May 2017

Release Date: June 2, 2017

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 2017

CES Highlights Release Date: June 2, 2017

+38,000 Professional and Business Services

 Employment in professional and business 

services continued to trend up in May. Year to 

date, job growth has averaged 46,000 per 

month, in line with average gains in 2016.

 Nonfarm employment increased by 

138,000 in May. Education and health services 

and mining added jobs.

 The employment change for April revised 

down from +211,000 to +174,000, and the 

change for March revised down from +79,000 

to +50,000. Incorporating revisions, job growth 

has averaged 121,000 per month over the past 

3 months, compared to an average monthly 

gain of 194,000 over the preceding 12-month 

period.

 Average hourly earnings of all privatesector employees increased by 4 cents or 0.2 

percent in May. Hourly earnings are up 2.5

percent over the year. The average 

workweek, at 34.4 hours, was unchanged over 

the month. 

+47,000 Education and Health Services

 Employment continued to rise in education 

and health services in May. Among health 

care providers, employment increased by 

24,000, including a 7,000-job gain in hospitals. 

So far in 2017, job growth in health care has 

averaged 22,000 per month, compared to 

32,000 per month in 2016. 190 151 272 329 246 304 202 230 280 227 312 255 234238 86 262 344 206 254 157 100 321 272 239 126 237 225 153 43 297 291 176 249 124 164 155 216232 50 174 138

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Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in total nonfarm

Over-the-month change, January 2014–May 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017.

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
CES Highlights Release Date: June 2, 2017

+31,000 Leisure and Hospitality

 Employment in food services and drinking 

places continued to trend up in May. Over the 

year, this industry has added 267,000 payroll 

jobs. 

+6,000 Mining and Logging

 Mining employment continued to trend up 

in May. A job gain of 8,000 in support 

activities for mining was partly offset by a loss 

in nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying

(-2,000). Since reaching a recent low point in 

October, mining has added 47,000 jobs, mostly 

in support activities.

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-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 2017 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, May 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

138*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Current Employment Statistics Survey Summary, May 2017

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 increased by 

7,000 in May. During the first 5 months 

of 2017 the industry has gained 39,000 

jobs. Support activities for mining added 

8,000 jobs in May. Domestic oil-rig

counts increased 4 percent over the 

month, while the price of West Texas 

Intermediate oil fell 10 percent over the 

month. 

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Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in mining

Over-the-month change, January 2014–May 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

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 2, 2017
 Construction employment changed 

little (+11,000) in May. So far this year, 

however, the industry has added an 

average 20,000 jobs per month, 

compared to gains averaging 13,000 in 

2016. 

4,500

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

Jan-07 Jan-10 Jan-13 Jan-16

Employment in construction

May 2017 Level: 6,881

OTM Change: 11 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017.

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 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

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 2, 2017
 Employment in manufacturing was 

flat in May (-1,000). During the prior 6 

months, manufacturing had added an

average 12,000 jobs each month.

 The 1-month diffusion index fell by 7 

points in May to 48.1. A value below 50 

indicates that more manufacturing 

industries are losing jobs than are 

gaining them. The diffusion index last fell 

below 50 in November 2016.

 In May, employment was unchanged 

in both durable goods (+2,000) and 

nondurable goods (-3,000).

 

 

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10

20

30

40

Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, January 2014–May 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

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 2, 2017
 Employment in wholesale trade was essentially unchanged 

in May. Despite little movement in recent months, the industry 

has added 50,000 jobs over the last 12 months, with 

nondurable goods accounting for just over half of those gains 

(+27,000). 10

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Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in wholesale trade

Over-the-month change, January 2014–May 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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 2, 2017
 In May, employment in retail trade changed little (-6,000). So far this 

year, retail trade has lost an average of 9,000 jobs per month, compared to 

2016 when monthly job gains averaged 17,000.

 Employment in general merchandise stores continued to trend down 

in May (-6,000). In the past 6 months, this industry has lost an average 

13,000 jobs per month.

 Within general merchandise stores, employment in both department 

stores (-4,000) and other general merchandise stores (-3,000) 

continued to trend down. Over the past 6 months, employment in 

these industries declined each month by an average of 6,000 and 7,000 

jobs, respectively.

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Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in retail trade

Over-the-month change, January 2014–May 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in general merchandise stores

Over-the-month change, January 2014 - May 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Department stores Other general merchandise stores

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

Retail Trade

CES Highlights Release Date: June 2, 2017

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 transportation and 

warehousing changed little in May 

(+4,000) and has shown essentially no 

change year to date. The industry had 

added an average 8,000 jobs per month 

in 2016. 18

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Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in transportation and warehousing

Over-the-month change, January 2014–May 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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 2, 2017
In May, employment in utilities edged 

down by 1,000.

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Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in utilities

Over-the-month change, January 2014–May 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

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 2, 2017
 Employment in information was 

essentially unchanged in May (-2,000). 

Since a recent peak in September 2016, 

this industry has lost 63,000 jobs. Over 

these 8 months of weakness, 

telecommunications accounted for 65 

percent of job losses.

2,500

2,600

2,700

2,800

2,900

3,000

3,100

3,200

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

Employment in information

May 2017 Level: 2,723

OTM Change: -2 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017.

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 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

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 2, 2017
 Employment in financial activities continued to trend up in May (+11,000). 

 Commercial banking, which added 4,000 jobs in May, experienced 

moderate job growth over the last 6 months after a flat period during most of 

2016. Employment in this industry is 7,000 short of reaching its March 2012 

peak level. In May, employment changes in most other components of 

financial activities were weaker than their prior 12-month averages.

 

Financial Activities

CES Highlights Release Date: June 2, 2017

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 professional and business services continued to trend up 

by 38,000 in May. Employment in this sector has changed by an average 

46,000 so far this year.

 In May, administrative and waste services contributed the largest share 

to employment change (+25,000). Employment also continued to trend up

in professional and technical services (+11,000), but at a slower pace than 

its prior 3-, 6-, and 12- month averages. So far in 2017, professional and 

technical services has added 99,000 jobs, while administrative and waste 

services added 117,000 jobs

 

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Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in Professional and business services

Over-the-month change Annual average

Over-the-month change, January 2014 - May 2017

Seasaonally adjusted, in thousands

May-17: 38

Prior-12: 51

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017 Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

25

2

11

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Administrative and waste

services

Management of companies

and enterprises

Professional and technical

services

Employment in Professional and business services component industries

Over-the-month change Prior-3 mo. Avg. Prior-6 mo. Avg Prior-12 mo. Avg

Over-the-month change and prior averages, May 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017

Data are preliminary.

Professional and Business Services

CES Highlights Release Date: June 2, 2017

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
 Private education and health care added 47,000 jobs in May, similar 

to the number of jobs added in April. Over the past 12 months, this 

industry has added 525,000 jobs, an increase of 2.3 percent. Health 

care added 329,000 of these jobs.

 Health care industries added 24,000 jobs in May, including a gain of 

7,000 in hospitals. Health care has added an average 22,000 jobs a 

month so far in 2017, compared to an average monthly gain of 32,000 

in 2016. 32 21 39 26 58 39 44 50 3840 47 46 65 50 35 77 49 46 5153 40 83 43 52 16 74 35 52 49 59 41 53 48 45 31 50 17 68 16 50 47

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Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in education and health services

Over-the-month change, January 2014–May 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

4

7

3

1

3

13

-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 services1

Employment in selected health care industries

May 2017 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, May 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Health care 

industries:

24*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017.

Data are preliminary.

1 Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance

Private Education and Health Services

CES Highlights Release Date: June 2, 2017

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
 Leisure and hospitality employment 

continued to trend up in May (+31,000). Thus 

far this year, food services and drinking places 

has added an average 25,000 jobs per month, 

in line with the 2016 average monthly gain 

(+23,000). 

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Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in food services and drinking places

Over-the-month changes, January 2014-May 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 2, 2017.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary

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 2, 2017
 Employment in other services

continued to trend up in May (+12,000). 

This industry has added 77,000 jobs over 

the year, a change of 1.4 percent. 

Personal and laundry services accounted 

for 42,000 of the job gains over this 

period.

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Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in other services

Over-the-month change, January 2014–May 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: June 2, 2017
 Employment in government agencies 

changed little in May (-9,000), 

continuing the recent flat trend. 

Government employment has been 

essentially flat since September 2016 

(-12,000). 

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Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17

Employment in government

Over-the-month change, January 2014–May 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, June 02, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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 2, 2017
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

Wander Cedeño

Tyler Downing

Brittney Forbes

Mike McCall

John Mullins

Michael Osifalujo

Edward Park

Trinity Wade

Julia Wolfe

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis