But retail stores in areas with highly educated populaces, such as East Lansing, suburban Ann Arbor and suburban Detroit, will be able to add personnel in expectation of holiday profits that are better than most of the rest of the state, MSU economics professor Charles Ballard said.

Any retailer — such as a clothing or jewelry store — that has a seasonal component typically expects to get a third of annual sales between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Ballard said. And an increase in hiring this year from last year’s holiday season would not be surprising in the East Lansing area, given the dire straits the economy was in last year, he said.

“Last year, the state was in free fall,” Ballard said. “September 2008 to March 2009 were some of the most horrific months for the American economy. Last Christmas season was not a great time.”

Some stores in the area, such as the Campus Den, a college sporting wear store located inside Meridian Mall in Okemos, are taking full advantage of the improved economic atmosphere.

“Barring some disaster, we’ll pick up 30 to 50 people,” owner John Dragomer said. “We’ll probably go from last year’s holiday number of 130 (employees) to 160 employees companywide.”

The Gap and Old Navy, both located in the Meridian Mall, also intend to add employees.

“We’re definitely hiring more than last year,” said Old Navy service and training manager Shayna Pierce. “Starting in November, we are looking to add about 20 associates. Last year we added a handful of people — maybe 5 or 6.”

Despite the increase in hiring, potential applicants should be aware competition for those slots will be fierce.

“We already have hundreds of applicants for the positions,” Dragomer said. “There are a lot of people looking for jobs. Undoubtedly some of the people we pick up (will be) overqualified people.”

In contrast to East Lansing, about 70 percent of Michigan retailers plan to maintain the same amount of seasonal hiring they had last year, said Tom Scott, Michigan Retailers Association’s senior vice president of communications and marketing.

And about 48 percent of national retailers are expected to hire the same number of seasonal workers as last year, according the Hay Group survey. The survey included retailers like Best Buy, American Eagle Outfitters and Target.

“It’s about the same as last year,” Scott said. “We’re still looking at levels that are quite a bit lower than they were two or three years ago.”

However, if holiday spending exceeds the national retail projections — a 1 percent decline, according to the National Retail Federation — smaller stores could end up increasing their number of employees, Scott said.