Bureau of Labor Statistics

Current Employment Statistics 

Highlights

October 2004

Bureau of Labor Statistics

November 5, 2004
2

-165

-90

43

-68

2

25

-111

11

-47

83

-37

-209

94

-159

-110

-20-28-14

-45-25

67

88 83

8

159

83

353

324

208

96 85

198

139

337

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

400

Jan-02Feb-02

Mar-02

Apr-02

May-02

Jun-02

Jul-02

Aug-02

Sep-02

Oct-02

Nov-02

Dec-02Jan-03Feb-03

Mar-03

Apr-03

May-03

Jun-03

Jul-03

Aug-03

Sep-03

Oct-03

Nov-03

Dec-03Jan-04Feb-04

Mar-04

Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Sep-04

Oct-04

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, November 5, 2004.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in total nonfarm

Over-the-month change, 2002-04

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 337,000 in October. Since reaching 

an employment trough in August 2003, 2.2 million jobs have been added to 

payrolls.

• Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private 

nonfarm payrolls increased by 5 cents over the month to $15.83, seasonally 

adjusted, and by 2.6 percent over the year. The average workweek for these 

workers remained unchanged at 33.8 hours, seasonally adjusted.
3

Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

Over-the-month change, October 2004

-1

71

-5

6

21

10

0

5

17

97

62

13

1

41

-10 10 30 50 70 90 110

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, November 5, 2004.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Total nonfarm: 

+337

• In October, employment gains in the service-providing industries came mostly 

from professional and business services, education and health services, and 

government. Other service-providing industries experienced smaller job gains. 

• In the goods-producing industries, construction led the way adding 71,000 jobs to 

payrolls, while employment in manufacturing and natural resources and mining 

was little changed.
4

Employment in construction

1990-2004

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, November 5, 2004.

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

October 2004

Level: 7,016

Change: +71

• Boosted by cleanup and reconstruction efforts in hurricane-affected areas of the 

Southeast, employment in construction increased by 71,000 in October. Jobs 

gains were concentrated in specialty trade contractors (54,000); employment also 

rose in construction of buildings (11,000). 

• Since reaching an employment trough in March 2003, construction has added 

355,000 jobs to payrolls, surpassing a level of 7 million jobs for the first time.
5

-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-04

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, November 5, 2004. 

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 little changed in October. Since reaching a 

trough in January 2004, manufacturing had gained 82,000 jobs through May; 

however, since May, employment has been flat.

• Both average weekly hours and overtime hours in manufacturing edged down by 

0.1 hour in October. Since reaching a trough in July 2003, the manufacturing 

workweek had increased through May 2004, but average weekly hours have 

subsequently fallen 0.4 hour to a level of 40.7 hours, seasonally adjusted.
6

Employment in manufacturing durable and nondurable goods

Over-the-month change, October 2004

Durable goods +5

-0.4

0.0

3.2

-0.6

-1.3

-0.3

1.4

0.3

-1.6

4.3

Misc.

Furniture

Transportation

Electrical

Computers

Machinery

Fabricated metals

Primary metals

Nonmetallic minerals

Wood

Nondurable goods -10

-0.5

-1.6

0.2

-1.5

-1.0

0.1

-3.7

0.6

-0.9

-1.7

-0.2

Plastics & rubber

Chemicals

Petroleum

Printing

Paper

Leather

Apparel

Textile product mills

Textile mills

Beverages & tobacco

Food

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, November 5, 2004. 

Note: Data are preliminary.

• A small job gain in durable goods was more than offset by widespread losses in 

nondurable goods.

• The job gain in wood products manufacturing was the largest increase in the 

manufacturing component industries. Since reaching an employment trough in 

August 2003, wood product manufacturers have added 20,200 jobs to payrolls. 

Gains in this industry are mostly attributable to a strong construction industry 

trend. 
7

Employment in financial activities

1990-2004

6,250

6,750

7,250

7,750

8,250

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

6,250

6,750

7,250

7,750

8,250

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, November 5, 2004.

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

October 2004

Level: 8,094

Change: +17

• Financial activities added 17,000 jobs to payrolls in October. So far this year, the 

industry has added 113,000 jobs. The securities, commodity contracts, and 

investments industry added 8,000, as did the credit intermediation industry. The 

remaining component industries were essentially unchanged.
8

Employment in selected professional and business services 

October 2004 over-the-month change

6.5

8.2

6.9

47.6

5.1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Accounting and

bookkeeping services

Architectural and

engineering services

Computer systems

design and related

services

Temporary help

services

Business support

services

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, November 5, 2004.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Professional and business services

October 2004 change: +97

• Employment in professional and business services increased by 97,000 in 

October. Employment in the sector has risen by 788,000 since reaching an 

employment trough in March 2003.

• Temporary help accounted for about half of the October increase, while 

architectural and engineering services added 8,000 jobs to payrolls. Since June 

2003, employment in architectural and engineering services has grown by 62,000. 

This industry has now reached an employment level just above its July 2001 peak.

• Computer systems design and related services continued to add jobs in October. 

Since reaching an employment trough in August 2003, the industry has added

48,800 jobs. Despite strong employment growth in late 2003 and thus far in 

2004, employment is still about 200,000 jobs below its peak in March 2001.
9

Employment in temporary help services

1990-2004

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

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

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, November 5, 2004.

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

October 2004

Level: 2,555.8

Change: +47.6

• Temporary help services added about 48,000 jobs to payrolls in October. Since 

reaching an employment trough in April 2003, the industry has gained 397,000 

jobs; however, employment is still about 130,000 below the peak level in April 

2000.
10

Employment in health-related services 

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

change for the prior 12 months

22.1

8.1

0.5

4.7

5.6

1.9

12.2

5.0

1.2

5.6

2.5

2.3

0 5 10 15 20 25

 Offices of physicians

 Outpatient care centers

Home health care

October 2004

Prior 12-month average

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, November 5, 2004.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Ambulatory health care

Hospitals

Nursing & residential care

• Following relatively small increases in September, employment in health-related 

services continued to expand in October. Taken together, employment growth 

over the 2 months was in line with the trend over the past year. October job gains 

occurred in ambulatory health care and hospitals.
11

Employment in government

1990-2004

18,000

19,000

20,000

21,000

22,000

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

18,000

19,000

20,000

21,000

22,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, November 5, 2004.

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

October 2004

Level: 21,714

Change: +41

• Employment in government continued its strong growth, adding 41,000 jobs to 

payrolls in October. Since reaching a trough in January, 187,000 jobs have been 

added to payrolls, with the majority of the growth occurring in the last 4 months, 

primarily in state and local education.