Topeka ? Wichita State University economists expect Kansas to add more than 24,000 jobs in 2015, most of them in service positions such as professional or business services, health care or education.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the university’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research predicts slightly more than 1.4 million people will be employed in nonfarm sectors this year. The expected new jobs represent a 1.8 percent increase over 2014.

Employment growth in Kansas is close to the nationwide average. Last year employment increased by 1.5 percent across the U.S. and 1 percent in Kansas.

The International Monetary Fund predicted in October that the U.S. will have growth of between 1 percent and 1.5 percent this year.