May 2019

Release Date: June 7, 2019

Prepared by Analysts of the National Estimates Branch

Current Employment Statistics Survey

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

202-691-6555

Email CES

Contents

Summary

Mining & Logging

Construction

Manufacturing

Wholesale Trade

Retail Trade

Transportation, Warehousing,& Utilities

Information

Financial Activities

Professional & Business Services

Private Education & Health Services

Leisure & Hospitality

Other Services

Government

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis

Current Employment Statistics

Highlights
Current Employment Statistics Summary, May 2019

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019

+27,000 Education and Health Services 

 Employment continued to trend up in 

health care in May (+16,000). Over the year, 

health care providers have added 391,000 

jobs. Within social assistance, individual and 

family services added 106,000 jobs over the 

year.

+26,000 Leisure and Hospitality

 Employment continued to trend up in food 

services and drinking places in May (+17,000). 

 Nonfarm employment edged up in May 

(+75,000). Thus far in 2019 employment has 

increased by an average 164,000 per month, 

compared to 223,000 per month in 2018. In 

May, employment continued to trend up in

professional and business services and in 

health care. 

 The employment change for April declined 

from +263,000 to +224,000, and the change 

for March declined from +189,000 to 

+153,000. On net, employment over these 

months is 75,000 lower than previously 

reported.

 Average hourly earnings rose by 6 cents or 

0.2 percent in May. Hourly earnings have 

increased by 3.1 percent over the year. The 

workweek, at 34.4 hours, was unchanged in 

May. 

+33,000 Professional and Business Services 

 Employment continued to trend up in 

professional and business services in May 

(+33,000). Over the year, the industry has 

added 498,000 jobs, led by computer systems 

design and related services with 96,000 jobs 

added.

90

232234

211

15

282

336

135

270

128

170

215

252

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127

213

128

229

204

187

18

260

220

174171

330

182

196

270

262

178

282

108

277

196

227

312

56

153

224

75

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, June 07, 2019.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2016–May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in total nonfarm

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government
CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019

This industry has added 301,000 jobs over the 

past 12 months.

+4,000 Construction 

 Construction employment changed little in 

May. Over the year, the industry has added 

215,000 jobs.

+3,000 Manufacturing 

 Employment in manufacturing changed

little in May. Year to date, employment growth 

in the industry has slowed to 6,000 per month, 

compared to 22,000 per month in 2018.

+1,000 Mining and Logging 

 Mining employment has shown little 

change so far in 2019, averaging +1,000 per 

month. The industry had added 5,000 jobs per 

month in 2018.

0 Transportation and Warehousing

 Employment in transportation and 

warehousing was unchanged in May and has 

shown little net change since January (-3,000).

The industry had added 19,000 jobs per month 

over the 12 months ending in January.

-8,000 Retail Trade 

 Employment in retail trade continued to 

trend lower in May (-8,000). Since reaching a 

peak in January 2017, the industry has lost 

160,000 jobs.

-15

-1

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27

33

2

-5

0

0

-8

7

3

4

1

-40 -20 0 20 40 60 80

Government

Other services

Leisure and hospitality

Education and health services

Professional and business services

Financial activities

Information

Utilities

Transportation and warehousing

Retail trade

Wholesale trade

Manufacturing

Construction

Mining and logging

Employment in total nonfarm

May 2019 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

75

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 07, 2019.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Current Employment Statistics Survey Summary, May 2019

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government
 Employment in mining was 

unchanged in May, as the price of West 

Texas Intermediate fell 4.5 percent over 

the month.

 Mining employment rose by an 

average 5,000 per month in 2018 but 

has changed by +1,000 per month so far 

in 2019.

-15

-21

-20

-12

-12

-10

-4

-4

-1

-3

4

0

3

55

9

5

4

3

6

2

1

4

0

7

7

9

9

5

8

0

8

4

6

-3

4

5

-2

1

1

0

-30

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Employment in mining

Over-the-month change, January 2016–May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 07, 2019. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Mining and Logging 

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 Construction employment changed little in May (+4,000), but has 

grown by 215,000 in the most recent 12 months. Specialty trade 

contractors employment ticked up by 13,000 and heavy and civil 

engineering employment ticked down by 9,000. Over the year, 

specialty trade contractors have added 153,000 jobs while 

employment in heavy construction has changed little (+30,000). 

-2 10 37 22

-8 10 32

1 34 27 22

8 3233 14178 27

2 30 16 22 34 3333 732 29 37 1719 34 17 25

5 16 56

-23 15 30

4

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Employment in construction

Over-the-month change, January 2016–May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 07, 2019. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

8

5

-9

0

0

-15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15

Nonresidential specialty trade contractors

Residential specialty trade contractors

Heavy and civil engineering

Nonresidential building

Residential building

Employment in construction

May 2019 Prior 6-month average

Over-the-month change, May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Construction:

4

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 07, 2019.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Construction

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 Manufacturing employment was 

essentially unchanged in May (+3,000), 

with both durable goods (+4,000) and 

nondurable goods (-1,000) remaining 

flat. 

 The 1-month diffusion index, at 52.0, 

edged up by 1.3 points. A value above 

50 indicates that more manufacturing 

industries are adding jobs than are 

losing them. 

 The weakness in May may reflect 

April decreases in both industrial 

production (0.9 percent) and goods 

exports(4.2 percent).

Manufacturing

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 Employment in wholesale trade continued to trend up in May 

(+7,000), bringing the 12-month net change to +112,000. 

Durable goods employment also continued to trend up over the 

month (+6,000) and has accounted for 71 percent of the job 

gains in wholesale trade over the year.

 As of May, wholesale trade employment was 30,000 short of 

its December 2007 peak.

5,200

5,400

5,600

5,800

6,000

6,200

Jan-07 Jan-09 Jan-11 Jan-13 Jan-15 Jan-17 Jan-19

Employment in wholesale trade

May 2019 Level: 5,940

OTM Change: 7 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 07, 2019.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

January 2007–May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Wholesale Trade

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade:

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 In May, retail trade employment 

continued to trend downward (-8,000). 

Since reaching a peak in January 2017, 

industry employment has declined by 

160,000.

 Over the month, employment in 

general merchandise stores increased by 

6,000, while employment in clothing and 

clothing accessories stores declined by 

13,000.

 Recent retail-related economic 

indicators have been mixed. The 

Consumer Confidence Index increased 

by 3.8 percent in May. U.S. Light Weight 

Vehicle Salesincreased by 5.9 percent in 

May. Contrarily, Retail Sales declined by 

0.2 percent in April. 

Retail Trade

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade:

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 Employment in transportation and 

warehousing was unchanged in May. So 

far in 2019, the industry has experienced 

a marked deceleration. Employment 

changes in transportation and 

warehousing have averaged +5,000 per 

month, compared to +18,000 per month 

in 2018.

 Among the major component 

industries, only rail transportation 

(-1,000) and pipeline transportation 

(+1,000) experienced significant 

offsetting changes. 

1

2

1

-3

0

0

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Warehousing and storage

Couriers and messengers

Support activities for transportation

Transit and ground passenger transportation

Truck transportation

Air transportation

Employment in select transportation and warehousing industries

Over-the-month change, May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

May 2019 Prior 12-month average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey June 7, 2019.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Transportation

and warehousing:

0

Transportation and Warehousing

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 Employment in utilities was 

unchanged in May.

-1

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1

0

0

0

0

0

0

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0

-1

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00

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-1

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1

2

3

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Employment in utilities

Over-the-month change, January 2016–May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 07, 2019. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Utilities

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 Information employment was flat in May 

(-5,000), and has changed little over the year. 

No component industries gained or lost a 

significant number of jobs in May. 

 Telecommunications employment has 

decreased by 37,000 over the year, while 

other information services—such as news 

syndicates, libraries and archives, and web 

search portals—have added 23,000 jobs 

during the same period.

Information

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 Employment in financial activities 

changed little in May (+2,000). Over the 

past 12 months, financial activities has 

added 96,000 jobs, with real estate and 

rental and leasing accounting for 82 

percent of the gain. 

 

Financial Activities

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 Employment in professional and business services trended up by 30,000 in 

May, in line with the year-to-date average change of +35,000. 

 In May, employment changes in both professional and technical services 

(+21,000) and administrative and waste services (+15,000) were in line with 

their respective prior averagemonthly changes, while management of 

companies and enterprises edged down by 3,000 jobs. 

 Temporary help services employment changed little in May (+5,000), and 

remains little changed thus far in 2019 (-15,000).

-12

17

29

33

4

41

49

12

75

11

35

30

50

4

33

30

51

37

46

36

13

41

35

31

37

44 42

62

51 51

37

58

53 55

34

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54

19

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33

-20

-10

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10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Over-the-month change Annual average

Over-the-month change, January 2016 ̶ May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in professional and business services

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, June 07, 2019 Most recent 2 months are preliminary.

May-19: 33

Prior-12: 43

15

-3

21

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Administrative and waste

services

Management of companies

and enterprises

Professional and technical

services

Over-the-month change Prior-3 Prior-6 Prior-12

Employment in professional and business services component industries

Over-the-month change and prior averages, May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, June 07, 2019 Most recent 2 months are preliminary.

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

Professional and Business Services
 Health care employment continued to 

trend up in May (+16,000). Employment 

in ambulatory health care services 

trended up (+12,000). Hospital 

employment changed little over the 

month (+3,000). Over the last year, 

health care has added 391,000 jobs. 

 

36

32

26

36

35

33

39

18

26

27 27

41

8

22

20

24

14

34

41

13

15

16

20

24 24

26

24 23

32

22 22

38

25

32

34

50

42

33

50

28

16

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, June 07, 2019.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2016–May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in health care

Private Education and Health Services

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 Within leisure and hospitality, employment 

in foods services and drinking places

continued to trend up in May (+17,000) and 

has increased by 301,000 over the year. 

Leisure and Hospitality

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 Employment in other services

changed little in May (-1,000). Over the 

most recent 12 months, the industry has 

added 83,000 jobs. Personal and laundry 

services and membership associations 

and organizations each accounted for 

32,000 of this gain. 

-3 16

8

6

-7 13

4 13 16

-3 12

-14 16 11

55 11 1055

-3 14

9

3

44

1 1315 18

-12

6

7

7

1 11

9

4 19 14

-1

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Employment in other services

Over-the-month change, January 2016–May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 07, 2019. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Other Services

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
 Employment in government changed 

little in May (-15,000). Federal 

government employment increased by 

4,000. Hiring for the decennial census 

was negligible. State government 

employment and local government 

employment changed little over the 

month. 

 

21,400

21,600

21,800

22,000

22,200

22,400

22,600

22,800

23,000

23,200

23,400

Jan-09 Jan-11 Jan-13 Jan-15 Jan-17 Jan-19

Employment in government

May 2019 Level: 22,514

OTM Change: -15 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 07, 2019.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

January 2009–May 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Government

Summary Mining & 

Logging Construction Manufacturing

Trade: 

Wholesale

Retail

Transp., 

Warehousing

& Utilities

Information Financial

Activities

Professional

& Business

Services

Private

Education

& Health

Services

Leisure & 

Hospitality

Other

Services Government

CES Highlights Release Date: June 7, 2019
Prepared by Staff of the National Estimates Branch

Current Employment Statistics Survey

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

202-691-6555

Email CES

CES Analysts

Osman Alhassan

Michael Calvillo

Hyun Choi

Steve Crestol

Tyler Downing

Katelynn Harris

Mike McCall

John Mullins

Michael Osifalujo

Edward Park

Carson Wilson

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis