Bureau of Labor Statistics

January 7, 2005

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics

Highlights

December 2004
2

All employees on nonfarm payrolls

1990-2004

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-04

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, January 7, 2005.

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

December 2004

Level: 132,266

Change: +157

• Total nonfarm employment increased by 157,000 in December, following a gain 

of 137,000 in November. Job gains in December were concentrated in health care 

and social assistance, professional and business services, wholesale trade, and 

financial activities.

• From its most recent high point in March 2001 to it most recent low point in 

August 2003, payroll employment fell by 2.7 million. By December, 2.5 million, 

or 91 percent, of those jobs had been regained.
3

309

-857

1,157

2,785

3,853

2,154

2,793

3,358

3,003 3,172

1,905

-1,782

-563

-61

2,231

-3,000

-2,000

-1,000

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, January 7, 2005.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Over-the-year change, 1990-2004

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• A total of 2.2 million jobs were added to payrolls in 2004. This was the first 

calendar year since 2000 in which payroll employment increased. Job gains were 

widespread, with all supersectors except information gaining jobs.

• The largest employment gain was in the professional and business services sector, 

which added 546,000 jobs. Its temporary help services component accounted for 

about two-fifths of this increase, or 206,000 jobs. Within the sector, there were 

also substantial gains in architectural and engineering services, computer systems 

design, and management and technical consulting services.

• Education and health services added 402,000 jobs over the year. Most of this gain 

was in health-related services, which added 265,800 jobs.

• Low mortgage rates and a robust housing market led to employment gains in 

several industries. Construction added 258,000 jobs, driven by residential 

construction. Financial activities employment grew by 140,000, with 64,000 of 

those jobs coming in the mortgage-driven credit intermediation component. In 

addition, construction-related manufacturing industries also saw healthy job gains.
4

Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

Over-the-month change, December 2004

3

7

3

17

-20

5

-1

-3

14

41

47

12

4

29

-30 -15 0 15 30 45 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, January 7, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Total nonfarm: 

+157

• Most supersectors gained jobs in December, but four service-providing sectors 

accounted for most of the growth in total nonfarm employment.

• The largest employment increase in December was in education and health 

services, which added 47,000 jobs, principally in health care and social assistance. 

• Professional and business services added 41,000 jobs in December, with growth 

concentrated in architectural and engineering services, computer systems design, 

and temporary help services.

• Wholesale trade employment grew by 17,000 over the month. The largest job 

gain occurred in the durable goods component.

• Financial activities added 14,000 jobs in December, with most of that gain 

concentrated in the credit intermediation component.
5

Average weekly hours, total private

1990-2004

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

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

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, January 7, 2005.

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

December 2004

Level: 33.8

Change: +0.1

• The average workweek for production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.1 hour in December to 33.8 hours.

• Total private average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers have 

remained essentially unchanged since 2002.
6

Average hourly earnings, total private, over-the-year 

percentage change

1990-2004

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

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

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

Seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, January 7, 2005.

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

December 2004

Percent: 2.7

Change: +0.2

• Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls increased by 2 cents in December to $15.86, seasonally 

adjusted, following a 2-cent gain in November.

• Over the year, average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers 

grew by 2.7 percent.

• The average monthly gain in average hourly earnings of production workers or 

nonsupervisory workers was 3 cents in 2004. 
7

-180

-140

-100

-60

-20

20

60

100

Jan-00

Mar-00

May-00

Jul-00

Sep-00Nov-00

Jan-01

Mar-01

May-01

Jul-01

Sep-01Nov-01

Jan-02

Mar-02

May-02

Jul-02

Sep-02Nov-02

Jan-03

Mar-03

May-03

Jul-03

Sep-03Nov-03

Jan-04

Mar-04

May-04

Jul-04

Sep-04Nov-04

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, January 7, 2005. 

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, 2000-04

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Manufacturing employment was about unchanged in December. Following 42 

consecutive months of employment decline, manufacturing began adding jobs in 

February 2004. While job growth stalled after May, manufacturing added 76,000 

jobs in 2004, making it the first calendar year since 1997 to see a gain in factory 

jobs. However, this modest increase still leaves manufacturing employment 

nearly 3 million jobs below its pre-recession peak.

• Manufacturing employment gains in 2004 were concentrated in durable goods, 

which added 111,000 jobs. Nondurable goods employment declined by 35,000.
8

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

1990-2004

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

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

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

Seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, January 7, 2005. 

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

December 2004

Level: 40.5

Change: 0.0

• Manufacturing average weekly hours of production workers were unchanged in 

December. From a recent low point of 40.1 hours in July 2003, manufacturing 

average weekly hours rose to 41.1 in May 2004, but have since fallen by 0.6 hour, 

and stood at 40.5 in December.

• Average overtime hours of production workers held steady in December at 4.5 

hours.
9

Employment in wholesale trade

1990-2004

4,750

5,000

5,250

5,500

5,750

6,000

6,250

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

4,750

5,000

5,250

5,500

5,750

6,000

6,250

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, January 7, 2005.

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

December 2004

Level: 5,695.4

Change: +17

• Wholesale trade employment increased by 17,000 in December and by 97,000 in 

2004. Both the over-the-month and the over-the-year changes were concentrated 

in the durable goods component.
10

Employment in selected professional and business services 

December 2004 over-the-month change

5.0

6.9

9.7

2.5

9.4

0 5 10 15

Accounting and

bookkeeping services

Architectural and

engineering services

Computer systems

design and related

services

Management and

technical consulting

services

Temporary help

services

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, January 7, 2005.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Professional and business services

December 2004 change: +41

• Professional and business services added 41,000 jobs in December. These gains 

were concentrated in professional and technical services, but temporary help 

services also added jobs in December.

• Architectural and engineering services gained about 7,000 jobs. Since its most 

recent low point in June 2003, this industry has added 77,400 jobs, surpassing its 

July 2001 peak employment level.

• Computer systems and related design showed strength in December, adding 

10,000 jobs. In 2004 this industry added about 57,000 jobs.

• Temporary help services added about 9,000 jobs in December.
11

Employment in health-related services 

Over-the-month change, December 2004 and average monthly 

change for the prior 12 months

17.1

5.3

0.5

4.7

4.9

0.6

13.3

5.0

1.0

5.7

2.8

3.2

0 5 10 15 20

 Offices of physicians

 Outpatient care centers

Home health care

December 2004

Prior 12-month average

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, January 7, 2005.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Ambulatory health care

Hospitals

Nursing & residential care

• Employment in health-related services continued to expand in December, with an 

increase of 22,600. Over the year, health-related services added 265,800 jobs 

with gains throughout the component industries.

• Over the year, health-related services have contributed about 12 percent of jobs 

gained in total nonfarm employment.