February 2020

Release Date: March 6, 2020

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, February 2020

CES Highlights Release Date: March 6, 2020

individual and family services (+18,000). Over 

the past 12 months, employment has 

expanded by 368,000 in health care and by 

191,000 in social assistance. 

+51,000 Leisure and Hospitality

 Employment in food services and drinking 

places rose by 53,000 in February. This 

industry has added 252,000 jobs since July 

2019.

+45,000 Government

 Employment in government rose by 45,000 

in February. Within the sector, federal 

government added 8,000 jobs, mostly due to 

the hiring of 7,000 workers for the 2020 

 Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 

273,000 in February. Job growth was 

widespread and included gains in health care 

and social assistance, food services and 

drinking places, government, construction,

professional and technical services, and 

financial activities. 

 The employment change for January

revised up from +225,000 to +273,000, and 

the change for December revised up from 

+147,000 to +184,000. Incorporating 

revisions, job growth has averaged 243,000

per month over the past 3 months.

 Average hourly earnings for all employees

on private, nonfarm payrolls rose by 9 cents,

or 0.3 percent, in February, after increasing by 

6 cents in January. Hourly earnings are up 3.0

percent over the year. Average weekly hours, 

at 34.4 hours, rose by 0.1 hour over the 

month. 

+54,000 Education and Health Services

 Health care added 32,000 jobs in February. 

Within the industry, employment rose by 

10,000 each in offices of physicians and in 

home health care services and by 8,000 in 

hospitals. Social assistance also added jobs 

over the month (+25,000), mostly within 

185 188

129

197

155

216 215

184

18

267

225

130

121

406

176

137

278

219

136

244

80

201

134

182

269

1

147

210

85

182

194

207 208

185

261

184

273 273

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, March 06, 2020.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2017–February 2020

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
Census. State government education also 

added jobs over the month (+16,000). 

Government has added 262,000 jobs over the 

past 12 months. 

+42,000 Construction 

 Construction employment increased by 

42,000 in February following a gain of 49,000 

in January. Job gains in the industry had 

averaged 13,000 per month in 2019. Specialty 

trade contractors accounted for 26,000 of the 

gain in February, which was about evenly split 

between the residential and nonresidential 

components. Residential building also added 

10,000 jobs. 

+41,000 Professional and Business Services 

 Employment in professional and technical 

services increased by 32,000 in February. 

Within the industry, job growth occurred in 

architectural and engineering services 

(+10,000) and in scientific research and 

development services (+5,000). Employment 

also continued to trend up in computer 

systems design and related services (+8,000).

Over the past 12 months, professional and 

technical services has added 285,000 jobs. 

+26,000 Financial Activities

 Employment in financial activities rose by 

26,000 in February. Within the industry, job 

growth occurred in credit intermediation 

(+6,000), and in real estate (+8,000). Financial 

activities has added 160,000 jobs over the past 

12 months.

-4,000 Transportation and Warehousing

 Employment in transportation and 

warehousing changed little in February 

(-4,000). Couriers and messenger services lost 

12,000 jobs, partially offsetting a gain of 

20,000 in January. 

45

4

51

54

41

26

4

1

-4

-7

-3

15

42

4

-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

February 2020 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

273*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 06, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Current Employment Statistics Survey Summary, February 2020

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: March 6, 2020
 Mining employment changed little in 

February (+3,000). February’s indicator data 

for mining point to weakness with declines 

in West Texas Intermediate oil prices and in 

North American rotary oil rig counts. 

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

900

950

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in mining

February 2020 Level: 662

OTM Change: 3

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 06, 2020.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2010–February 2020

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: March 6, 2020
 Construction employment increased by 

42,000 in February following a similar gain in 

January. Specialty trade contractors added 

26,000 jobs, which were about evenly split 

between residential and nonresidential 

trades. Residential building added 10,000 

jobs.

 The increase in construction employment 

in February follows January gains in 

residential building permits, construction 

spending, and new home sales. 26 42 20

7 12 27

5 30 14 23 39 27 21 865 18 43 1622 31 2023

-2 26 50

-29 2026

9 19

7

4 1617

-2 16 49 42

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Jan-17 Jan-18 Jan-19 Jan-20

Employment in construction

Over-the-month change, January 2017–February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 06, 2020. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: March 6, 2020
 Employment in manufacturing changed little in February (+15,000).

 The 1-month diffusion index rose 7.2 points to 54.6, indicating that 

more industries added jobs than lost jobs. 

 In February, average weekly hours rose by 0.2 hour for all 

manufacturing workers and by 0.3 hour for production employees. These 

gains were widespread across most manufacturing industries. 

 

 Within durable goods, nonmetallic mineral products (+4,000) and 

transportation equipment (+8,000) added jobs in February. The job gain 

in transportation equipment mostly offsets a job loss in January, leaving 

employment little changed over the 2-month span. 

13 15

11

5 6

12

-1

44

9

22 22

27

17

30

23 21

26

29

19

13

21

24

20 21 20

5

-3

2

0

9

7

3 3

-41

58

-2

-20

15

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, March 06, 2020.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2017–February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in manufacturing

1

-2

8

-1

2

-2

2

-1

4

0

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

Miscellaneous durable goods manufacturing

Furniture and related products

Transportation equipment*

Electrical equipment and appliances

Computer and electronic products

Machinery

Fabricated metal products

Primary metals

Nonmetallic mineral products*

Wood products

Employment in durable goods

February 2020 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Durable goods:

11

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 06, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Manufacturing

CES Highlights Release Date: March 6, 2020

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 changed little in 

February (-3,000). Over the prior 12 months, the 

industry had added an average 5,000 per month. 

 

6

2

3

5

-5

7

1

-1

3

5

0

6

-5

1 13

-19

3

7 12 19

-3

3

7

8

6

6

-4 13

4

1

7

1

6 10

3

7

6

-3

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Employment in wholesale trade

Over-the-month change, January 2017–February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 06, 2020. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: March 6, 2020
 Employment in retail trade changed 

little in February (-7,000). Since reaching a 

peak in January 2017, industry 

employment has declined by 261,000 or 

1.6 percent.

 Employment declines occurred in 

clothing and clothing accessories stores 

(-12,000), and building material and 

garden supply stores (-6,000), while 

employment increased by 11,000 in 

health and personal care stores.

 Retail-related economic indicators are 

mostly positive. Both Real Personal 

Consumption Expenditures and Retail 

Sales increased in January. The Consumer 

Confidence Index increased slightly in 

February.

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: March 6, 2020
 Employment in transportation and warehousing changed little (-4,000) 

in February. Warehousing and storage added 5,000 jobs, following a gain 

of 7,000 in January. Over the past 12 months, warehousing and storage has 

accounted for 23,000 of the 96,000 jobs added in transportation and 

warehousing.

 

 

 Employment in couriers and messengers fell by 12,000 in February, 

partially offsetting a gain of 20,000 in January. Following strong seasonal 

hiring for the recent holiday season, layoffs were weaker in January and 

stronger in February. After accounting for these offsetting seasonal 

movements, employment in the industry has remained on trend, rising by 

an average 6,000 per month since September. 

 

Transportation and Warehousing

CES Highlights Release Date: March 6, 2020

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 utilities was flat in 

February (+1,000).

542

544

546

548

550

552

554

556

558

560

562

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in utilities

February 2020 Level: 547

OTM Change: 1

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 06, 2020.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2010–February 2020

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: March 6, 2020
 Employment in information changed 

little in February (+4,000).

 Over the past 12 months, 

employment in publishing industries, 

except internet expanded by 18,000; 

other information services (such as news 

syndicates, libraries and archives, and 

internet publishing and broadcasting 

and web search portals) added 27,000 

jobs. This growth was partially offset by 

19,000 jobs lost in telecommunications.

 

3

0

-1

-1

0

3

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4

Other information services

Data processing, hosting and related services

Telecommunications

Broadcasting, except Internet

Motion picture and sound recording industries

Publishing industries, except Internet

Employment in information

February 2020 Prior 12-month average

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Information: 4 Over-the-month change, February 2020

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, March 06, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

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: March 6, 2020
 Employment in financial activities 

increased by 26,000 in February, the 

largest 1-month employment gain since 

February 2018. The growth was driven 

by gains in credit intermediation and 

related activities (+6,000) and in real 

estate (+8,000). 

 The increase in real estate 

employment in February coincides with 

declines in the average 30-year fixed 

mortgage rate and gains in construction 

employment. 

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: March 6, 2020

13

6

2

3

6

-4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Real estate and rental and leasing*

Insurance carriers and related activities

Securities and commodities

 - Commercial banking*

Credit intermediation1*

Employment in selected financial activities

February 2020 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Financial 

activities:

26*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 06, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

1 Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance
 Employment in professional and business services edged up by 

41,000 in February, slightly above the industry’s prior 12-month average 

of +34,000. Over the year, employment in the industry has grown by 

405,000. 

 In February, employment increased by 32,000 in professional and 

technical services, above the industry’s prior 12-month average gain 

(+23,000). Employment gains in this industry were led by architectural 

and engineering services (+10,000), and scientific research and 

development services (+5,000). Computer system design and related 

services continued its upward employment trend (+8,000). 

 50

9 2930 57 35 42 28

3 48 30 34 55 43 424546 34 20 41 33 37 2326

-2 38 12 50 27 4143 40 25 42 37 2225 41

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Employment in professional and business services

Over-the-month change, January 2017–February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 06, 2020. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

1.0

1.0

10.0

-2.0

3.0

8.0

10.0

3.0

32.0

-15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

 - Services to buildings

 - Employment services

Administrative and waste services1

Management of companies

 - Management and technical consulting

 - Computer systems design

 - Architectural and engineering*

 - Accounting and bookkeeping

Professional and technical1*

Employment in selected professional and business services

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 06, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

1 Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance

Over-the-month change, February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Professional and 

business services:

41

Professional and Business Services

CES Highlights Release Date: March 6, 2020

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 health care continued to trend up in February (+32,000). 

Within ambulatory health care services, home health care services added 

10,000 jobs and offices of physicians added 10,000. Hospitals added 8,000 

jobs also. Over the past 12 months, health care has added 368,000 jobs. 

 Social assistance added 25,000 jobs in February, with individual and 

family services accounting for 18,000 of the increase. Over the past 12 

months, social assistance has added 191,000 jobs. 

 

 

15

9

14

23

12

21

7

2

-3

9

17

-3

31

18 18

2

12

14

17 17

24

18

14

7

12

9

21

25

10

15 14

21

10

21

15

6

10

25

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Employment in social assistance

Over-the-month change, January 2017 - February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, March 06, 2020.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Private Education and Health Services

CES Highlights Release Date: March 6, 2020

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

[

G

r

a

b 

y

o

u

r 

r

e

a

d

e

r

’

s 

a

t

t

e

n

t

i

o

n 

w

i

t

h 

a 

g
 In February, employment in leisure and hospitality continued to trend 

up (+51,000). Benefitting from gradually decreasing gas prices, the 

industry has added 345,000 jobs since July.

 Recent warm weather and strong sales likely encouraged employers in 

food services and drinking places to increase staffing in February. The 

industry added 53,000 jobs over-the-month—well above recent trends.

32 32

12

64

35

42

71

4

-73

91

14

20

3

25

2

-3

46 47

39

1

-24

32

10

47

81

-23

21

13 12

7

2

42

61

70

43 40 38

51

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, March 06, 2020. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2017–February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in leisure and hospitality

26

19

27

17

28

16

63

3

-53

63

12

8

10

23

1

-7

28 25

30

-7

-21

13

17

34

52

-22

16

20

6

2

9

34

44

48

23

19

32

53

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, March 06, 2020. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2017–February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in food services and drinking places

Leisure and Hospitality

CES Highlights Release Date: March 6, 2020

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 other services

changed little in February (+4,000). Over 

the most recent 12 months, however, 

the industry has added 85,000 jobs, with 

the largest job gain coming in repair and 

maintenance (+44,000). 16 11

33 11

8

7

6

-7 22 11

0

5

4

-3

7 1213

-15

3

5

8

-3

8

3

1 1515

-3 15

9

5

-3

0 16

2 10

4

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Employment in other services

Over-the-month change, January 2017–February 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 06, 2020. 

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: March 6, 2020
 Government added 45,000 jobs in 

February. Employment gains were spread

about evenly between state government 

(+18,000) and local government (+19,000).

 Hiring for Census 2020 accounted for 

7,000 of the increase in federal government 

employment. 

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: March 6, 2020
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

Ryan Ansell

Hyun Choi

Steve Crestol

Tyler Downing

Katelynn Harris

Mike McCall

John Mullins

Michael Osifalujo

Rhiannon Sneeringer

Carson Wilson

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis