February 2019

Release Date: March 8, 2019

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 2019

CES Highlights Release Date: March 8, 2019

+11,000 Wholesale Trade 

 Employment in wholesale trade also 

continued an upward trend in February 

(+11,000). Over the past 12 month, 

wholesalers have added 95,000 jobs to 

payrolls, largely in durable goods industries.

 Nonfarm employment changed little in 

February (+20,000). Job growth had averaged 

235,000 over the prior 12 months. Over the 

month, employment continued to trend up in 

professional and business services, health 

care, and wholesale trade while construction 

lost jobs.

 The employment change for January 

increased from +304,000 to +311,000, and the 

change for December increased from 

+222,000 to +227,000. On net, employment 

changes over these months is 12,000 higher

than previously reported.

 Average hourly earnings rose by 11 cents,

or 0.4 percent, in February, following a 2-cent 

gain in January. Over the year, hourly earnings 

have increased by 3.4 percent. Over the 

month, average weekly hours decreased by 

0.1 hour to 34.4 hours. 

+42,000 Professional and Business Services 

 Employment in professional and technical 

services continued to trend up in February 

(+22,000). Over the year, this industry has 

added 288,000 jobs.

90

232 234

211

15

282

336

135

270

128

170

215

252

141

127

213

128

229

204

187

18

260

220

174 171

330

182

196

270

262

178

282

108

277

196

227

311

20

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, March 08, 2019.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2016–February 2019

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: March 8, 2019

+4,000 Education and Health Services 

 Employment in health care continued to 

trend in February (+21,000). Over the year, 

employment in the industry has risen by 

361,000, with gains distributed among 

ambulatory health care (+237,000) and 

hospitals (+103,000).

-31,000 Construction

 Construction employment fell by 31,000 in 

February following a gain of 53,000 in January. 

Within the sector, heavy and civil engineering 

construction lost 13,000 jobs in February.

+4,000 Manufacturing 

 Manufacturing employment was essentially 

flat in February (+4,000). Job growth in the 

sector had averaged 22,000 per month over 

the prior 12-month period.

0 Leisure and Hospitality 

 Employment was unchanged in February 

following strong growth in the prior 2 months. 

Over the year, job growth has averaged 34,000 

per month.

-6,000 Retail Trade 

 Employment in retail trade changed little 

over the month and has shown little net 

change over the year (-5,000).

-5

3

0

4

42

6

0

0

-3

-6

11

4

-31

-5

-40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 100

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 2019 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

20

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Current Employment Statistics Survey Summary, February 2019

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 changed little 

in February (-3,000). Employment in 

support activities for mining edged down 

by 4,000.

 Logging lost 2,000 jobs in February. 

This industry has lost 5,000 jobs over the 

past 12 months.

-15

-21

-20

-12

-12

-10

-4

-4

-1

-3

4

0

3

55

9

5

4

3

6

2

1

4

0

7

7

9

9

5

8

0

8

4

6

-3

4

6

-3

-30

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Employment in mining

Over-the-month change, January 2016–February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019. 

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: March 8, 2019
 Construction employment declined 

by 31,000 in February, following a gain 

of 53,000 in January. Over this 2-

month span, employment edged up by 

an average 11,000 per month. Job 

growth had averaged 26,000 per 

month in 2018. 

In February, much of the weakness 

occurred in specialty trade contractors 

(-14,000) and heavy and civil 

engineering construction (-13,000). 

Over the month, average weekly hours 

in construction fell by 1.0 hour for all 

employees and by 1.5 hours for 

production employees. These declines 

in the workweek likely resulted, at 

least in part, from heavy precipitation 

in the West and Midwest. 

-2 10 37 22

-8 10 32

1 34 27 22

8 3233 14178 27

2 30 16 22 34 3333 732 29 37 1719 34 17 25

5 16 53

-31

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Employment in construction

Over-the-month change, January 2016–February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019. 

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 8, 2019
 Employment in manufacturing was flat in February (+4,000), after having 

increased by an average of 22,000 per month over the prior 12 months. 

The 1-month diffusion index fell to 51.3 from 60.5, indicating fewer 

manufacturing industries added jobs in February than in January. Within 

nondurable goods, chemicals added 6,000 jobs while apparel shed 3,000. 

 

 The average workweek of production employees, a leading economic 

indicator fell 0.2 hour to 41.8 hours continuing a downward trend. Since 

reaching a peak in April 2018, average weekly hours in manufacturing have 

declined by 0.6 hour.

 

 

22

-15

-25

7

-18

20

17

-23

-3 -3

0

14 13

18

9

8

2

15

-3

42

8

20

30

28

16

31

20

22 21

32

20

8

18

29

27

20 21

4

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, March 08, 2019. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2016–February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in manufacturing

-3

0

6

1

-1

0

-3

0

0

0

-6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8

Miscellaneous nondurable goods manufacturing

Plastics and rubber

Chemicals*

Petroleum and coal products

Printing

Paper products

Apparel*

Textile product mills

Textile mills

Food manufacturing

Employment in nondurable goods

February 2019 Prior 6-month average

Over-the-month change, February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Nondurable 

goods:

-1

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Manufacturing

CES Highlights Release Date: March 8, 2019

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 continued to trend up in 

February (+11,000), and the industry has added 95,000 jobs 

over the most recent 12 months. Durable goods employment 

continued to trend up over the month (+8,000) and has 

accounted for 77 percent of the job gains in wholesale trade

over the year.

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 8, 2019
 Employment in retail trade changed little in February 

(-6,000). Over the year, employment also was essentially 

unchanged (-5,000).

 Employment in health and personal care stores decreased 

by 12,000 in February, the largest monthly decline in the 

history of the series, which began in 1990.

 Recent retail-related economic indicators have been mixed. 

The Consumer Confidence Index increased by 8.0 percent in 

February. US Light Weight Vehicle Sales declined by 0.9 

percent in February. Retail Sales fell by 1.3 percent in 

December.

 26 53 35 10

-6 24 1518 15

4

-17 24 46

-53

-26

-13

-27

-1

-8

-3

1

2 15

-21

2 24

1

4 18

-34

2

6

-26

-10 33

-6 14

-6

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Employment in retail trade

Over-the-month change, January 2016–February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

2

3

5

7

0

6

0

2

1

3

4

5

4

-2

-2

-2

3

-7

0

-2

0

0

6

1

-4

-6

4

-2

0

0

-4

4

1

0

4

-3

-3

-12

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Employment in health and personal care stores

Over-the-month change, January 2016–February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Retail Trade

CES Highlights Release Date: March 8, 2019

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 remained flat over the 

month (-3,000). Over the last 3 months, employment changes averaged 

+9,000 per month. Employment had risen by an average 20,000 per month 

over the preceding 12 months. 

 In February, the weakness in transportation and warehousing can be 

traced to couriers and messengers. Over the month, this industry lost 

10,000 jobs, partially offsetting a large gain in January (+15,000). 

 

-17

0

15

20

15

4

23

27

-3

11

26

23

-6

16

9

15

25

15

10

15

32

19 18 17

20

28

23

7

18 19

8

24 23

24 24

-1

30

-3

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, March 08, 2019. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2016–February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in transportation and warehousing

4

-10

0

2

1

2

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

Warehousing and storage

Couriers and messengers *

Support activities for transportation

Transit and ground passenger transportation

Truck transportation

Air transportation

Employment in select transportation and warehousing industries

Over-the-month change, February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

February 2019 Prior 12-month average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey March 8, 2019.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Transportation

and warehousing:

-3

Transportation and Warehousing

CES Highlights Release Date: March 8, 2019

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 February and has shown 

little net change over the year. 

-1

1

-2

0

-1

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

-1

0

-1

-1

1

0

0

1

0

00

-2

2

0

1

-1

-1

-3

1

0

1

0

0

1

0

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Employment in utilities

Over-the-month change, January 2016–February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019. 

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: March 8, 2019
 Information employment was flat in February and has shown little net 

change over the year.

 In February, telecommunications employment continued to trend 

downward (-2,000). The industry has now lost half (-733,000) its jobs since 

an employment peak in March 2001. 

2,200

2,400

2,600

2,800

3,000

3,200

3,400

3,600

3,800

4,000

Feb-09 Feb-11 Feb-13 Feb-15 Feb-17 Feb-19

Employment in information

February 2019 Level: 2,815 OTM Change: 0

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

February 2009–February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

Feb-99 Feb-01 Feb-03 Feb-05 Feb-07 Feb-09 Feb-11 Feb-13 Feb-15 Feb-17 Feb-19

Employment in telecommunications

February 2019 Level: 730 OTM Change: -2

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019.

Shaded area represents recession as denoted by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

February 1999–February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Information

CES Highlights Release Date: March 8, 2019

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 financial activities 

changed little in February (+6,000). 

Insurance carriers and related activities 

experienced a slight employment uptick 

(+5,000), while other component 

industries changed little. Over the most 

recent 12 months, financial activities has 

added 102,000 jobs. 

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 8, 2019 14

7 17 25 12 17 23 18

66

9 2829

-2 11 18

6 15 1313

7

5

8

7

2 26

9

4 15 11

5 11 1414

3

1

9

6

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Employment in financial activities

Over-the-month change, January 2016–February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.
 Employment in professional and business services trended up by 42,000 in 

February, following a below-average January change. In February, employment 

changes in professional and technical services (+22,000), management of 

companies and enterprises (+4,000), and administrative and waste services 

(+16,000) were in line with their respective prior-12 month average changes.

-12

17

29

33

4

41

49

12

75

11

35

30

50

4

33

30

51

37

46

36

13

41

35

31

37

44 42

62

51 51

37

58

53 55

34

37

15

42

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Over-the-month change Annual average

Over-the-month change, January 2016 ̶ February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in professional and business services

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, March 08, 2019 Most recent 2 months are preliminary.

Feb-19: 42

Prior-12: 45

16

4

22

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Administrative and waste

services

Management of companies

and enterprises

Professional and technical

services

Over-the-month change Prior-3 Prior-6 Prior-12

Employment in professional and business services component industries

Over-the-month change and prior averages, February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, March 08, 2019 Most recent 2 months are preliminary.

CES Highlights Release Date: March 8, 2019

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 in health care continued to trend up in February (+21,000), 

after large gains in the previous 2 months. Health care has added 361,000 

jobs over the year. 

 

 In February, employment in most health care component industries 

continued on trend near their prior 12-month average changes. 

Ambulatory health care services employment edged up (+16,000), led by 

outpatient care centers and home health care services. Hospital 

employment was weaker in February (+4,000) after a gain of 13,000 in 

January. 

 

 

36

32

26

36

35

33

39

18

26

27 27

41

8

22

20

24

14

34

41

13

15

16

20

24 24

26

24 23

32

22 22

38

25

32

34

50

39

21

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, March 08, 2019. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2016–February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in health care

1

4

5

5

3

16

-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 services1

Employment in selected health care industries

February 2019 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Health care 

industries:

21

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019.

Data are preliminary.

1 Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance

Private Education and Health Services

CES Highlights Release Date: March 8, 2019

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 leisure and hospitality 

employment was unchanged in February, 

following strong gains in December and 

January. The industry has added 410,000 jobs 

over the year.

 

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: March 8, 2019
 Employment in other services

changed little in February (+3,000). Over 

the most recent 12 months, the industry 

has added 78,000 jobs. Personal and 

laundry services accounted for 32,000—

or 41 percent—of these job gains.

5,000

5,200

5,400

5,600

5,800

6,000

Jan-09 Jan-11 Jan-13 Jan-15 Jan-17 Jan-19

Employment in other services

February 2019 Level: 5,890

OTM Change: 3

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2009–February 2019

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: March 8, 2019
 Government employment changed 

little in February (-5,000), with little 

movement among the federal, state, and

local government components. 

 

0

-4

5

-6

-1

2

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

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

February 2019 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, February 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Government:

-5

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, March 08, 2019.

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: March 8, 2019
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

Hyun Choi

Steve Crestol

Tyler Downing

Katelynn Harris

Mike McCall

John Mullins

Michael Osifalujo

Edward Park

Carson Wilson

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis