Illinois Job Index
Release
1/30/2015
Data
Jan 1990 / Dec 2014
Issue
2015.1
www.real.illinois.edu
For December Illinois Job Index, Illinois, RMW and the nation all had positive job growth.
The Illinois Job Index and MSA Report are issued monthly as tools for elected officials, policy leaders and the public. The
objective is to enhance the understanding of the Illinois economy and business climate by comparing and measuring Illinois
employment growth rates against those of the Rest of the Midwest (RMW: Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and
Wisconsin) and the Nation. Data and analysis are provided by the Illinois Economic Observatory / Regional Economics
Applications Laboratory, University of Illinois.
Nov 2014–Dec 2014

Jan
2015
Positive
Total non-farm
employment
Growth
Rate %
Nation
Last 12 months
Dec 2014
Number of
Jobs
Growth
Rate%
Number of
Jobs
Shadow
U.R.*
0.18
252,000
2.15
2,952,000
11.14%
RMW
0.12
23,800
1.43
278,700
11.33%
Illinois
0.29
17,100
0.89
51,600
10.54%
*REAL has estimated a shadow unemployment rate; this is calculated as the unemployment rate that would be observed if labor force participation rates matched the
average for the 15-year period from 1990 to 2004.
Talking Points
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Illinois 
Notes
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Nation 
Notes
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Illinois added 17,100 jobs in December 2014, compared with a 7,100 job gain in November 2014.
Compared to December 2013, Illinois has added 51,600 jobs. The three-month moving average, a more
stable measure of labor market, showed an increase of 7,300 jobs per month.
The Nation added 252,000 jobs at a rate of 0.18%, compared with a 353,000 job gain in November 2014.
The three-month moving average was up by 288,700 jobs per month.
The RMW added 23,800 jobs in December after a 69,400 job gain in November 2014. The three-month
moving average was up by 41,700 jobs per month.
Since the beginning of the recession in December 2007, Illinois has posted negative job changes 38 times
and positive job gains 45 times so far. The state of Illinois now has a net loss of 107,600 jobs since the
beginning of the recession in December 2007.
Four sectors in Illinois have employment levels this month that are lower than January 1990 –
Construction, Manufacturing, Financial Activities and Information.
Since January 2010, when Illinois employment growth resumed after the national recession, Illinois has
added 295,400 new jobs.
By December 2014 in Illinois, Professional & business services and Leisure & hospitality have both
recovered to their previous employment peak levels. The 12-month-ahead job recovery forecasts also
show that the future recovery rates will increase for Construction, Manufacturing, Professional &
business services, and Leisure & hospitality.
The shadow unemployment rates for Illinois, RMW and the Nation were 10.54%, 11.33% and 11.14%,
compared to official unemployment rates of 6.2%, 5.4% and 5.6%.
Through December 2014, the cumulative job growth for Illinois, RMW and the Nation compared to
January 1990 stood at 11.62%, 15.75%, and 28.59%, respectively.
Total nonfarm payroll employment was up by 252,000 jobs. Sectors such as Professional & business
services, Construction, and Education & health had major job growth.
The nation has recovered from the recent recession and added 1,997,000 additional jobs since the last
employment peak in December 2007. However, for RMW and Illinois, they have not yet recovered from
their respective peaks in 2000.
The nation’s average growth rates for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 were 0.07%, 0.27 %, -0.32%, 0.07%, 0.13%, 0.14%, 0.14% and 0.18% respectively.
Illinois Jobs Index
release 1/30/2015
www.real.illinois.edu
page 1
Total Non-farm Employment growth rate Jan 1990 – December 2014
135.00
130.00
125.00
120.00
115.00
110.00
105.00
100.00
National
RMW
IL
95.00
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Total Non-farm Employment and Employment Index
Nation
RMW
Illinois
December 2014
Number of Jobs
140,347,000
19,782,300
5,880,300
Current
Index to Jan 1990
128.59
115.75
111.62
Previous Peak
Index to Jan 1990
126.57 (Dec-2007)
119.44 (Jun-2000)
115.08 (Nov-2000)
Changes in Jobs
since Jan 1990
31,202,000
2,691,700
612,000
Changes in Jobs
since Pervious Peak
1,997,000
-616,700
-176,700
Last 12 months Total Non-farm Employment Growth Rate Jan 2014 – Dec 2014
Jan/14
Feb/14
Mar/14
Apr/14
May/14
Jun/14
Jul/14
Aug/14
Sep/14
Oct/14
Nov/14
Dec/14
0.40%
Nation
RMW
IL
0.30%
0.20%
0.10%
0.00%
-0.10%
-0.20%
-0.30%
-0.40%
Illinois Jobs Index
release 1/30/2015
www.real.illinois.edu
page 2
Barometer of Job Recovery
Illinois Recovery Scenarios
Growth Rate
To Recover
At the point of
2014- December
At the point of
2010-June
In 5 years
53,800 jobs/year
106,800 jobs/year
In 8 years
33,600 jobs/year
66,800 jobs/year
In 10 years
26,900 jobs/year
53,400 jobs/year
In 15 years
17,900 jobs/year
35,600 jobs/year
* The figure 564,500 is the number of jobs needed for the Illinois economy to recover to the previous employment peak, Nov2000. The gap between the previous peak, Nov-2000 and the previous lowest point, Dec-2009 is 466,100. Adding 98,400, the
number of jobs that needed to bring the shadow and official unemployment rates together, the total number of jobs that Illinois
needs to create is 564,500.
**The figure 30,400 represents the jobs recovered from December 2009 (previous lowest level) through June 2010.
*** The figure 295,400 represents the jobs recovered from December 2009 through December 2014.
Illinois Jobs Index
release 1/30/2015
www.real.illinois.edu
page 3
Employment Growth Rate by Sector:
Total Non-farm Employment growth rate by Sector, November 2014 – December 2014
20 Construction
30 Manufacturing
40 Trade, transportation & utilities
50 Information
55 Financial activities
60 Professional & business services
65 Education & health
70 Leisure & hospitality
80 Other Services
90 Government
-1.00%
-0.50%
0.00%
0.50%
1.00%
Nation


Sector
notes
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
Illinois Jobs Index
1.50%
2.00%
2.50%
RMW
3.00%
3.50%
IL
Illinois posted positive change in December 2014 by adding 17,100 jobs. Five out of ten
sectors recorded net gains. Compared to November 2014, Construction (0.98% to 2.92%) had
a major performance gain, while Professional & business services (0.71% to -0.05%) had a
major performance loss. Government (0.04% to -0.14%), Other Services (-0.16% to -0.27%),
Financial Activities (0.22% to -0.24%), Information (0.21% to 0.00%), Manufacturing (0.68%
to 0.40%) also experienced net performance losses, while Leisure & hospitality (0.20% to
0.82%), Education & health (0.07% to 0.53%) and Trade, transportation & utilities (-0.68% to
0.26%) experienced net gains in performance.
In December at the national level, the top three job-gain sectors were:
o Professional & business services: 52,000 (0.27%)
o Construction: 48,000 (0.78%)
o Education & health: 48,000 (0.22%)
No sector lost jobs at the national level in December.
For Illinois, the major job-gain sectors in December were:
o Leisure & hospitality: 4,500 (0.82%)
o Construction: 6,000 (2.92%)
o Education & health: 4,700 (0.53%)
The top-three sectors that lost jobs in December for Illinois are:
o Government: -1,200 (-0.14%)
o Financial Activities: -900 (-0.24%)
o Other Services: -700 (-0.27%)
For Illinois, four sectors have employment below 1990 levels. Compared to 1990 employment
levels, Manufacturing has shed 342,700 jobs, Construction is down 19,100 jobs, Information
down 33,700 jobs and Financial activities has 4,400 fewer jobs.
release 1/30/2015
www.real.illinois.edu
page 4
Total Non-farm Employment growth rate by sector Jan 1990 – December 2014
Illinois
vs.
RMW
Nation
Rate
Rate
%
8.15
%
13.72
Construction
vs. RMW
-
Nation
-
Number of Jobs
-19,100
Rate %
-8.29
Manufacturing
-
-
-342,700
-37.16
-24.46
-31.23
Trade, transportation & utilities (TTU)
-
-
18,000
1.57
5.15
17.31
Information
-
-
-33,700
-25.86
-17.88
0.71
Financial activities
-
-
-4,400
-1.18
15.58
21.80
Professional & business services
-
-
343,500
60.05
73.22
81.61
Education & health
-
-
365,100
69.00
70.65
101.56
Leisure & hospitality
+
-
170,500
44.41
34.58
59.91
Other Services
+
-
48,300
23.49
22.61
31.20
Government
-
-
75,400
9.98
11.18
20.90
Illinois job recovery by sector from Dec 2007 – December 2014
Job Changes in
Recession Period*
Job Changes in
Jan 2010-Dec
2014
Recovery Rate
Forecasted Job
Changes Jan 2010Dec 2015
Forecasted
Recovery Rate
Construction
-63,800
7,400
11.60%
18,200
28.53%
Manufacturing
-114,500
24,700
21.57%
58,000
50.66%
Trade, transportation & utilities (TTU)
-97,100
45,100
46.45%
44,700
46.04%
Information
-11,300
-7,800
-69.03%
-10,000
-88.50%
Financial activities
Professional & business services
Education & health
-32,700
-92,700
32,200
3,200
134,600
72,700
9.79%
145.20%
-
2,300
146,600
86,600
7.03%
158.14%
-
Leisure & hospitality
-22,300
42,500
190.58%
46,800
209.87%
Other services
-6,300
-2,100
-35.59%
-2,300
-38.98%
Government
*Recession period: Dec 2007- Dec 2009
5,600
-25,600
-
-26,000
-


Recovery
by Sector




Illinois Jobs Index
During the recession period of December 2007-December 2009, 8 out of 10 Illinois sectors
experienced negative job growth. Education & health and Government are the only 2 sectors
that had positive job growth during the recession.
Since January 2010, Illinois employment growth resumed. Construction, Manufacturing,
Trade, transportation & utilities, Financial activities, Professional & business services and
Leisure & hospitality have recovered 11.60%, 21.57%, 46.45%, 9.79%, 145.20% and
190.58% respectively, from the jobs lost during the recession.
By December 2014, Professional & business services and Leisure & hospitality had both
recovered to their previous employment peak levels.
However, recovery rates for sectors such as Information and Other Services are still negative,
namely -69.03% and -35.59% respectively.
The 12-month-ahead job recovery forecasts show that the future recovery rates will increase
for Construction, Manufacturing, Professional & business services, and Leisure & hospitality.
Trade, transportation & utilities (TTU), Information, Financial Activities and Other Services
are predicted to lose jobs.
release 1/30/2015
www.real.illinois.edu
page 5
Construction
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
Manufacturing
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
%
Change
Number of
Jobs
Illinois
2.92
6,000
RMW
1.21
8,900
Nation
0.78
48,000
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
%
Change
Number of
Jobs
Illinois
0.40
2,300
RMW
0.09
2,500
Nation
0.14
17,000
110.00
100.00
90.00
80.00
70.00
60.00
National
RMW
IL
50.00
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Trade, transportation & utilities (TTU)
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
%
Change
Number of
Jobs
Illinois
0.26
3,000
RMW
-0.20
-7,200
Nation
0.09
23,000
120.00
115.00
110.00
105.00
100.00
National
RMW
IL
95.00
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Illinois Jobs Index
release 1/30/2015
www.real.illinois.edu
page 6
Information
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
%
Change
Number of
Jobs
Illinois
0.00
0
RMW
-0.07
-200
Nation
0.07
2,000
140.00
130.00
120.00
110.00
100.00
90.00
80.00
National
RMW
IL
70.00
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Financial activities
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
%
Change
Number of
Jobs
Illinois
-0.24
-900
RMW
0.07
700
Nation
0.12
10,000
130.00
125.00
120.00
115.00
110.00
105.00
100.00
National
RMW
IL
95.00
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Professional & business services
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
%
Change
Number of
Jobs
Illinois
-0.05
-500
RMW
0.39
9,600
Nation
0.27
52,000
190.00
180.00
170.00
160.00
150.00
140.00
130.00
120.00
110.00
100.00
National
RMW
IL
90.00
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Illinois Jobs Index
release 1/30/2015
www.real.illinois.edu
page 7
Education & health
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
%
Change
Number of
Jobs
Illinois
0.53
4,700
RMW
0.17
5,300
Nation
0.22
48,000
220.00
200.00
180.00
160.00
140.00
120.00
National
RMW
IL
100.00
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Leisure & hospitality
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
%
Change
Number of
Jobs
Illinois
0.82
4,500
RMW
0.45
8,700
Nation
0.24
36,000
170.00
160.00
150.00
140.00
130.00
120.00
110.00
100.00
National
RMW
IL
90.00
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Other Services
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
%
Change
Number of
Jobs
Illinois
-0.27
-700
RMW
-0.44
-3,700
Nation
0.04
2,000
135.00
130.00
125.00
120.00
115.00
110.00
105.00
100.00
National
RMW
IL
95.00
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Illinois Jobs Index
release 1/30/2015
www.real.illinois.edu
page 8
Government
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
Nov 2014 –Dec 2014
%
Change
Number of
Jobs
Illinois
-0.14
-1,200
RMW
-0.04
-1,200
Nation
0.05
12,000
130.00
125.00
120.00
115.00
110.00
105.00
National
RMW
IL
100.00
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
ABOUT: The Regional Economics Applications Laboratory (REAL) is a unit of the Institute of Government and Public
Affairs of the University of Illinois. REAL undertakes impact and forecasting analyses of the Illinois and several Midwestern
economies and is also engaged in similar analysis in several other countries including Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Japan.
More information can be found at www.real.illinois.edu.
Illinois Jobs Index
release 1/30/2015
www.real.illinois.edu
page 9