March 2017

Release Date: April 7, 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, March 2017

CES Highlights Release Date: April 7, 2017

Services to building and dwellings added 

17,000 jobs in March following little change in 

February; the average change over the 2-

month span is in line with recent employment 

trends.

+11,000 Mining and Logging 

 Mining employment rose by 11,000 in 

March, largely in support activities for mining 

(+9,000). Since a recent employment low in 

October, mining has added 35,000 jobs. 

 Nonfarm employment edged up in March 

(+98,000), following gains in January 

(+216,000) and February (+219,000).

 In March, professional and business services

and mining added jobs, while employment in 

retail trade declined.

 The employment changes for February and 

January incorporate downward revisions 

totaling 38,000.

 Average hourly earnings of all privatesector employees increased by 5 cents, 

following a 7-cent gain in February. Hourly 

earnings are up 2.7 percent over the year. 

Average weekly hours were unchanged at 34.3

hours in March. 

+56,000 Professional and Business Services

 Employment continued to trend up in 

professional and technical services in March 

(+22,000). Within this industry, architectural 

and engineering services added jobs (+7,000); 

monthly employment growth has averaged 

7,000 thus far in 2017, compared with an 

average +2,000 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 43 297 291 176 249 124 164 155 216 219 98

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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–March 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 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: April 7, 2017

-30,000 Retail Trade

 In retail trade, general merchandise stores 

lost 35,000 jobs in March. Employment in 

general merchandise stores has declined by 

89,000 since October.

+16,000 Education and Health Services 

 Among health care providers, employment 

rose in hospitals (+9,000) and in outpatient 

care centers (+6,000). Thus far this year, 

health care has added an average of 20,000 

jobs per month, compared to 32,000 per 

month in 2016.

+6,000 Construction 

 Construction employment changed little 

following a strong gain in February (+59,000). 

Year to date, job growth has averaged 33,000 

per month.

+11,000 Manufacturing

 Manufacturing employment changed little 

in March. However, since November 2016, 

employment in the industry has trended up by 

an average 17,000 per month. In the 12 

months ending in November 2016, 

employment had changed by an average -

2,000 per month.

+9,000 Financial Activities 

 Employment in financial activities continued 

to trend up in March (+9,000). Over the year, 

employment has increased by an average 

15,000 per month.

9

1

9

16

56

9

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-1

4

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11

6

11

-60 -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

March 2017 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, March 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

98

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 2017.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Current Employment Statistics Survey Summary, March 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 

11,000 in March. Since October 2016, 

the industry has gained 35,000 jobs. 

Support activities for mining added 

9,000 jobs in March and 27,000 jobs 

since October2016. The employment 

gains are consistent with increases in 

domestic oil-rig counts, which rose 5 

percent in March. 

3

3

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-1

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-9

-14

-11

-22

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-17

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-25

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10

15

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

Employment in support activities for mining

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 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: April 7, 2017
 Construction employment changed 

little in March (+6,000), following a 

gain of 59,000 in February. 

 Thus far in 2017, construction has 

added an average 33,000 jobs per 

month, compared to an average 

increase of 20,000 during the last 4 

months of 2016. 56 21 3739 26 20 42 30 27 20 18 23 44 26

-11 44 37 14 21 15

8 44 55 39 11 23 43

-1

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-4 23 16 28 12 34 59

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-40

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0

20

40

60

80

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

Employment in construction

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: April 7, 2017
 Employment in manufacturing was 

little changed in March (+11,000), after 

increasing in February. Since November, 

this industry has added 67,000 jobs. 

 The manufacturing diffusion index fell 

from 67.9 to 52.6, demonstrating that 

growth in the industry was less 

widespread in March. A value above 50 

indicates that more component 

industries gained jobs than lost them.

 Average weekly hours of all 

employees in manufacturing ticked 

down by 0.2 to 40.6 hours. The average 

workweek of production employees also 

ticked down by 0.2 to 41.8 hours.

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: April 7, 2017
 Employment in wholesale trade was unchanged in March, 

though the industry has added 46,000 jobs in the most recent 

12-month period.

5,200

5,400

5,600

5,800

6,000

6,200

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

Employment in wholesale trade

March 2017 Level: 5,902

OTM Change: 0

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 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–March 2017

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 7, 2017
 In March, employment in retail trade declined by 30,000. General merchandise stores lost 35,000 jobs in March. Since 

October, this industry has shed 89,000 jobs. Within general 

merchandise stores, employment in department stores decreased by 

13,000 in March and by 46,000 over the past 5 months. Employment in 

other general merchandise stores, such as supercenters and warehouse 

clubs, declined by 22,000 in March following a loss of 17,000 in 

February.

Retail Trade

CES Highlights Release Date: April 7, 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 was largely unchanged in 

March (+4,000). However, over the past 

12 months, employment in the industry 

has grown by 89,000 jobs, or 1.8 

percent.

 

3,800

4,000

4,200

4,400

4,600

4,800

5,000

5,200

5,400

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

Employment in transportation and warehousing

March 2017 Level: 5,047

OTM Change: 4

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 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–March 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

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: April 7, 2017
 In March, employment in utilities 

changed little (-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–March 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 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: April 7, 2017
 In March, employment in information 

changed little (-3,000). This is the sixth 

consecutive month of weakness with 

information losing a total of 39,000 jobs 

since a recent peak in September 2016. 

Telecommunications accounted for 63 

percent of the losses within the industry 

during this period.

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

Employment in information

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: April 7, 2017
 Employment in financial activities continued to trend up in March 

(+9,000). So far this year, financial activities has added 45,000 jobs, 

primarily due to a gain in finance and insurance (+29,000).

 Employment in credit intermediation and related activities edged up in 

March (+6,000), driven by an increase of 3,000 in activities related to credit 

intermediation.

 

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40

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

Employment in financial activities Over-the-month change, January 2014–March 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 2017. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

1

1

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1

6

-2 0 2 4 6 8

Real estate and rental and leasing

Insurance carriers and related activities

Securities and commodities

 - Commercial banking

Credit intermediation°

Employment in selected financial activities

March 2017 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, March 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Financial 

activities:

9

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 2017.

Data are preliminary.

 ̊Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance

Financial Activities

CES Highlights Release Date: April 7, 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
 Professional and business services employment grew by 56,000 in 

March. In the first quarter of 2017, professional and business services has 

added 151,000 jobs, compared to a gain of 137,000 during the fourth 

quarter of 2016.

 In March, the larger share of the employment gain was seen in 

administrative and waste services (+33,000), with services to buildings and 

dwellings adding 17,000 jobs. Employment changed little in temporary

help services (+11,000).

 Employment in professional and technical services continued to trend 

up in March (+22,000). Architectural and engineering services added 7,000 

jobs over the month; employment in the industry is now just 5,000 away 

from recovering all the jobs lost during its most recent downturn. In 

March, both management and technical consulting services (+8,000) and 

computer systems design and related services (+5,000) continued their 

upward employment trends and are the top contributors to employment 

growth during the current expansion.

 

60

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41

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84

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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 - March 2017

Seasaonally adjusted, in thousands

Mar-17: 56

Prior-12: 51

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 2017 Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

*

7

17

33

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0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

 -Employment services

 -Services to buildings

and dwellings*

Administrative and waste

services

Management of companies

and enterprises

 -Computer systems design

and related

 -Architectural and

engineering*

 -Management and technical

consulting

Professional and technical

services

Employment in Professional and business services

Over-the-month change, March 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 2017.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes signifnace

Professional and Business Services

CES Highlights Release Date: April 7, 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 private education and 

health services changed little in March 

(+16,000). 

 Health care employment continued to 

trend up in March (+14,000), driven by 

gains in hospitals (+9,000) and 

outpatient care centers (+6,000). Health 

care has added an average of 20,000 

jobs per month so far this year, 

compared to an average increase of

32,000 per month in 2016.

-2

9

2

6

-2

7

-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

March 2017 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, March 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Health care 

industries:

14

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 2017.

Data are preliminary.

 ̊Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance

Private Education and Health 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 7, 2017
 In March, leisure and hospitality 

employment changed little (+9,000). 

Food services and drinking places 

employment continued to trend up in 

March (+22,000), but was partially offset 

by weakness in arts, entertainment, and 

recreation (-12,000).

 So far this year, food services and 

drinking places has added an average of 

20,000 jobs per month, in line with the 

2016 average monthly change 

(+23,000). This continued upward trend 

coincides with strength seen in the 

Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) in 

March, which reached its highest level 

since December 2000. 23

7 61 3740 25 14 23 31 2526 36 18 46 12 37 34 47 40 26 36 53 31 38 30 28 33 17 25 22 19 32 21 12 24 15181922

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80

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

Employment in food services and drinking places

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 2017. 

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 7, 2017
 Employment in other services was 

essentially flat in March (+1,000). 

However, this industry has added 54,000

jobs over the year. Personal and laundry 

services accounted for 71 percent of the 

job gains during this period.

8

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20

30

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

Employment in other services

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 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: April 7, 2017
 Employment in government changed 

little in March (+9,000). Since September 

2016, government employment has 

been essentially flat (+2,000). 

21,400

21,600

21,800

22,000

22,200

22,400

22,600

22,800

23,000

23,200

23,400

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

Employment in government

March 2017 Level: 22,318

OTM Change: 9

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 07, 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–March 2017

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: April 7, 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

Michael Osifalujo

Edward Park

Trinity Wade

Julia Wolfe

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis