August 2017

Release Date: September 1, 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, August 2017

CES Highlights Release Date: September 1, 2017

 Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 

156,000 in August. Employment increased in 

manufacturing, construction, professional and 

technical services, health care, and mining.

 The employment change for June revised 

down from +231,000 to +210,000, and the 

change for July also revised down from 

+209,000 to +189,000. 

 Average hourly earnings for all employees 

on private, nonfarm payrolls rose by 3 cents in 

August, after rising by 9 cents in July, and are 

up 2.5 percent over the year. Average weekly 

hours declined by 0.1 hour over the month to 

34.4 hours.

+36,000 Manufacturing

 Manufacturing employment rose by 36,000 

in August. Within the sector, motor vehicles 

and parts added 14,000 jobs, fabricated metal 

products added 5,000 jobs, and computer and 

electronic products added 4,000 jobs. Since a 

recent low in November 2016, manufacturing 

employment has risen by 155,000.

 

+28,000 Construction 

 Construction employment increased by 

28,000 in August, following 5 months of little 

change. 

190

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297291

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400

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

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, September 01, 2017.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2014 - August 2017

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: September 1, 2017

+40,000 Professional and business services

 Employment in professional and technical

services continued to trend up over the month 

(+22,000). Over the past 12 months, the 

industry has added 262,000 jobs.

+25,000 Education and health services

 Employment in health care continued to 

trend up in August (+20,000). Within the 

industry, employment rose in hospitals 

(+6,000). Over the past 12 months, health care 

employment has grown by 328,000.

+6,000 Mining and logging

 Mining employment increased by 7,000 in 

August; all of the gain was concentrated in

support activities for mining. Since a recent 

employment low in October 2016, mining has 

added 62,000 jobs, with 55,000 of those 

coming in support activities for mining. 

-9

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25

40

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-8

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1

6

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28

6

-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

August 2017 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, August 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

156*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 2017.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Current Employment Statistics Survey Summary, August 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 continued to 

trend up in August (+7,000). Support 

activities for mining was responsible for 

all of this job growth. 

 Since a recent low in October 2016, 

mining employment has increased by 

62,000, including a gain of 55,000 jobs in 

support activities.

5

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20

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

Employment in mining

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 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: September 1, 2017
 Construction added 28,000 jobs in 

August. Specialty trade contractors

accounted for 15,000 of the change. 

Over the year, construction has added 

214,000 jobs, including a 129,000-job 

gain in specialty trades. 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

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00

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0

20

40

60

80

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

Employment in construction

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 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: September 1, 2017
 Employment in manufacturing increased by 36,000 in August. Since 

reaching a recent employment low in November 2016, manufacturing 

has added 155,000 jobs. 

 Durable goods drove the employment gains in August, adding 28,000 

jobs. Within durable goods, computer and electronic products (+4,000),

transportation equipment (+12,000), and fabricated metal products 

(+5,000) added jobs. 1921

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3

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0

-23 36 17 2122

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5 22 1517

8 21 13 24 17 27 23 168

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0

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40

60

Jan-13 Jan-14 Jan-15 Jan-16 Jan-17

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, January 2013–August 2017

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 2017. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

0

0

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1

1

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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

August 2017 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, August 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Durable goods:

28*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 2017.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Manufacturing

CES Highlights Release Date: September 1, 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 wholesale trade changed little in August 

(+6,000). Over the year, the industry has added 68,000 jobs 

with durable goods accounting for 31,000 of those gains. 10

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25

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

Employment in wholesale trade

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: September 1, 2017
 Employment in retail trade was flat in 

August (+1,000). Since reaching an 

employment peak in January, the 

industry has lost 87,000 jobs.

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: September 1, 2017
 Employment in transportation and 

warehousing remained largely 

unchanged in August (+2,000). 

 Employment in couriers and 

messengers rose by 4,000 over the 

month and is up by 31,000 over the past 

12 months. 18

0 15 13 28 23 22 13 18 2526 2022

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50

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

Employment in transportation and warehousing 

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: September 1, 2017
In August, employment in utilities ticked 

down by 1,000.

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

Employment in utilities

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 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: September 1, 2017
 Information employment continued a 

recent downward trend in August 

(-8,000). This industry has lost 75,000 jobs 

since a recent employment peak in 

September 2016, with 

telecommunications accounting for 

40,000 of the loss. 

2,500

2,600

2,700

2,800

2,900

3,000

3,100

3,200

Jan-07 Jan-10 Jan-13 Jan-16

Employment in information

August 2017 Level: 2,711

OTM Change: -8 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 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–August 2017

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: September 1, 2017
 Employment in financial activities 

continued to trend up in August 

(+10,000). This industry has added 

149,000 jobs over the past 12 months, 

including gains in credit intermediation

(+50,000), insurance (+35,000), and real 

estate (+38,000).

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: September 1, 2017
 Employment in professional and business services continued to trend up 

in August (+40,000). So far in 2017, employment in the industry has risen by 

an annualized 2.8 percent, similar to 2.7 percent in 2016. 

 In August, professional and technical services (+22,000) and 

administrative and waste services (+18,000) accounted for the employment 

movement in professional and business services.

 

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40

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90

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

Employment in Professional and business services

Over-the-month change Annual average

Over-the-month change, January 2014 - August 2017

Seasaonally adjusted, in thousands

Aug-17: 40

Prior-12: 49

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 2017 Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

18

0

22

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

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, August 2017

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 2017

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Professional and Business Services

CES Highlights Release Date: September 1, 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 continued to trend up in 

August (+25,000), with health care 

accounting for the majority of this 

change (+20,000). Over the past 12 

months, health care employment has 

increased by 328,000. During this period, 

offices of physicians added 72,000 jobs, 

outpatient care centers added 50,000, 

and hospitals added 85,000. 32 21 39 26 58 39 44 50 3840 47 46 65 50 35 77 49 46 5153 40 83 43 52 16 74 35 52 49 59 41 53 48 45 31 50 17 68 16 45 3740 54 25

-20

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20

40

60

80

100

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

Employment in education and health services

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

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: September 1, 2017
 Employment in leisure and hospitality was 

essentially flat in August (+4,000), following a 

gain of 58,000 jobs in July.

 Food services and drinking places 

employment changed little in August 

(+9,000), after rising by 53,000 in July. This 

industry has added 213,000 jobs so far this 

year. 

 36

7 61 55 60 26

9 18 47 43 3840 22 48 17 38 79 26 41 32 67 57 53 37 30 45 49 15

9 49 42 21 1111 44

5 15 33 11 60 33 38 58

4

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20

30

40

50

60

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80

90

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

Employment in leisure and hospitality

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 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: September 1, 2017
 Employment in other services 

continued to trend up in August 

(+16,000). This industry has added 

88,000 jobs over the year. Personal and 

laundry services (+42,000) and 

membership organizations (+36,000) 

accounted for most of the job gains 

over this period.

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6 16

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20

30

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

Employment in other services

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 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: September 1, 2017
 Employment in government changed 

little in August (-9,000). Over the past 

year, government has experienced little

net change in employment. During the 

previous 12-month period, government 

had added 217,000 jobs.

-14 12 11 30

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-24

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7 16

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-16

7 12 22 1616 36

-5 2628 42 33 26

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3

-13

-9

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20

40

60

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

Employment in government

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 01, 2017. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: September 1, 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

John Mullins

Michael Osifalujo

Edward Park

Trinity Wade

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis