WORKFORCE

[photo, Mural, East Antietam St. (near North Potomac St.), Hagerstown, Maryland]

Maryland's workforce is among the best educated in the nation. In 2018, over 40.8% of its population aged 25 or older held a bachelor's degree or higher (3rd among all states), while 18.9% held 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.

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 2018, 18.3% of the workforce was employed by federal, State and local governments, while 81.7% of workers were employed in the private sector, with 71.3% in service-providing industries and 10.4% in goods-producing business establishments.

In 2018, Maryland was fourth in the nation for employment within the federal government, though it ranked first for federal jobs per capita, at 240 jobs per 10,000 residents. Maryland also ranked third in the country for its high percentage of professional and technical workers (27.8%) in the workforce.

TOTAL WORKFORCE - MARYLAND*
(annual averages)


	2016	2017	2018
Maryland	2,626,510	2,652,465	2,676,716


	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Maryland	2,479,122	2,514,165	2,532,403	2,553,333	2,590,860

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Maryland 2,530,129 2,546,850 2,537,400 2,460,972 2,454,418

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


	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


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

PRIVATE & PUBLIC SECTOR WORKFORCE - MARYLAND*


	2016	2017	2018
Private Sector goods producing	270,891 (10.3%)	273,719 (10.3%)	278,931 (10.4%)
natural resources & mining	6,431	6,434	6,444
construction	160,868	162,154	163,285
manufacturing	103,592	105,130	109,202
Private Sector service providing	1,869,496 (71.2%)	1,891,680 (71.3%)	1,908,679 (71.3%)
trade, transportation, utilities, & Warehousing	461,148	461,998	462,196
information	37,695	37,625	36,234
financial activities	139,872	140,275	138,188
professional & business	442,057	443,960	452,271
education & health	425,693	436,174	445,187
leisure & hospitality	272,346	280,175	282,048
other	90,685	91,472	92,553
Public Sector	486,101 (18.5%)	487,036 (18.4%)	489,102 (18.3%)
local government	242,364	242,559	244,297
state government	97,937	97,770	99,857
federal government	145,800	146,707	144,948

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Private Sector
goods producing 262,754 (10.6%) 259,297 (10.3%) 259,046 (10.2%) 259,619 (10.2%) 264,416 (10.2%)
natural resources & mining 6,553 6,926 6,338 6,435 6,473
construction 143,152 143,303 146,207 149,622 154,047
manufacturing 113,049 109,068 106,501 103,562 103,896
Private Sector
service providing 1,728,440 (69.7%) 1,766,655 (70.3%) 1,786,284 (70.5%) 1,807,725 (70.8%) 1,840,758 (71.1%)
trade, transportation, utilities, & Warehousing 439,656 444,972 445,462 449,318 458,015
information 41,713 39,804 39,491 38,801 38,449
financial activities 136,487 137,521 138,212 137,176 138,896
professional & business 397,247 409,726 417,061 424,517 430,326
education & health 391,842 400,436 403,282 408,350 417,845
leisure & hospitality 233,724 244,213 254,166 260,379 267,202
other 87,771 89,983 88,610 89,184 90,025
Public Sector 487,919 (19.7%) 488,202 (19.4%) 487,073 (19.2%) 485,989 (19.0%) 485,685 (18.7%)
local government 241,039 241,058 242,082 243,513 242,724
state government 102,367 100,790 100,379 99,484 98,833
federal government 144,513 146,354 144,612 142,992 144,128


	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Private Sector goods producing	331,590 (13.1%)	326,133 (12.8%)	313,044 (12.3%)	278,257 (11.3%)	264,380 (10.8%)
natural resources & mining	6,836	6,556	6,528	6,428	6,520
construction	188,420	187,878	178,076	153,122	142,774
manufacturing	136,334	131,699	128,440	118,707	115,086
Private Sector service providing	1,741,777 (68.8%)	1,758,249 (69%)	1,753,071 (69.1%)	1,705,302 (69.3%)	1,705,856 (69.5%)
trade, transportation & utilities	470,271	472,365	461,249	436,545	434,661
information	50,726	50,646	49,820	46,513	43,830
financial activities	157,729	154,556	149,220	141,937	138,000
professional & business	394,518	396,733	398,952	384,033	386,796
education & health	349,136	359,053	367,671	378,238	385,013
leisure & hospitality	229,694	234,278	236,048	230,220	229,797
other	89,703	90,618	90,111	87,816	87,759
Public Sector	455,492 (18.0%)	461,356 (18.1%)	470,409 (18.5%)	476,918 (19.4%)	484,108 (19.7%)
local government	232,795	237,879	243,576	244,866	241,869
state government	97,519	98,634	99,683	100,190	102,312
federal government	125,178	124,843	127,150	131,862	139,927

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
manufacturing 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


	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 manufacturing	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


	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 & nonresident wage-earners working in Maryland.

CIVILIAN WORKFORCE - MARYLAND
(annual averages)


	2016	2017	2018	2019
Employed*	3,025,243	3,068,886	3,094,569	3,143,967
Unemployed**	140,961 (4.5%)	135,695 (4.3%)	125,485 (3.9%)	116,700 (3.6%)
TOTAL	3,166,204	3,204,581	3,322,622	3,144,083

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Employed* 2,872,084 2,902,307 2,923,498 2,941,562 2,981,859
Unemployed** 224,477 (7.2%) 217,340 (7.0%) 205,854 (6.6%) 181,486 (5.8%) 159,743 (5.1%)
TOTAL 3,096,561 3,119,647 3,129,352 3,123,048 3,141,602

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Employed* 2,892,620 2,873,512 2,867,178 2,820,245 2,838,492
Unemployed** 116,523 (3.9%) 106,841 (3.6%) 130,531 (4.4%) 212,455 (7.0%) 235,334 (7.7%)
TOTAL 3,009,143 2,980,353 2,997,709 3,032,700 3,073,826

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


	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


	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: Division of Workforce Development & Adult Learning, Department of Labor, Licensing, & Regulation

Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
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Maryland at a Glance

Maryland Manual On-Line, 2020

MARYLAND AT A GLANCE

ECONOMY

EMPLOYMENT

WORKFORCE

TOTAL WORKFORCE - MARYLAND*
(annual averages)

PRIVATE & PUBLIC SECTOR WORKFORCE - MARYLAND*

CIVILIAN WORKFORCE - MARYLAND
(annual averages)

Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
Maryland Departments
Maryland Independent Agencies
Maryland Executive Commissions, Committees, Task Forces, & Advisory Boards
Maryland Universities & Colleges
Maryland Counties
Maryland Municipalities
Maryland at a Glance