"Labor Market Information (LMI) is an applied science; it is the systematic collection and analysis of data which describes and predicts the relationship between labor demand and supply." The States' Labor Market Information Review, ICESA, 1995, p. 7.
Welcome to the Wyoming Labor Market Information website of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services' Research & Planning section.
Research & Planning (R&P) is an exclusively statistical entity within the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services that collects, analyzes, and publishes timely and accurate labor market information (LMI) meeting established statistical standards.
The goal of our website redesign is to provide Wyoming Labor Market Information in a format that is faster, more user-friendly on all devices and accessible to all. We would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. You can contact us via e-mail to DWS-RESEARCHPLANNING@wyo.gov, by calling us at (307) 473-3807, or via mail to Research & Planning, PO Box 2760, Casper WY 82602.
Research & Planning has moved to an all-electronic format for Wyoming Labor Force Trends. If you would like to receive Trends electronically but are not currently doing so, please contact R&P Research Supervisor Michael Moore at michael.moore@wyo.gov or (307) 473-3814.
The Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged from January to February at 2.8%. Wyoming’s unemployment rate was lower than its year-ago level of 3.1% and much lower than the current U.S. unemployment rate of 3.9%.
Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates show that total nonfarm employment in Wyoming (not seasonally adjusted and measured by place of work) rose from 282,400 in February 2023 to 285,900 in February 2024, an increase of 3,500 jobs (1.2%).
In February 2024, initial Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims decreased over the month and over the year, while continued UI claims were up slightly.
There were 1,501 initial claims in February 2024, down from 1,741 in February 2023 (-240, or -13.8%). Initial claims also decreased over the month, down from 2,320 in January 2024 (-819, or -35.3%). Initial claims frequently peak in January and then decline substantially in February.
The total number of continued weeks claimed increased from 12,849 in February 2023 to 13,208 in February 2024 (359, or 2.8%). Continued claims remained largely unchanged over the month.
There were 4,274 unique claimants in February 2024, up 12.6% over the month and 1.2% over the year.
The February 2024 Unemployment Insurance claims report also provides detailed information on initial and continued claims at the industry and county levels.
February 2024 UI Claims Report
Weekly UI Claims Data Table of Contents
Wyoming is projected to add more than 8,000 jobs over the next two years, according to new short-term industry and occupational projections.
2023-2025 Short-Term Industry and Occupational Projections home (HTML)
Full publication (PDF)
NEW: Statewide, Regional, County, and MSA Data (estimates for Wyoming wages for May 2022 data updated to the September 2023 ECI Employment Cost Index).
Wyoming had 11 growing industries in 2023Q3, which accounted for 13.6% of all industries and 9.0% of the state's total employment. Growing industries included heavy & civil engineering, administrative & support services, support activities for transportation, and membership associations & organizations.
There were six declining industries in 2023Q3, which made up 7.4% of all industries and 1.3% of the state's total employment. Declining industries included petroleum & coal products manufacturing; furniture, home furnishings, electronics, & appliance retailers; and waste management & remediation services.
Growing and Declining Industries Home | Current Report
From third quarter 2022 to third quarter 2023, total employment in the state rose by 6,212 jobs (2.2%) and total payroll increased by $186.4 million (4.7%). The largest job growth occurred in construction, which added 1,307 jobs (5.8%). Within construction, especially strong growth was observed in power & communication system construction (including the construction of wind farms).
2023Q3 Employment and Wage Tables
Summary Statistics by Industry, 2001Q1-2023Q3
New Summary Statistics by County, 2001Q1-2023Q3
Selected quarterly turnover tables and figures for Wyoming.
News Release | Tables and Figures | CFOI Main Page
The number of occupational fatalities in Wyoming rose from 27 in 2021 to 34 in 2022 (an increase of seven deaths, or 25.9%). Variations in fatalities from year to year are, to some extent, the result of the random nature of work-related accidents. Furthermore, there is not always a direct relationship between workplace fatalities and workplace safety.
Across all industries, more than half of 2022 workplace deaths (55.9%) were the result of transportation incidents. Transportation incidents include highway crashes, pedestrian vehicular incidents, aircraft incidents, and water vehicle incidents.
Wyoming’s nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rate for all industries in 2022 was 3.0, according to the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII). Incidence rates represent the number of injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers.
This publication is intended to introduce the reader to the data available for Wyoming from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.
The 2023 Directory of Licensed Occupations in Wyoming, compiled by the Research & Planning (R&P) section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, provides detailed information about license requirements and related information for the 98 occupations required to have a license by the state of Wyoming. Forty-five licensing boards oversee the administration and enforcement of these licenses.
Requiring practitioners of some occupations to be licensed results in the assurance that these workers have a minimum level of education and competency, and also generally results in higher wages for workers in those occupations compared to those in many unlicensed occupations.
PDF (3.1 MB)
These tables provide detailed information on licensed individuals working in Wyoming, including employment by region, age, and gender.
Table of Contents (HTML)
The Research & Planning (R&P) section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services conducts the Wyoming Benefits Survey on a quarterly basis. This survey is designed to collect information about the types of benefits Wyoming employers offer their employees.
This publication examines the prevalence of employer-provided benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave in Wyoming during first quarter 2022. These benefits are analyzed in several ways: by full- and part-time employment status, employer size class, industry, and by Wyoming substate region.
PDF (3.9 MB)
Welcome to the 2023 edition of the Wyoming Workforce Annual Report, produced by the Research & Planning (R&P) section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services in partnership with the Wyoming Workforce Development Council. This report provides an overview of Wyoming’s economy and workforce. Chapters in this report include:
Wyoming saw a substantial drop in Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit recipients and benefit expenses in 2022, as both fell below pre-pandemic levels. The number of benefit recipients dropped to its lowest count since at least 1997, the first year for which comparable data are available.
List of STEM occupations and long-term projections for STEM occupations in Wyoming and the U.S., 2020-2030.
Research & Planning provides labor market information presentations to government entities, community groups, educators, training providers, and others free of charge. If you would like to discuss a presentation, please contact R&P Research Supervisor Michael Moore at michael.moore@wyo.gov or (307) 473-3814.
Presentation: Inside the 2022 Wyoming Workforce Annual Report
Presented by Michael Moore, Research Supervisor, of the Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services to the Wyoming Workforce Development Council, November 2, 2022, Casper, WY
Presentation: Labor Market Information for Workforce Centers
Presented by Michael Moore, Research Supervisor, of the Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services to Wyoming Workforce Center Staff, October 12, 2022, Casper, WY
In 2020, Wyoming employers added an estimated 79,650 new hires: individuals who, during a particular quarter, started working for an employer he or she had not worked for since at least 1992, the first year for which R&P has wage records.
The New Hires Survey allows R&P to collect rich survey detail not previously available, such as occupation, rate of compensation, benefits, important job skills, employer satisfaction with a new hire’s skills, retention, and more. By linking New Hires Survey data to existing administrative databases, such as Unemployment Insurance Wage Records and Wyoming Department of Transportation driver’s license files, R&P is also able to identify new hires characteristics such as age and gender.
Using survey data collected through the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Current Population Survey (CPS), this new report from the Research & Planning (R&P) section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services looks at how the global pandemic impacted workers in Wyoming and the U.S.
Topics covered in this report include:
A new publication from the Research & Planning (R&P) section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services demonstrates R&P's ability to track Wyoming high school seniors into post-secondary education and the labor market.
The senior cohort for the academic year 2006/07 was used as an example throughout the publication. Key findings showed that 10 years after their senior year:
New postsecondary education employment outcomes data for graduates of Wyoming community colleges and the University of Wyoming are now available online by clicking here.
For more information on how to navigate these interactive Tableau graphics, please see this article in Wyoming Labor Force Trends.
This report, prepared by the Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, serves as supporting documentation for Wyoming’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Annual Report for Program Year 2019. The primary focus of this report is Wyoming youth, which is defined for these purposes as individuals ages 15-24, and other populations with barriers to employment, such as homeless, English language learners, veterans, and others.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act for Wyoming
Includes lookup tools by occupation, printable PDFs for each licensed occupation, links to O*Net detailed descriptions, and comparison of wages for the U.S. and Wyoming.
Wyoming Licensed Occupation Dashboards
Presentation: Health Care Workforce Needs in Wyoming (PowerPoint)
Presented by Tony Glover, Manager, and Michael Moore, Editor, of the Research & Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services to the Wyoming Interim Joint Labor, Health, & Social Services Committee, June 13-14, 2019, Cheyenne, WY
Presentation Handout (PDF)
In 2017, the Wyoming joint labor, health, and social services interim and the joint minerals, business, and economic development interim committees requested the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services complete a study on the state’s gender wage gap (House Bill 0209). This report is an update to a similar report published in 2003.
Presentation: PowerPoint | PDF
Published October 5, 2018. Revised December 3, 2018.
Nearly one in four (22.5%) persons working in Wyoming in 2018Q1 commuted from another county or state.
Published December 2018.
The following are some of the specific locations on our website that may have useful information for you as you consider your employment options: