Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

July 2005

Bureau of Labor Statistics

August 5, 2005
All employees on nonfarm payrolls

1990-2005

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, August 5, 2005.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

July 2005

Level: 133,786

Change: +207

• Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 207,000 in July, following a gain 

of 166,000 in June. Employment gains since a low in May 2003 total nearly 4 

million.

• Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls were unchanged in July at 33.7 hours, seasonally adjusted. 

Since late 2002, the average workweek has fluctuated between 33.6 and 33.8 

hours.

• Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls rose by 6 cents in July to $16.13, seasonally adjusted. This is 

the biggest one-month gain in average hourly earnings since July 2004. Over the 

year, average hourly earnings have grown 2.7 percent.
Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

Over-the-month change, July 2005

1

7

-4

8

50

8

0

2

21

33

21

33

1

26

-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Natural resources and mining

Construction

Manufacturing

Wholesale trade

Retail trade

Transportation and warehousing

Utilities

Information

Financial activities

Professional and business services

Education and health services

Leisure and hospitality

Other services

Government

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, August 5, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Total nonfarm: 

+207

• In July, job growth was concentrated among service-providing industries, with 

significant gains occurring in retail trade, financial activities, professional and 

technical services, health care, and leisure and hospitality.

• July was a weak month for the goods-producing industries, with employment in 

construction and natural resources and mining showing little change. 

Manufacturing continued to lose jobs in July.
Index of total private aggregate weekly hours

1990-2005

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs Survey, August 5, 2005.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

July 2005

Level: 102.7

Change: +0.2

Aggregate weekly hours are the product of average weekly hours and production or nonsupervisory workers.

Index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls

1990-2005

55

70

85

100

115

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05

55

70

85

100

115

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs Survey, August 5, 2005.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

July 2005

Level: 110.9

Change: +0.6

Aggregate weekly payrolls are the product of average hourly earnings, average weekly hours, and production or nonsupervisory workers.

• The index of aggregate weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on 

private nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.2 percent to 102.7 (2002=100) in July. 

Since its most recent trough in May 2003, the index has increased by 4.6 percent, 

although it still has not fully recovered to its prior peak level in October 2000.

• The index of aggregate weekly payrolls of production or nonsupervisory workers 

on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.5 percent to 110.9 (2002=100) in July. 

Since January 2002, the index has increased by 12.1 percent.
Employment in construction

1990-2005

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, August 5, 2005.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

July 2005

Level: 7,235

Change: +7

• Employment in construction edged up (7,000) in July. Over the last 3 months 

gains have averaged 9,300 jobs, compared with strong hiring during the spring 

months. So far this year, average growth is 21,000 per month compared to 23,000 

per month in 2004. 

• Since reaching an employment low in March 2003, construction has added over 

half a million jobs to payrolls.
-57

-74

-54

-111

-60 -61

-84

-37

-25 -20 -13 -18-14

-2

10

32

24

-3 -3

25

-14 -8 -7 -3

-27

14

-6

-15

1

-21

-4

-180

-140

-100

-60

-20

20

60

100

Jan-03Feb-03

Mar-03

Apr-03

May-03

Jun-03

Jul-03

Aug-03

Sep-03

Oct-03

Nov-03

Dec-03Jan-04Feb-04

Mar-04

Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Sep-04

Oct-04

Nov-04

Dec-04Jan-05Feb-05

Mar-05

Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, August 5, 2005.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, 2003-05

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Manufacturing lost 4,000 jobs in July, close to the industry’s average monthly 

employment change over the prior 12-month period. Following a short-lived 

recovery in early 2004, manufacturers have shed 90,000 jobs, and employment is 

now 5,000 lower than in February 2004.

• July’s employment loss was concentrated in durable goods manufacturing, while 

nondurable goods manufacturing posted a small employment increase. The 

durable goods job loss was concentrated in transportation equipment. The largest 

employment gain in non-durable goods was in food manufacturing; this gain was 

offset by a job loss in printing and related support activities.

• The factory workweek was flat in July, remaining at 40.4 hours. Manufacturing 

overtime rose by 0.1 hour over the month to 4.5 hours.
Employment in selected retail trade industries 

Over-the-month change, July 2005

9.6

3.4

2.7

7.0

3.3

4.2

12.5

10.0

0 3 6 9 12 15

Motor vehicle and parts

dealers

Furniture and home

furnishings stores

Electronics and appliance

stores

Building materials and

garden supply stores

Food and beverage stores

Gasoline stations

Clothing and clothing

accessories stores

General merchandise stores

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, August 5, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Retail trade:+49.8

• Employment in retail trade experienced a substantial increase in July, as about 

50,000 jobs were added to payrolls. July’s employment gain is the largest since 

April 2000. 

• Statistically significant job gains occurred within motor vehicle and parts dealers, 

building material and garden supply stores, and clothing and clothing accessories 

stores. 

• In July, employment in clothing and clothing accessories stores increased by 

about 13,000. This industry has been the fastest growing retail component over 

the past 2 years, accounting for 34 percent of all jobs gained in the retail trade 

sector.

 

• Motor vehicle and parts dealers gained about 10,000 jobs, driven largely by 

pricing incentives and the ensuing record sales. This is the largest job gain for this 

industry since November 1994.
Employment in financial activities

1990-2005

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, August 5, 2005.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

July 2005

Level: 8,229

Change: +21

• Financial activities continued to grow in July, adding 21,000 jobs to payrolls. 

Real estate and mortgage activity has fueled the sustained growth in this industry. 

• Employment in real estate jumped by about 10,000, and experienced the largest 1-

month gain in 2 years. Since January 2004, employment in offices of real estate 

agents and brokers has grown by 12 percent, far exceeding the 3 percent gain in 

all financial activities over the same time period.
Employment in selected professional and business services 

Over-the-month change, July 2005

5.2

2.2

6.2

1.3

-3.0

9.2

3.9

-5 0 5 10 15

Architectural and

engineering services

Computer systems design

and related services

Management and technical

consulting services

Management of companies

and enterprises

Employment services

Services to buildings and

dwellings

Waste management and

remediation services

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, August 5, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Professional and

Business services:+33

• Professional and business services gained 33,000 jobs in July. Architectural and 

engineering services, management and technical consulting services, and services 

to buildings and dwellings accounted for more than half of the gains. 

• Employment services, which accounts for about 22 percent of total employment 

in this sector, was flat in July. Employment in temporary help services has 

shown little net change since April. Employment in the temporary help industry 

has grown at an annualized rate of 3.2 percent so far this year, which is about half 

of the 7.8 percent growth in 2004. 
Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, July 2005

14.4

5.8

2.6

1.4

8.2

6.6

0 3 6 9 12 15 18

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care

services

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, August 5, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Health care:

+29.2

Ambulatory health 

care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential 

care facilities

• Health care employment continued to rise, expanding by about 29,000 in July. 

This industry has experienced consistent growth over the years, with average 

annual growth registering at 2.5 percent since 2000. 

• Over the month, ambulatory health care services, hospitals, and nursing and 

residential care facilities all posted significant gains. 
68

-47

-24 -21

-2

37 39

25 22

47

39

31 29

16

45

31 31

12 11 11 14

24 25

18 22

39

12

61

13

24

33

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Jan-03Feb-03

Mar-03

Apr-03

May-03

Jun-03

Jul-03

Aug-03

Sep-03

Oct-03

Nov-03

Dec-03Jan-04Feb-04

Mar-04

Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Sep-04

Oct-04

Nov-04

Dec-04Jan-05Feb-05

Mar-05

Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, August 5, 2005.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in leisure and hospitality

Over-the-month change, 2003-05

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Leisure and hospitality employment rose by 33,000 in July and 296,000 over the 

year. Food services and drinking places accounted for the majority of the gain 

this month, and for 89 percent of the employment gains over the year.