Data / Rankings / Nonfarm payroll employment / US states

US states by nonfarm payroll employment

California had the highest nonfarm payroll employment of 51 states in November 2025, at 18,059,000 jobs. Wyoming had the lowest, at 294,400 jobs. The median was 1,992,500 jobs and the figure for the United States was 158,449,000 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest18,059,000California
Lowest294,400Wyoming
Median1,992,50051 states
United States158,449,000History

Map of states, November 2025

Alabama: 2,195,200 jobsAlaska: 336,600 jobsArizona: 3,253,000 jobsArkansas: 1,341,900 jobsCalifornia: 18,059,000 jobsColorado: 2,961,100 jobsConnecticut: 1,716,600 jobsDelaware: 492,700 jobsDistrict of Columbia: 726,900 jobsFlorida: 9,947,200 jobsGeorgia: 4,974,600 jobsHawaii: 642,800 jobsIdaho: 880,500 jobsIllinois: 6,137,200 jobsIndiana: 3,247,700 jobsIowa: 1,581,600 jobsKansas: 1,465,600 jobsKentucky: 2,027,300 jobsLouisiana: 1,992,500 jobsMaine: 659,800 jobsMaryland: 2,786,100 jobsMassachusetts: 3,701,400 jobsMichigan: 4,478,000 jobsMinnesota: 3,034,300 jobsMississippi: 1,195,000 jobsMissouri: 2,988,100 jobsMontana: 524,700 jobsNebraska: 1,060,200 jobsNevada: 1,598,300 jobsNew Hampshire: 698,100 jobsNew Jersey: 4,375,100 jobsNew Mexico: 892,500 jobsNew York: 9,956,900 jobsNorth Carolina: 5,064,100 jobsNorth Dakota: 445,900 jobsOhio: 5,660,200 jobsOklahoma: 1,786,000 jobsOregon: 1,972,400 jobsPennsylvania: 6,174,000 jobsRhode Island: 513,200 jobsSouth Carolina: 2,398,100 jobsSouth Dakota: 470,000 jobsTennessee: 3,366,000 jobsTexas: 14,306,500 jobsUtah: 1,768,600 jobsVermont: 310,900 jobsVirginia: 4,262,700 jobsWashington: 3,635,600 jobsWest Virginia: 716,400 jobsWisconsin: 3,022,300 jobsWyoming: 294,400 jobs
  • Under 600K
  • 600K to 1.3M
  • 1.3M to 2M
  • 2M to 3.1M
  • 3.1M to 4.8M
  • 4.8M and over
jobs, November 2025. Source: BLS, Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001). Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, November 2025

California: 18,059,000 jobsCalifornia18,059,000Texas: 14,306,500 jobsTexas14,306,500New York: 9,956,900 jobsNew York9,956,900Florida: 9,947,200 jobsFlorida9,947,200Pennsylvania: 6,174,000 jobsPennsylvania6,174,000Illinois: 6,137,200 jobsIllinois6,137,200Ohio: 5,660,200 jobsOhio5,660,200North Carolina: 5,064,100 jobsNorth Carolina5,064,100Georgia: 4,974,600 jobsGeorgia4,974,600Michigan: 4,478,000 jobsMichigan4,478,000New Jersey: 4,375,100 jobsNew Jersey4,375,100Virginia: 4,262,700 jobsVirginia4,262,700Massachusetts: 3,701,400 jobsMassachusetts3,701,400Washington: 3,635,600 jobsWashington3,635,600Tennessee: 3,366,000 jobsTennessee3,366,000Arizona: 3,253,000 jobsArizona3,253,000Indiana: 3,247,700 jobsIndiana3,247,700Minnesota: 3,034,300 jobsMinnesota3,034,300Wisconsin: 3,022,300 jobsWisconsin3,022,300Missouri: 2,988,100 jobsMissouri2,988,100Colorado: 2,961,100 jobsColorado2,961,100Maryland: 2,786,100 jobsMaryland2,786,100South Carolina: 2,398,100 jobsSouth Carolina2,398,100Alabama: 2,195,200 jobsAlabama2,195,200Kentucky: 2,027,300 jobsKentucky2,027,300Louisiana: 1,992,500 jobsLouisiana1,992,500Oregon: 1,972,400 jobsOregon1,972,400Oklahoma: 1,786,000 jobsOklahoma1,786,000Utah: 1,768,600 jobsUtah1,768,600Connecticut: 1,716,600 jobsConnecticut1,716,600Nevada: 1,598,300 jobsNevada1,598,300Iowa: 1,581,600 jobsIowa1,581,600Kansas: 1,465,600 jobsKansas1,465,600Arkansas: 1,341,900 jobsArkansas1,341,900Mississippi: 1,195,000 jobsMississippi1,195,000Nebraska: 1,060,200 jobsNebraska1,060,200New Mexico: 892,500 jobsNew Mexico892,500Idaho: 880,500 jobsIdaho880,500District of Columbia: 726,900 jobsDistrict of Columbia726,900West Virginia: 716,400 jobsWest Virginia716,400New Hampshire: 698,100 jobsNew Hampshire698,100Maine: 659,800 jobsMaine659,800Hawaii: 642,800 jobsHawaii642,800Montana: 524,700 jobsMontana524,700Rhode Island: 513,200 jobsRhode Island513,200Delaware: 492,700 jobsDelaware492,700South Dakota: 470,000 jobsSouth Dakota470,000North Dakota: 445,900 jobsNorth Dakota445,900Alaska: 336,600 jobsAlaska336,600Vermont: 310,900 jobsVermont310,900Wyoming: 294,400 jobsWyoming294,400California: 18,059,000 jobsCalifornia18,059,000Texas: 14,306,500 jobsTexas14,306,500New York: 9,956,900 jobsNew York9,956,900Florida: 9,947,200 jobsFlorida9,947,200Pennsylvania: 6,174,000 jobsPennsylvania6,174,000Illinois: 6,137,200 jobsIllinois6,137,200Ohio: 5,660,200 jobsOhio5,660,200North Carolina: 5,064,100 jobsNorth Carolina5,064,100Georgia: 4,974,600 jobsGeorgia4,974,600Michigan: 4,478,000 jobsMichigan4,478,000New Jersey: 4,375,100 jobsNew Jersey4,375,100Virginia: 4,262,700 jobsVirginia4,262,700Massachusetts: 3,701,400 jobsMassachusetts3,701,400Washington: 3,635,600 jobsWashington3,635,600Tennessee: 3,366,000 jobsTennessee3,366,000Arizona: 3,253,000 jobsArizona3,253,000Indiana: 3,247,700 jobsIndiana3,247,700Minnesota: 3,034,300 jobsMinnesota3,034,300Wisconsin: 3,022,300 jobsWisconsin3,022,300Missouri: 2,988,100 jobsMissouri2,988,100Colorado: 2,961,100 jobsColorado2,961,100Maryland: 2,786,100 jobsMaryland2,786,100South Carolina: 2,398,100 jobsSouth Carolina2,398,100Alabama: 2,195,200 jobsAlabama2,195,200Kentucky: 2,027,300 jobsKentucky2,027,300Louisiana: 1,992,500 jobsLouisiana1,992,500Oregon: 1,972,400 jobsOregon1,972,400Oklahoma: 1,786,000 jobsOklahoma1,786,000Utah: 1,768,600 jobsUtah1,768,600Connecticut: 1,716,600 jobsConnecticut1,716,600Nevada: 1,598,300 jobsNevada1,598,300Iowa: 1,581,600 jobsIowa1,581,600Kansas: 1,465,600 jobsKansas1,465,600Arkansas: 1,341,900 jobsArkansas1,341,900Mississippi: 1,195,000 jobsMississippi1,195,000Nebraska: 1,060,200 jobsNebraska1,060,200New Mexico: 892,500 jobsNew Mexico892,500Idaho: 880,500 jobsIdaho880,500District of Columbia: 726,900 jobsDistrict of Columbia726,900West Virginia: 716,400 jobsWest Virginia716,400New Hampshire: 698,100 jobsNew Hampshire698,100Maine: 659,800 jobsMaine659,800Hawaii: 642,800 jobsHawaii642,800Montana: 524,700 jobsMontana524,700Rhode Island: 513,200 jobsRhode Island513,200Delaware: 492,700 jobsDelaware492,700South Dakota: 470,000 jobsSouth Dakota470,000North Dakota: 445,900 jobsNorth Dakota445,900Alaska: 336,600 jobsAlaska336,600Vermont: 310,900 jobsVermont310,900Wyoming: 294,400 jobsWyoming294,400
jobs. Source: BLS, Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStatesNovember 2025
jobs		Change on November 2024
1California18,059,000+0.1%
2Texas14,306,500+0.5%
3New York9,956,900+0.3%
4Florida9,947,200-0.3%
5Pennsylvania6,174,000+0.3%
6Illinois6,137,200-0.3%
7Ohio5,660,200-0.1%
8North Carolina5,064,100+0.7%
9Georgia4,974,600-0.2%
10Michigan4,478,000-0.2%
11New Jersey4,375,100+0.1%
12Virginia4,262,700-0.1%
13Massachusetts3,701,400-0.6%
14Washington3,635,600+0.2%
15Tennessee3,366,000-0.1%
16Arizona3,253,000-0.5%
17Indiana3,247,700-0.6%
18Minnesota3,034,300+0.3%
19Wisconsin3,022,300-0.9%
20Missouri2,988,100-0.2%
21Colorado2,961,100-0.3%
22Maryland2,786,100-2.2%
23South Carolina2,398,100+1.2%
24Alabama2,195,200+0.1%
25Kentucky2,027,300-0.5%
26Louisiana1,992,500-0.2%
27Oregon1,972,400-1%
28Oklahoma1,786,000-0.3%
29Utah1,768,600+0.6%
30Connecticut1,716,600+0.1%
31Nevada1,598,300+1.8%
32Iowa1,581,600-0.9%
33Kansas1,465,600+0.2%
34Arkansas1,341,900+0.5%
35Mississippi1,195,000+0.5%
36Nebraska1,060,200-0.3%
37New Mexico892,500-0%
38Idaho880,500+1.1%
39District of Columbia726,900-5.3%
40West Virginia716,400-0.4%
41New Hampshire698,100-1%
42Maine659,800-0.3%
43Hawaii642,800-0%
44Montana524,700-0.2%
45Rhode Island513,200-0.5%
46Delaware492,700-0.6%
47South Dakota470,0000%
48North Dakota445,900-0.6%
49Alaska336,600+0.1%
50Vermont310,900-0.4%
51Wyoming294,400-0.3%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of jobs on nonfarm payrolls in the month, seasonally adjusted, from the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey of businesses and government agencies run by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The monthly jobs count of the national Employment Situation report and the State Employment and Unemployment release. Counts jobs on nonfarm payrolls, not people: someone with two jobs counts twice. It covers full-time and part-time employees paid for any part of the pay period that includes the 12th of the month, and excludes the self-employed, farm workers, private household workers and unpaid family workers. For employed people from the household survey use employment_population_ratio; for May job counts by occupation use 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. Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/sm/sm.data.55.TotalNonFarmStateWide.All. 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). Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001) (US states by nonfarm payroll employment, 2025-11) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/sm/sm.data.55.TotalNonFarmStateWide.All

MLA 9

Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001), US states by nonfarm payroll employment, 2025-11. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 18 Sept. 2026, https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/sm/sm.data.55.TotalNonFarmStateWide.All. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonfarm-payroll-employment/us-states?period=2025-11. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001). US states by nonfarm payroll employment, 2025-11. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/sm/sm.data.55.TotalNonFarmStateWide.All. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonfarm-payroll-employment/us-states?period=2025-11.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001), US states by nonfarm payroll employment, 2025-11 [Dataset]. Available at: https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/sm/sm.data.55.TotalNonFarmStateWide.All, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonfarm-payroll-employment/us-states?period=2025-11 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_us_states_by_nonfarm_2026,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001): US states by nonfarm payroll employment, 2025-11}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/sm/sm.data.55.TotalNonFarmStateWide.All},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonfarm-payroll-employment/us-states?period=2025-11. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/sm/sm.data.55.TotalNonFarmStateWide.All. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001): US states by nonfarm payroll employment, 2025-11
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/18
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/sm/sm.data.55.TotalNonFarmStateWide.All
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonfarm-payroll-employment/us-states?period=2025-11
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonfarm-payroll-employment/us-states?period=2025-11.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/sm/sm.data.55.TotalNonFarmStateWide.All. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank US states by nonfarm payroll employment using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which state has the highest nonfarm payroll employment?

California, with 18,059,000 jobs in November 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which state has the lowest nonfarm payroll employment?

Wyoming, with 294,400 jobs in November 2025.

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, Current Employment Statistics, State and Area: all employees, total nonfarm, statewide, seasonally adjusted (SMS, state, 000000000000001). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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