Employment by Industry

Employment by Industry

Just as diverse as the people who make up the St. Louis area work force are the industries that thrive here. A leading research center for the plant and medical sciences, St. Louis is also a hub for information technology professionals and advanced manufacturing businesses, such as aerospace and automobile production.

Approximately 8 percent of the St. Louis MSA work force is employed in the health care industry, and the region is a national leader in pharmaceutical manufacturing, with nearly 3,709 workers in the field. This is an increase of almost 7 percent from 2003. The St. Louis MSA employs 1,360 chemists, 1,030 medical scientist, and 650 chemical technicians.

St. Louis is also home to 20,170 architects and engineers and to 36,230 professionals in computer and mathematical occupations. The region is witnessing a continuous influx of young technology professionals, who are relocating from other major cities throughout the country.

2005 Employment by Industry
Sector Percent of Workforce (St. Louis, MO-IL MSA) Employment (St. Louis, MO-IL MSA) Percent of Workforce (U.S.) Employment (U.S.)
Construction & Mining 5.9%      81,400    5.1%     7,277,000
Manfacturing 10.3%     141,900 10.0%    14,232,000
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 18.5%     255,900 18.3%    25,909,000
Information   2.1%       29,300    2.2%     3,066,000
Financial Activities   5.7%       78,600    5.7%    8,141,000
Professional & Business Services 13.5%     187,000 11.9%   16,822,000
Educational & Health Services 14.5%     200,400 12.2%   17,342,000
Leisure & Hospitality 10.1%     139,700   9.0%   12,802,000
Other Services 4.2%      57,600   3.8% 5,386,000
Government 12.2%    167,800 15.4% 21,803,000
Other Occupations   2.9%     40,568   6.3%     8,938,583
Total Employment 100% 1,380,168 100% 141,718,583

Source: “May 2005 Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates St. Louis, MO-IL” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005.