January 2020

Release Date: February 7, 2020

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, January 2020

CES Highlights Release Date: February 7, 2020

+72,000 Education and Health Services

 Health care added 36,000 jobs in January, 

continuing a long-run trend. Employment rose 

in ambulatory care (+23,000) and in hospitals 

(+10,000). Over the year, health care providers 

have added 361,000 jobs.

+44,000 Construction 

 Employment in construction rose by 44,000 

in January, largely in specialty trade 

contractors (+35,000). Construction had added 

an average 12,000 jobs per month in 2019.

 Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 

225,000 in January 2020. Construction, health 

care, and transportation and warehousing 

added jobs over the month.

 Average hourly earnings of all employees 

on private-sector payrolls rose by 7 cents or 

0.2 percent in January. Over the year, hourly 

earnings have risen by 3.1 percent. Average 

weekly hours were unchanged at 34.3 hours in 

January.

 In accordance with annual practice, CES 

data have been revised to reflect 

comprehensive counts of payroll jobs, or 

benchmarks, derived primarily from the 

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 

which enumerates jobs covered by 

unemployment insurance tax records. CES 

employment for March 2019 was revised 

down by 514,000 (by -505,000 or 0.3 percent 

on a not seasonally adjusted basis). See 

www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cesbmart.pdf for an 

analysis of benchmark revisions.

 The seasonally adjusted employment 

change for December revised from +145,000 

to +147,000, and the change for November 

revised from +256,000 to +261,000. On net, 

the employment change over these months is 

7,000 higher than previously reported.

185 188

129

197

155

216 215

184

18

267

225

130

121

406

176

137

278

219

136

244

80

201

134

182

269

1

147

210

85

182

194

207 208

185

261

147

225

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, February 07, 2020.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2017–January 2020

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: February 7, 2020

+28,000 Transportation and Warehousing 

 Transportation and warehousing boosted 

payroll employment by 28,000 in January. 

Couriers and messengers (+14,000) accounted 

for half of the gain, followed by warehousing 

and storage with 6,000 jobs gained. Over the 

past 12 months, couriers (+68,000) and 

warehousing (+20,000) accounted for 83 

percent of jobs added in transportation and 

warehousing.

+36,000 Leisure and Hospitality 

 Employment continued to trend up in 

leisure and hospitality in January (+36,000). 

Over the past 6 months, the industry has 

added 288,000 jobs.

+19,000 Government

 Federal government employment increased 

by 12,000 in January; hiring for Census 2020 

accounted for 5,000 of the increase.

-12,000 Manufacturing 

 Employment in motor vehicles and parts

manufacturing declined by 11,000 in January 

and is down by 24,000 over the year.

-8,000 Retail Trade 

 Employment in retail trade changed little in 

January. Within the sector, general 

merchandise stores lost 14,000 jobs; 

employment in this industry has shown little 

net change over the past 12 months (-22,000).

19

14

36

72

21

-1

5

-1

28

-8

8

-12

44

0

-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

January 2020 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

225*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Current Employment Statistics Survey Summary, January 2020

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
 Mining employment was flat in January 

(-1,000), while related economic indicator 

data was mixed. West Texas Intermediate

oil prices declined over the month, and the 

rotary oil rig count was little changed.

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

900

950

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in mining

January 2020 Level: 660

OTM Change: -1

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2010–January 2020

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: February 7, 2020
 Construction employment increased by 

44,000 in January, the largest 1-month 

employment gain over the past year. 

Specialty trade contractors accounted for 

35,000 of the January 2020 increase, with 

gains about evenly split between the 

residential and nonresidential components.

 The increase in construction employment 

in January follows gains in residential 

building permits, construction spending, and 

in new home sales in December 2019. 26 42 20

7 12 27

5 30 14 23 39 27 21 865 18 43 1622 31 2023

-2 26 50

-29 2026

9 19

7

4 1617

-2 11 44

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Employment in construction

Over-the-month change, January 2017–January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020. 

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: February 7, 2020
 Manufacturing employment changed little in January (-12,000).

Employment also changed little in 2019 (+58,000), after rising by 264,000 

in 2018. 

 

 In January, the manufacturing 1-month diffusion index rose 0.6 point 

to 46.7. A value below 50 indicates more manufacturing industries are 

losing jobs than are adding jobs. The index has been below 50 in four of 

the last 5 months.

 During the most recent 12 months, employment in motor vehicles and 

parts has fallen by 24,000, with 11,000 of that occurring in January. 

13 15

11

5 6

12

-1

44

9

22 22

27

17

30

23 21

26

29

19

13

21

24

20 21 20

5

-3

2

0

9

7

3 3

-41

58

-5

-12

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, February 07, 2020. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2017–January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in manufacturing

3

-6

5

2

4

2

-17

25

1 1

6

4

2

7 6

0

-7

7

0

3 3

9

-1

1

0

2

-6

-3

0 -1

-3

-1 -1

-42

41

1

-11

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, February 07, 2020. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2017–January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in motor vehicles and parts

Manufacturing

CES Highlights Release Date: February 7, 2020

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 January (+8,000), bringing its 12-

month net job gain to 65,000. Durable goods 

constituted just under 70 percent of the over-theyear employment gains. 

 

6

2

3

5

-5

7

1

-1

3

5

0

6

-5

1 13

-19

3

7 12 19

-3

3

7

8

6

6

-4 13

4

1

7

1

6 10

3 10

8

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Employment in wholesale trade

Over-the-month change, January 2017–January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020. 

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: February 7, 2020
 Employment in retail trade changed 

little in January (-8,000), following a gain 

of 45,000 in December. Over the past 12 

months, industry employment showed 

little net change (-29,000).

 Over the month, employment in 

general merchandise stores declined by 

14,000.

 Retail-related economic indicators 

are mixed. Retail Sales rose in 

December. The Consumer Confidence 

Index increased in January. Conversely, 

Real Personal Disposable Income

declined in December. 

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: February 7, 2020
 Employment in transportation and warehousing increased by 28,000 in 

January. The growth was driven primarily by gains in couriers and 

messengers (+14,000) and warehousing and storage (+6,000). Over the 

year, transportation and warehousing has added 106,000 jobs, with 

couriers and messengers (+68,000) and warehousing and storage (+20,000) 

accounting for 83 percent of the growth.

 

 

 Employment in truck transportation ticked up 3,000 in January. The 

American Trucking Associations’ Truck Tonnage Index increased overall in 

2019. According to ATA’s press release, the index’s overall annual gain 

masks the choppy freight environment observed throughout 2019.

 

Transportation and Warehousing

CES Highlights Release Date: February 7, 2020

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 flat in 

January (-1,000).

542

544

546

548

550

552

554

556

558

560

562

Jun-09 Jun-11 Jun-13 Jun-15 Jun-17 Jun-19

Employment in utilities

January 2020 Level: 547

OTM Change: -1

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

June 2009–January 2020

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: February 7, 2020
 Employment in information changed 

little in January (+5,000). Data 

processing, hosting, and related services 

added 5,000 jobs.

 Over the past 12 months, 

employment has expanded in publishing 

industries, except internet (+19,000) and 

in other information services (+27,000). 

This growth was partially offset by job 

losses in telecommunications (-26,000).

 Other information services include 

news syndicates, libraries and archives, 

and internet publishing and 

broadcasting and web search portals.

1

5

0

-2

-1

3

-4 -2 0 2 4 6

Other information services

Data processing, hosting and related services*

Telecommunications

Broadcasting, except Internet

Motion picture and sound recording industries

Publishing industries, except Internet

Employment in information

January 2020 Prior 12-month average

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Information: 5 Over-the-month change, January 2020

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, February 07, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

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: February 7, 2020
 Employment in financial activities 

changed little in January (-1,000). Over 

the most recent 12 months, the industry 

has added 132,000 jobs. Real estate 

(+51,000) and insurance carriers and 

related activities (+48,000) accounted 

for most of the jobs added during this 

period. 

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: February 7,2020

-2

1

-1

-1

2

-4 -2 0 2 4 6 8

Real estate and rental and leasing

Insurance carriers and related activities

Securities and commodities

 - Commercial banking

Credit intermediation1

Employment in selected financial activities

January 2020 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Financial 

activities:

-1

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

1 Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance
 Employment in professional and business services continued to trend 

up in January (+21,000), below the prior 12-month average (+31,000). 

Since reaching a trough in August 2009, employment in the industry has 

risen by 5.1 million.

 In January, employment changed little in professional and technical 

services (+13,000), administrative and waste services (+9,000), and 

management of companies and enterprises employment (-1,000). 

 

 50

9 2930 57 35 42 28

3 48 30 34 55 43 424546 34 20 41 33 37 2326

-2 38 12 50 27 4143 40 25 42 37 14 21

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Employment in professional and business services

Over-the-month change, January 2017–January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

10.0

-2.0

9.0

-1.0

2.0

9.0

-2.0

-4.0

13.0

-10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

 - Services to buildings

 - Employment services

Administrative and waste services1

Management of companies

 - Management and technical consulting

 - Computer systems design

 - Architectural and engineering

 - Accounting and bookkeeping

Professional and technical1

Employment in selected professional and business services

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

1 Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance

Over-the-month change, January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Professional and 

business services:

21

Professional and Business Services

CES Highlights Release Date: February 7, 2020

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
 Health care added 36,000 jobs in January. Employment gains were 

concentrated in ambulatory health care services (+23,000) and hospitals 

(+10,000).

 Employment in hospitals continued to trend up in January (+10,000). 

Since reaching an employment trough in January 2014, hospitals have 

added 489,000 jobs. 

 

 

3

10

5

3

2

6

23

-10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Nursing and residential care*

Hospitals*

 - Home health care services

 - Outpatient care centers

 - Offices of dentists

 - Offices of physicians

Ambulatory health care services1*

Employment in selected health care industries

January 2020 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Health care 

industries:

36*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

1 Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance

4,400

4,600

4,800

5,000

5,200

5,400

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in hospitals

January 2020 Level: 5,253

OTM Change: 10*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020.

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

January 2010–January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Private Education and Health Services

CES Highlights Release Date: February 7, 2020

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
 In January, employment in leisure and hospitality continued to trend 

up (+36,000), corresponding with growing consumer confidence. The 

industry added 365,000 jobs in 2019, after adding 225,000 in 2018.

 

 Employment in food services and drinking places also continued to 

trend up in January (+24,000). The industry has added 189,000 jobs over 

the most recent 6 months.

 Real value added in accommodation and food services increased in the 

third quarter of 2019, after decreasing through the first two quarters of 

the year.

24

-3

14

-10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Food services and drinking places

Accommodation

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

Employment in leisure and hospitality

January 2020 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Leisure and 

hospitality:

36

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

26

19

27

17

28

16

63

3

-53

63

12

8

10

23

1

-7

28 25

30

-7

-21

13

17

34

52

-22

16

20

6

2

9

34

44

48

23

16

24

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, February 07, 2020. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2017–January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in food services and drinking places

Leisure and Hospitality

CES Highlights Release Date: February 7, 2020

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 other services

changed little in January (+14,000). Over 

the most recent 12 months, the industry 

has added 87,000 jobs. Over this time, 

the largest job gains came in the repair 

and maintenance industry (+36,000). 16 11

33 11

8

7

6

-7 22 11

0

5

4

-3

7 1213

-15

3

5

8

-3

8

3

1 1515

-3 15

9

5

-3

0 16

3 14

-30

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jul-19 Jan-20

Employment in other services

Over-the-month change, January 2017–January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020. 

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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: February 7, 2020
 Government employment edged up by 19,000 in January. Hiring 

for the decennial census ticked up 5,000 as counting began in 

Toksook Bay, Alaska in January. 

 Employment in local government continued to trend up in 

January (+20,000). Since reaching an employment trough in 

November 2012, local government has added 636,000 jobs. 

15

5

3

-16

1

12

-25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25

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

January 2020 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Government:

19

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

13,800

14,000

14,200

14,400

14,600

14,800

Jan-10 Jan-12 Jan-14 Jan-16 Jan-18 Jan-20

Employment in local government

January 2020 Level: 14,658

OTM Change: 20

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, February 07, 2020.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

January 2010–January 2020

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Government

CES Highlights Release Date: February 7, 2020

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
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

Ryan Ansell

Hyun Choi

Steve Crestol

Tyler Downing

Katelynn Harris

Mike McCall

John Mullins

Michael Osifalujo

Rhiannon Sneeringer

Carson Wilson

Current Employment Statistics Highlights

Detailed Industry Employment Analysis