March 2015

Release Date: April 3, 2015

Prepared by Staff 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 Survey Summary, March 2015

CES Highlights Release Date: April 3, 2015

 In March, employment continued to trend 

up in architectural and engineering services, in 

computer systems design and related services, 

and in management and technical consulting 

services, while employment changed little in 

administrative and waste services. 

+38,000 Education and health services 

 Employment in health care increased by 

22,000 in March. Job gains in ambulatory care 

(19,000) and hospitals (8,000) were partially 

offset by a loss of 6,000 jobs in nursing care 

facilities. Health care has added 363,000 jobs 

over the year.

Total Nonfarm + 126,000

Total Private + 129,000

 Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 

126,000 in March compared to gains averaging 

269,000 over the prior 12 months. Over the 

month, employment continued to trend up in 

professional and business services, health care,

and retail trade. Mining employment 

decreased. 

The employment change for February revised 

down from +295,000 to +264,000, and the 

change for January revised down from 

+239,000 to +201,000. Incorporating revisions, 

employment has increased by an average 

197,000 per month over the past 3 months.

 Average hourly earnings for all employees 

increased by 7 cents in March. Hourly 

earnings are up 2.1 percent over the year. Over 

the month, average weekly hours edged down 

0.1 hour to 34.5 hours. 

+40,000 Professional and business services 

 Employment continued to trend up in 

professional and business services in March.

Over the prior 12 months, job growth averaged 

55,000 per month. 380 247 216 87 113 35 177188 144 213 164 293 205 314 115 187 219 127 164 256 150 225 317 109 166 188 225 330 236 286 249 213 250 221 423 329 201 264 126

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Jan-12 Jul-12 Jan-13 Jul-13 Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15

Employment in total nonfarm

Over-the-month change, January 2012 - March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, April 03, 2015.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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

12-month average
+26,000 Retail Trade 

 In March, employment continued to trend 

up in retail trade. Over the year, retail trade has 

added 326,000 jobs, with most retail industries 

contributing to the increase.

+13,000 Leisure and hospitality 

 Employment in food services and drinking 

places changed little (+9,000) following a job 

gain of 66,000 in February. In the first quarter, 

food services added an average 33,000 jobs per 

month, in line with the average monthly change 

in 2014.

-11,000 Mining and Logging

 Mining lost 11,000 jobs in March. 

Employment in the industry has declined by an 

average 10,000 per month thus far in 2015. In 

contrast, employment had increased by an 

average of 4,000 per month in 2014. Support 

activities for mining, the primary driver of 

these trends, has lost an average 8,000 jobs per 

month in 2015, after adding an average 3,000 

jobs per month in the prior year. 

 

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

Current Employment Statistics Survey Summary, March 2015

CES Highlights Release Date: April 3, 2015
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: April 3, 2015

 Mining and logging lost 11,000 jobs over 

the month and 30,000 so far in 2015. In 

contrast, the industry added 41,000 jobs in 

2014.

 Support activities for mining, which 

includes support for oil and gas extraction, 

experienced an employment loss of 10,000. 

In the first quarter, job losses in support 

activities averaged 8,000 per month. In 

2014, support activities had added an 

average of 3,000 jobs per month.
 Construction employment changed 

little over the month (-1,000). Job 

growth in construction had averaged 

26,000 per month over the previous 12 

months. 

 

 

 

Construction

CES Highlights Release Date: April 3, 2015

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
 Manufacturing employment was essentially 

unchanged in March (-1,000). Employment in 

petroleum and coal products decreased by 2,000, 

largely due to additional workers joining a strike.

 The 1-month diffusion index fell to 47.5 in 

March from 61.3 in February. The diffusion 

index measures the dispersion of employment 

change in manufacturing, with a value below 50 

indicating that more manufacturing industries are 

losing jobs than adding them. 

 Average weekly hours for all employees in 

manufacturing declined by 0.1 to 40.9 hours. 

Average weekly hours for production and 

nonsupervisory workers declined by 0.1 to 41.8.

10,500

11,000

11,500

12,000

12,500

13,000

13,500

14,000

14,500

15,000

Jan-05 Jan-07 Jan-09 Jan-11 Jan-13 Jan-15

Employment in manufacturing

March 2015 Level: 12,319

OTM Change: -1 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 03, 2015.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance.

January 2005–March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Manufacturing

CES Highlights Release Date: April 3, 2015

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 wholesale trade continued to 

trend up in March (+6,000). Employment had

increased by an average of 9,000 per month 

over the prior 12-month period.

 

 

5,200

5,400

5,600

5,800

6,000

6,200

Jan-05 Jan-07 Jan-09 Jan-11 Jan-13 Jan-15

Employment in wholesale trade

March 2015 Level: 5,903

OTM Change: 6

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 03, 2015.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance.

January 2005–March 2015

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: April 3, 2015
 Employment in retail trade continued to trend up (+26,000) and, as of 

March, has recovered all of the jobs lost during the most recent employment 

downturn. Retail trade lost 1.3 million jobs in the 25 months between

November 2007 and December 2009, but required 63 months to recover the 

jobs lost.

NAICS 452 – General Merchandise Stores

 In March, employment in general merchandise stores increased by 

11,000. With this gain, employment in the industry has fully recovered all 

of the 131,000 jobs lost between January 2012 and January 2013.

 

Retail Trade

CES Highlights Release Date: April 3, 2015

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
3,800

4,000

4,200

4,400

4,600

4,800

5,000

Jan-05 Jan-07 Jan-09 Jan-11 Jan-13 Jan-15

Employment in transportation and warehousing

March 2015 Level: 4,745

OTM Change: 10

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 03, 2015.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance.

January 2005–March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

3

8

4

-7

1

-12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Couriers and messengers*

Support activities for transportation*

Transit and ground passenger transportation

Truck transportation

Air transportation

Employment in selected transportation industries

March 2015 Prior 6-month average

Over-the-month change, March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Transportation 

industries:

10

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 03, 2015.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance.

Transportation and Warehousing

CES Highlights Release Date: April 3, 2015

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

 Transportation and warehousing employment edged up in March 

(+10,000), bringing the 12-month net job gain to 164,000. Over the month, 

support activities for transportation added 8,000 jobs, and couriers and 

messengers added 3,000 jobs. These gains more than offset an 

employment downtick in truck transportation (-7,000). Weakness in truck 

transportation employment in March followed a 3.1-percent decline in 

February in the truck tonnage index (American Trucking Associations), 

which measures the freight tonnage hauled by truck fleets each month. 

 

 

 
 Utilities employment was unchanged 

over the month.

 

 

 

 

540

545

550

555

560

565

570

Jan-05 Jan-07 Jan-09 Jan-11 Jan-13 Jan-15

Employment in utilities

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 03, 2015.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance.

January 2005–March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Utilities

CES Highlights Release Date: April 3, 2015

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
Information

 Information employment was virtually 

unchanged in March (+2,000).

 

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: April 3, 2015
 Employment in financial activities edged up

in March (+8,000). Over the past 6 months, 

financial activities has added 76,000 jobs.

Insurance carriers and related activities 

accounted for 43,000 jobs added during this 

period.

 

 

 

 

3

8 24

3 10

1

-1

6 12 10

8 10 1213

6 12136 17

-4

-1

9

3

2

4 13

2

99 17 16 13 10

7 287 197

8

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Jan-12 Jul-12 Jan-13 Jul-13 Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15

Employment in financial activities

Over-the-month change, January 2012 - March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, April 03, 2015.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: April 3, 2015

12-month average
 Employment in professional and business services continued to 

trend up in March (+40,000). Job growth had averaged 55,000 per 

month over the prior 12 months.

NAICS 54 – Professional and technical services

 In March, professional and technical services added 24,000 jobs. 

Architectural and engineering services, computer system designs and 

related services, and management and technical consulting services 

continued their upward employment trends.

NAICS 55 – Management of companies and enterprises

 Employment continued to trend up in management of companies 

(+7,000). This industry has added 48,000 jobs over the past 12 months.

NAICS 56 – Administrative and waste services

 In March, administrative and waste services experienced little 

change in employment (+9,000). In the first quarter, employment 

changed by an average 6,000 per month, well below the average

monthly gain of 29,000 in 2014.

-10

10

30

50

70

90

110

Jan-12 Jul-12 Jan-13 Jul-13 Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15

Employment in professional and business services

January 2012 - March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

1-mo. Min. significance OTMC

March 2015 Level:

19,541

OTM change: 

40

3.8

3.9

4.2

6.5

-1.2

-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Management and technical consulting

Computer system designs and related

Architectural and engineering

Accounting and bookkeeping

Legal

Professional and technical services

Over-the-month change, March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Mar-15 Prior-12 mo. Avg. OTMC

March 2015 level: 

8,562

OTM change: 24*

Professional and Business Services

CES Highlights Release Date: April 3, 2015

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
 In March, private education and health services employment 

increased by 38,000. Within the industry, health care added 22,000 

jobs, while social assistance employment continued to trend up 

(+8,000). Educational services employment changed little over the 

month (+8,000). 

NAICS 621 —Ambulatory health care services

 Ambulatory health care services added 19,000 jobs in March. 

Within the industry, employment continued to trend up in offices of 

physicians (+6,000), outpatient care centers (+3,000), and home health 

care services (+6,000).

NAICS 622 –- Hospitals

 Hospitals added 8,000 jobs in March. Employment in the industry 

has been trending up over the past 8 months.

NAICS 6231 – Nursing care facilities

 Nursing care faicilities lost 6,000 jobs in March; however, 

employment in the industry has shown little net change over the past 

year.

-4.8

7.9

6.0

3.3

6.1

19.2

-15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25

Nursing and residential care*

Hospitals*

 - Home health care services

 - Outpatient care centers

 - Offices of physicians

Ambulatory health care services°*

Employment in selected health care industries

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 03, 2015.

Data are preliminary.

 ̊Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance.

Over-the-month change, March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Health care 

industries:

22* 16

7

5

1

1

1

3

0

2

4

3

1

-1

3

1

8

-16

1

-3

0

-3

-2

1

-6

-5

-1

3

3

5

2

-2 10

7

3 11

9 13 10

8

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

Jan-12 Jul-12 Jan-13 Jul-13 Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15

Employment in hospitals

Over-the-month change, January 2012–March 2015

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 03, 2015. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Private Education and Health Services

CES Highlights Release Date: April 3, 2015

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
60 41 59

4

1

4 37 68 59 11 26 70 54 50 30 38 43 57 40 39 10 53 47 242832 39 45 57 31 2325 49 55 42 56 24 70 13

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Jan-12 Jul-12 Jan-13 Jul-13 Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15

Employment in leisure and hospitality

Over-the-month change, January 2012–March 2015

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 03, 2015. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

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: April 3, 2015

 Leisure and hospitality employment 

changed little (+13,000) in March. Food 

services and drinking places employment 

changed little (+9,000), following a gain of 

66,000 in February. Thus far in 2015, 

employment in food services has increased 

by an average 33,000 per month, equaling the 

average monthly increase in 2014.
 Other services employment was 

unchanged in March, and there was little 

change in any component industry. Over 

the prior 12 months, employment had 

increased by an average of 7,000 per 

month.

5,200

5,250

5,300

5,350

5,400

5,450

5,500

5,550

5,600

5,650

5,700

Jan-05 Jan-07 Jan-09 Jan-11 Jan-13 Jan-15

Employment in other services

March 2015 Level: 5,625

OTM Change: 0

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 03, 2015.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance.

January 2005–March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

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: April 3, 2015
 Government employment changed little in March (-3,000). So far in 

2015, employment in government has shown little movement (-4,000). 

In contrast, government employment had increased by 91,000 between 

January and December of 2014, mostly in local government (+64,000). 

 

 

3.0

-0.3

-1.6

-1.7

-0.5

-1.4

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

Local government, excluding education

Local government education

State government, excluding education

State government education

U.S. Postal Service

Federal, except U.S. Postal Service

Employment in selected government

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 03, 2015.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance.

Over-the-month change, March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Government:

-3

21,400

21,600

21,800

22,000

22,200

22,400

22,600

22,800

23,000

23,200

23,400

Jan-05 Jan-07 Jan-09 Jan-11 Jan-13 Jan-15

Employment in government

March 2015 Level: 21,898

OTM Change: -3

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 03, 2015.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance.

January 2005–March 2015

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Government

CES Highlights Release Date: April 3, 2015

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
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

Michael Calvillo

Steve Crestol

Brittney Forbes

Lyda Ghanbari

Mike McCall

John Mullins

Michael Osifalujo

Edward Park

Kara Sullivan

Jay Stuart

Parth Tikiwala

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis