September 2018

Release Date: October 5, 2018

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, September 2018

CES Highlights

 

Release Date: October 5, 2018

+24,000 Transportation and Warehousing

 Transportation and warehousing added 

24,000 jobs in September. Warehousing and 

storage added 8,000 jobs, while couriers and 

messengers added 5,000. Over the year, these 

two industries together have accounted for 

about two-thirds of the job growth in 

transportation and warehousing.

+23,000 Construction

 Construction employment continued to 

trend up in September, largely in specialty 

trade contractors (+16,000). Over the year, 

 Nonfarm employment increased by 

134,000 in September following an increase of 

270,000 in August. Professional and business 

services, health care, and transportation and 

warehousing added jobs. Hurricane Florence 

and subsequent flooding may have 

contributed to employment weakness in some 

industries in September. Data collection rates 

were within normal ranges both nationally and 

in the affected states. 

 The employment change for July increased 

from +147,000 to +165,000, and the change 

for August increased from +201,000 to 

+270,000. On net, employment over these 

months is 87,000 greater than previously 

reported.

 Average hourly earnings rose by 8 cents or 

0.3 percent in September. Hourly earnings are 

up 2.8 percent over the year. Average weekly 

hours, at 34.5 hours, were unchanged over the 

month. 

+54,000 Professional and Business Services

 Employment continued to rise in 

professional and business services in 

September. Over the past 12 months, the 

industry has added 560,000 jobs, with gains 

distributed across most component industries.

211

267

78

282

326

191

256

164

88

351

264

234

103

257

235

174

34

285

325

175

264

140

172

180

259

200

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175

155

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221

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271

216

175176

324

155

175

268

208

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270

134

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, October 05, 2018.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2015–September 2018

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
CES Highlights

 

Release Date: October 5, 2018

construction has added 315,000 jobs; specialty 

trades accounted for 196,000 of the growth.

+18,000 Manufacturing

 In September, employment rose by 17,000 

in durable goods manufacturing. Over the 

year, durable goods industries have accounted 

for more than 80 percent of 278,000 jobs 

added in the whole of manufacturing.

+18,000 Education and Health Services

 Health care added 26,000 jobs in 

September, with a gain of 12,000 in hospitals. 

Over the past 12 months, health care 

employment has increased by 302,000. 

+13,000 Financial Activities 

 Real estate and rental and leasing added 

jobs in September to account for essentially all 

of the employment change in financial 

activities. Over the year, real estate has added 

43,000 jobs, and rental and leasing has added 

30,000 jobs. 

+5,000 Mining and Logging

 Employment rose by 6,000 in support 

activities for mining in September. This 

industry has added 106,000 jobs since an 

employment low in October 2016.

 -17,000 Leisure and Hospitality

 Over the month, employment changed little 

in leisure and hospitality (-17,000) Prior to 

September, employment in the industry had 

been trending up at a modest rate.

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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

September 2018 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

134*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Current Employment Statistics Survey Summary, September 2018

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 grew by 5,000 in 

September, due to a gain in support 

activities for mining (+6,000). So far in 

2018, mining has added 55,000 jobs, with 

43,000 coming from support activities for 

mining.

 In September, a 4.6-percent gain in oil 

prices supported the gain in mining 

employment.

-9

-13

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-30

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-20

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0

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10

15

20

Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18

Employment in mining

Over-the-month change, January 2015–September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: October 5, 2018
 Construction employment continued to 

trend up in September (+23,000). 

Employment in heavy and civil engineering 

construction and in specialty trade 

contractors also continued to trend up 

(+7,000 and +16,000, respectively). 37 24

-16 50 38 16 22 19 13 42 52 40

4 13 41

9

-6

5 30

3 32 2424 11 51 463

-5

7 16

-6 28

9 17 4242 28 67

-3 16 30

8 19 26 23

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18

Employment in construction

Over-the-month change, January 2015–September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018. 

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: October 5, 2018
 Employment in manufacturing continued to trend up in September 

(+18,000). Employment in nondurable goods manufacturing was little 

changed (+1,000). 

 Durable goods manufacturing accounted for essentially all of the job 

gains in September, adding 17,000 jobs over the month. Of the 189,000 

jobs added in manufacturing thus far in 2018, durable goods contributed 

160,000, (85 percent). 

Manufacturing

CES Highlights Release Date: October 5, 2018

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 September 

(+4,000). So far this year, the industry has added 68,000 jobs, 

equaling the employment gain for all of 2017. In 2018, durable 

goods wholesalers accounted for 69 percent of the jobs added 

in wholesale trade.

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-20

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0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18

Employment in wholesale trade

Over-the-month change, January 2016–September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018. 

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: October 5, 2018
 In September, employment in retail trade edged down (-20,000), below 

its prior 12-month average change (+6,000). Employment in most of the 

retail component industries trended down over the month. Electronics and 

appliance stores lost 3,000 jobs.

 Despite the weakness in retail trade employment, the latest retailrelated economic indicators are mostly positive. The Consumer Confidence 

Index increased by 2.7 percent in September and by 14.8 percent over the 

year (The Conference Board). Retail sales edged up in September by 0.1 

percent and were up 6.2 percent over the year (Census Bureau).

 

6 20242428 1821

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4

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-26 12 46 11

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-42

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-20

-80

-60

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0

20

40

60

80

Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18

Employment in retail trade

Over-the-month change, January 2015–September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

1.2

-5.4

-4.0

-2.6

-3.9

2.8

-0.7

-2.1

-4.5

-3.1

1.5

0.8

-8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6

Nonstore retailers

Miscellaneous store retailers

General merchandise stores

Sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores

Clothing and clothing accessories stores

Gasoline stations

Health and personal care stores

Food and beverage stores

Building material and garden supply stores

Electronics and appliance stores*

Furniture and home furnishings stores

Motor vehicle and parts dealers

Employment in retail trade

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Over-the-month change, September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Retail trade:

-20

Retail Trade

CES Highlights Release Date: October 5, 2018

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 added 24,000 jobs in September.

Warehousing and storage (+8,000), couriers and messengers (+5,000), and 

rail transportation (+900) added jobs. 

 Employment in warehousing and storage increased in September 

(+8,000). This industry has added 38,000 jobs so far in 2018, representing 

28 percent of all jobs added in transportation and warehousing during this 

period.

 Warehousing and storage is one of the fastest growing industries in the 

industry sector, second only to couriers and messengers, which has added 

49,000 jobs year to date.

 

Transportation and Warehousing

CES Highlights Release Date: October 5, 2018

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 

unchanged in September and is 

essentially unchanged over the year 

(-3,000).

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3

Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18

Employment in utilities

Over-the-month change, January 2015–September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: October 5, 2018
 Employment in information was 

unchanged in September and has shown 

little change so far in 2018 (-9,000). 

 Telecommunications lost 3,000 jobs in 

September. So far this year, 

employment in the industry has 

decreased by 22,000.

2,500

2,600

2,700

2,800

2,900

3,000

3,100

3,200

Jan-08 Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18

Employment in information

September 2018 Level: 2,767

OTM Change: 0

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

January 2008–September 2018

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: October 5, 2018
 

 Employment in financial activities 

edged up in September (+13,000). Real 

estate and rental and leasing added 

13,000 jobs, about double the industry’s 

trend over the prior 12 months. 

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: October 5, 2018

13

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Real estate and rental and leasing*

Insurance carriers and related activities

Securities and commodities

 - Commercial banking

Credit intermediation1

Employment in selected financial activities

September 2018 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Financial 

activities:

13

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018.

Data are preliminary.

1 Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance
 Employment in professional and business services increased by 54,000 in 

September, similar to the year-to-date average change of 50,000 jobs added 

per month. The majority of the employment gain came in administrative and 

waste services (+32,000), where employment services accounted for a large 

share of the change (+18,000). 

21

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52

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63

3132

20

74

44

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-13

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27

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-1

42

53

10

81

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27

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36

50

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40

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42

27

60

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31

38

61

41

59

4947

39

65

54

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18

Employment in Professional and business services

Over-the-month change Annual average

Over-the-month change, January 2015–September 2018

Seasaonally adjusted, in thousands

Sep-18: 54*

Prior-12: 44

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018 Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

32

3

19

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

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, September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

CES Highlights Release Date: October 5, 2018

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
 Health care added 26,000 jobs in September, continuing its upward 

trend. Over the year, employment in health care has risen by 302,000. 

 

 Hospitals added 12,000 jobs in September. Hospital employment has 

been strong in 2018, up 79,000 jobs so far this year. In contrast, the 

industry added 70,000 jobs in the whole of 2017. 

 

 37 26 22 4040 27 3335 27 45 21 27 30 34 25 37 35 3335 20 2929 25 40 11 26 14 26 19 3638 1821 23 20 32 21 31 25 23 28 22 19 32 26

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30

40

50

60

Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18

Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, January 2015–September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

3

12

2

1

4

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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

September 2018 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Health care 

industries:

26*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018.

Data are preliminary.

1 Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance

Private Education and Health Services

CES Highlights Release Date: October 5, 2018

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 

changed little in September (-17,000). 

Employment in the industry had been 

trending up at a modest pace prior to 

September. Some of the weakness in 

employment may have resulted from the 

effects of Hurricane Florence.

 The employment change in food services 

and drinking places (-18,000) was well below 

the prior-year average of 16,000 jobs added 

per month, despite a 3.7 point uptick in the 

Consumer Confidence Index in September. 

-18

-5

6

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Food services and drinking places

Accommodation

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Employment in leisure and hospitality

September 2018 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Leisure and 

hospitality:

-17

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

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: October 5, 2018
 Employment in other services was 

flat in September (-1,000). Over the 

most recent 12 months, the industry has 

added 84,000 jobs, representing a 

change of 1.5 percent. Personal and 

laundry services accounted for 45,000 of 

the gains during this period.

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2

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16

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0

7

16

14

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0

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11

5

3

7

3

14

11

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-13

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-1

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, October 05, 2018.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2015–September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in other services

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: October 5, 2018
 Employment in state government

education increased by 21,000 in 

September. State government education 

has added 49,000 jobs over the last 6 

months. 

-6

-1

1

21

-1

0

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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

September 2018 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, September 2018

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Government:

13

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, October 05, 2018.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

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: October 5, 2018
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

Michael Calvillo

Wander Cedeño

Steve Crestol

Tyler Downing

Katelynn Harris

Mike McCall

John Mullins

Michael Osifalujo

Edward Park

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis