271 jobsMaine615,271Rhode Island: 481,569 jobsRhode Island481,569Montana: 464,818 jobsMontana464,818Delaware: 447,075 jobsDelaware447,075South Dakota: 426,927 jobsSouth Dakota426,927North Dakota: 417,578 jobsNorth Dakota417,578Alaska: 321,078 jobsAlaska321,078Vermont: 310,334 jobsVermont310,334Wyoming: 272,171 jobsWyoming272,171
jobs. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2018
jobs		Change on 2017
1California17,355,855+2%
2Texas12,302,358+2.4%
3New York9,432,830+1.7%
4Florida8,700,654+2.4%
5Illinois5,973,316+0.7%
6Pennsylvania5,867,783+1.2%
7Ohio5,405,891+0.8%
8Georgia4,430,136+1.9%
9North Carolina4,410,791+1.9%
10Michigan4,340,045+1.1%
11New Jersey4,043,517+0.9%
12Virginia3,893,254+1.4%
13Massachusetts3,586,034+1.2%
14Washington3,372,533+2.5%
15Indiana3,051,879+1.1%
16Tennessee2,976,889+1.6%
17Minnesota2,882,944+0.9%
18Wisconsin2,876,534+0.9%
19Arizona2,826,095+2.9%
20Missouri2,794,483+0.5%
21Maryland2,679,064+1%
22Colorado2,674,030+2.5%
23South Carolina2,091,683+2.8%
24Alabama1,961,625+1.3%
25Louisiana1,921,498+0.7%
26Oregon1,920,804+2%
27Kentucky1,884,653+0.5%
28Connecticut1,673,925+0.3%
29Oklahoma1,605,887+1.6%
30Iowa1,549,958+0.6%
31Utah1,478,493+3.3%
32Kansas1,383,119+0.8%
33Nevada1,371,030+3.4%
34Arkansas1,211,021+0.9%
35Mississippi1,130,786+0.2%
36Nebraska978,066+0.5%
37New Mexico822,351+1.5%
38District of Columbia771,750+1%
39Idaho730,716+3.4%
40West Virginia693,478+1.4%
41New Hampshire658,836+0.8%
42Hawaii658,341+0.6%
43Maine615,271+1%
44Rhode Island481,569+0.9%
45Montana464,818+1.2%
46Delaware447,075+1.2%
47South Dakota426,927+1.1%
48North Dakota417,578+0.9%
49Alaska321,078-0.3%
50Vermont310,334+0.3%
51Wyoming272,171+1%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of jobs covered by unemployment insurance during the year, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

Counts jobs, not people: someone with two jobs counts twice. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools. A count of employer reports, not a survey estimate like oews_employment.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (US states by covered employment (QCEW), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, US states by covered employment (QCEW), 2018. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/us-states?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. US states by covered employment (QCEW), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/us-states?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, US states by covered employment (QCEW), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/us-states?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_covered_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: US states by covered employment (QCEW), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/us-states?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: US states by covered employment (QCEW), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/us-states?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/us-states?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

California, with 17,355,855 jobs in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Wyoming, with 272,171 jobs in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Covered employment (QCEW): other rankings

US states: more rankings