Overall, Washington has 2.5% (89,400) net fewer nonfarm jobs than it did pre-pandemic. While high-wage sectors have gained net jobs since February 2020, low- and moderate-wage jobs in hospitality, manufacturing, services, and government are making up ground much more slowly.
Among Washington’s largest job sectors, those with net job gains since February 2020 include: Information (+9.2%), Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (+3.5%), and Retail Trade (+1.6%) – the latter predominately in non-store (online) businesses. Sectors with net job losses over the same period include: Accommodation and Food Services (-10%), Manufacturing (-9.6%), Other Services (-8.0%), State Government (-6.1%), and Local Government (-4.5%).[i]
Net Employment Change During COVID Pandemic
(Feb. 2020 to Nov. 2021, seasonally adjusted)
| Sector | Washington | Seattle | Diff. fr. WA avg. wage (2020) |
| Total Nonfarm | -89400 | -65700 | n/a |
| Construction | 3600 | -100 | -$114 |
| Manufacturing | -28300 | -24500 | $12,057 |
| Wholesale Trade | -3400 | -3600 | $17,399 |
| Retail Trade | 6200 | 600 | $1,471 |
| Information | 13700 | 12400 | $171,986 |
| Prof, Sci., and Tech. Services | 7800 | 4800 | $42,017 |
| Admin. and Waste Mgmt. Serv. | -3700 | 9700 | -$12,846 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | -3800 | -3000 | -$13,156 |
| Accommodation and Food Serv. | -29400 | -5300 | -$45,201 |
| Other Services | -10600 | -30000 | -$23,260 |
| State Government | -9200 | -7600 | $1,786 |
| Local Government | -16300 | -6200 | -$799 |
Source: Washington Employment Security Department
| Sector | Tacoma | Spokane | Kennewick | Yakima | Diff. fr. WA avg. wage (2020) |
| Total Nonfarm | -5800 | -1200 | -1100 | -1000 | n/a |
| Min., Log., Const. | -300 | 900 | -400 | -200 | n/a |
| Manufacturing | -700 | -900 | -100 | -300 | $12,057 |
| Wholesale Trade | -500 | -200 | n/a | -100 | $17,399 |
| Retail Trade | 1400 | -700 | 0 | 800 | $1,471 |
| Trans., Wrhs., Util. | 1200 | 4000 | n/a | 200 | n/a |
| Information | -400 | -700 | n/a | n/a | $171,986 |
| Financial Activities | -700 | -500 | 400 | n/a | n/a |
| Prof. and Bus. Serv. | 300 | 800 | -100 | 0 | n/a |
| Educ. & Health Serv. | -2700 | 2600 | 700 | -100 | n/a |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 1500 | -2000 | -300 | -100 | n/a |
| Other Services | -1700 | -700 | -300 | -600 | -$23,260 |
| State Government | -800 | -1800 | -500 | -200 | -$799 |
| Local Government | -1600 | -2100 | -200 | -400 | $1,786 |
Source: Washington Employment Security Department
Previous: Part 1 – Employment and the Labor Force | Next: Part 3 – Workers’ Wages and Corporate Profits
[i] Based on seasonally adjusted historical employment estimates (WA-QB) published by the Washington Employment Security Department, https://www.esd.wa.gov/labormarketinfo/employment-estimates(opens in new tab).