August 2019

Release Date: September 6, 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, August 2019

 

CES Highlights Release Date: September 6, 2019

and business services has increased by an 

average 34,000 per month, compared to an 

average of 47,000 per month in 2018.

+34,000 Government

 Employment in federal government, except 

U.S. Postal Service, rose by 27,000 over the 

month. This gain resulted from the hiring of 

25,000 temporary workers to prepare for the 

2020 Census. 

 Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 

130,000 in August. Federal government, 

health care and financial activities added jobs 

over the month, while mining lost jobs. Year to 

date, job growth has averaged 158,000 per 

month, down from 223,000 per month in 

2018.

 The employment change for June revised 

down from +193,000 to +178,000, and the 

change for July also revised down from 

+164,000 to +159,000. On net, employment 

over June and July is 20,000 lower than 

previously reported.

 In August, average hourly earnings of all 

private-sector employees increased by 11

cents, or 0.4 percent, after gains of 9 cents in 

both June and July. Over the year, hourly 

earnings have risen by 3.2 percent. Average 

weekly hours increased by 0.1 hour to 34.4

hours. 

+37,000 Professional and Business Services

 Employment in professional and business 

services continued to trend up in August 

(+37,000). Within the industry, employment 

rose by 10,000 each in computer systems 

design and related services and in 

management of companies and enterprises. 

So far this year, employment in professional 

90

232234

211

15

282

336

135

270

128

170

215

252

141

127

213

128

229

204

187

18

260

220

174171

330

182

196

270

262

178

282

108

277

196

227

312

56

153

216

62

178

159

130

0

50

100

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400

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

Over-the-month change Annual average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, September 06, 2019.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2016–August 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: September 6, 2019

+32,000 Education and Health Services

 Health care added 24,000 jobs in August. 

Among health care providers, employment

continued to trend up in ambulatory care 

services (+12,000) and in hospitals (+9,000). 

Over the past 12 months, health care has 

added 392,000 jobs.

 Within social assistance, employment in 

individual and family services rose by 17,000 in 

August and by 113,000 over the year.

+15,000 Financial Activities 

 Within financial activities, insurance carriers 

and related activities added 7,000 jobs in 

August.

+3,000 Manufacturing

Manufacturing employment changed little in 

August (+3,000). So far this year, employment 

in the industry has changed by an average 

+6,000 per month, compared to gains 

averaging +22,000 per month in 2018.

-5,000 Mining and Logging 

 Mining employment declined by 6,000 in 

August and has fallen by 12,000 over the past 

3 months. 

-11,000 Retail Trade

 Employment in retail trade changed little in 

August (-11,000). So far this year, employment 

in the industry has fallen by 74,000.

 

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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

August 2019 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, August 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

130*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 06, 2019.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Current Employment Statistics Summary, August 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 declined by 

6,000 in August. Over the past 3 

months, mining employment has 

declined by 12,000. Recent employment 

declines in mining are reflected by 

declining prices of West Texas 

Intermediate crude oil and decreases in 

the number of active domestic rotary 

rigs.

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10

15

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

Employment in mining

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 06, 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: September 6, 2019
 Construction employment changed little 

in August (+14,000). Employment edged up 

in residential building (+7,000) but changed 

little elsewhere in construction. 

 Thus far in 2019, construction has added 

an average 14,000 jobs per month, 

compared to 26,000 per month in 2018.

 The deceleration of trend is supported by 

recent weakness in construction spending, 

housing starts, and new homes sold.

 

-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

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1 19

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-60

-40

-20

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20

40

60

80

100

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

Employment in construction

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 06, 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: September 6, 2019
 Manufacturing employment changed little in August (+3,000). The 

industry has added an average of 6,000 jobs per month so far in 

2019, after adding an average 22,000 per month in 2018. 

 The 1-month diffusion index fell 2.6 points to 51.3 in August. A 

value above 50 indicates more manufacturing industries are adding 

jobs than are losing them.

 Average weekly hours of all employees in manufacturing increased 

by 0.2 hour to 40.6 hours in August, partially offsetting a 0.3-hour 

decline in July. The average workweek of production employees 

ticked up by 0.1 hour to 41.6 hours in August.

 The weakness in August employment coincided with a contraction 

in the Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers’ Index

and followed a weak reading in industrial production in July. 

 

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8 20 30 28 16 31 2022 21 32 208 18 29 27 20 178

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20

40

60

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

Employment in manufacturing

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 06, 2019. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

40.0

40.5

41.0

41.5

42.0

42.5

Jan-07 Jan-09 Jan-11 Jan-13 Jan-15 Jan-17 Jan-19

Average weekly hours, manufacturing

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 06, 2019.

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

January 2007–August 2019

Seasonally adjusted

Production employees

Level: 41.6

Change: 0.1

All employees

Level: 40.6

Change: 0.2

Manufacturing

CES Highlights Release Date: September 6, 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 changed little in August 

(+3,000). Over the last year, the industry has added 76,000 jobs 

with durable goods accounting for about three-quarters of 

those gains.

 

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

Employment in wholesale trade

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 06, 2019. 

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: September 6, 2019
 In August, retail trade employment 

continued to trend down (-11,000). So 

far this year, industry employment has 

declined by 74,000.

 Employment declines occurred in 

electronics and appliance stores 

(-3,000) and general merchandise 

stores(-15,000), while over the month, 

employment in building material and 

garden supply stores increased by 

9,000.

 Retail-related economic indicators 

have been mixed. In July, Personal 

Income increased, and Retail Sales

rose. Conversely, the Consumer 

Confidence Index declined in August. 

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 6, 2019
 Employment in transportation and 

warehousing was flat in August (-1,000).

Among the component industries, only 

couriers and messengers added jobs 

(+4,000).

 Employment growth in the industry 

has slowed in 2019. So far this year, 

over-the-month employment gains have 

averaged +7,000, compared to +18,000 

in 2018. According to the Cass Freight 

Index Report for July 2019, the volume 

of shipments has decreased, on a yearover-year basis, for 8 consecutive 

months, coinciding with the 

employment weakness in 2019.

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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, August 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

August 2019 Prior 12-month average

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey September 6, 2019.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Transportation

and warehousing:

-1

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 6, 2019
 Employment in utilities edged down 

from July to August (-1,000) but has 

shown little net change thus far in 2019.

542

544

546

548

550

552

554

556

558

560

562

564

566

568

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

Employment in utilities

August 2019 Level: 553

OTM Change: -1

Dec 2016 peak: 557 

Jan 2014 trough: 549

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 06, 2019.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

January 2009–August 2019

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 6, 2019
 Information employment was flat in August, in line with the average 

monthly change so far in 2019. The industry has not seen a significant 

over-the-month change in employment since June 2016, following a strike.

 Among the component industries, telecommunications lost 4,000 jobs 

while employment in other information services continued to trend up 

(+3,000). Other information services—which includes, but is not limited to, 

news syndicates, libraries and archives, and internet publishing and 

broadcasting and web search portals—has added 9,000 jobs over the past 

3 months.

 

Information

CES Highlights Release Date: September 6, 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 

increased by 15,000 in August. Over the 

most recent 12 months, the industry 

added 111,000 jobs. Within the industry, 

insurance carriers and related activities 

added 7,000 jobs in August. This gain 

was partially offset by a decline of 3,000 

jobs in securities and commodities. 

 Employment in real estate and rental 

and leasing edged up in August (+8,000). 

Recent strength in real estate coincides 

with declines in the average 30-year 

fixed mortgage rate. 

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 6, 2019
 Employment in professional and business services continued to trend up in 

August (+37,000). So far this year, the industry has added an average 34,000 

jobs per month, compared to 47,000 per month in 2018. The majority of the 

2019 employment gain has come from professional and technical services (72 

percent), while administrative and waste services and management of 

companies and enterprises made up the remainder. 

 Employment in professional and technical services trended up in August 

(+15,000), below the prior 12-month average. Computer systems design and 

related services (+10,000) continued to dominate job growth in the industry. 

Year to date, professional and technical services has added an average 24,000 

jobs per month, similar to growth in 2018.

 Management of companies and enterprises added 10,000 jobs in August. In 

2019, employment in the industry has increased by an annualized rate of 2.3 

percent, compared to 2.6 percent in 2018.

 Employment in administrative and waste services changed little in August 

(+12,000). Within the industry, employment in temporary help services changed 

little (+15,000). Temporary help employment has edged down by 3,000 per 

month in 2019, compared to increases averaging 7,000 per month in 2018. The 

American Staffing Association’s Staffing index increased in August (based on the 

reference period including the 12th of the month) but was down over the year, 

coinciding with the recent slowdown in temporary help services employment.

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

Over-the-month change Annual average

Over-the-month change, January 2016 ̶ August 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in professional and business services

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, September 06, 2019 Most recent 2 months are preliminary.

Aug-19: 37

Prior-12: 39

12

10

15

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, August 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, September 06, 2019 Most recent 2 months are preliminary.

* denotes significance

CES Highlights Release Date: September 6, 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
 Health care added 24,000 jobs in August. Employment in hospitals rose 

by 9,000, in line with its prior-12 month average change. So far this year, 

hospitals have added 58,000 jobs. 

 Within social assistance, employment in individual and family services 

continued to trend up (+17,000) and has increased by 85,000 so far this 

year. 

 

 

4,400

4,600

4,800

5,000

5,200

5,400

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

Employment in hospitals

August 2019 Level: 5,253

OTM Change: 9*

Apr 2013 peak: 4,801 

Jan 2014 trough: 4,764

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 06, 2019.

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

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

January 2009–August 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Private Education and Health Services

CES Highlights Release Date: September 6, 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 

changed little in August (+12,000), in line with 

the prior 6-month average (+9,000). No 

component industries added or lost a 

significant number of jobs over the month.

 Employment in food services and drinking 

places changed little in August (+12,000) but 

has increased by 242,000 over the past year, 

along with rising food services sales.

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 6, 2019
 Employment in other services 

changed little in August (-1,000), with all 

component industries seeing little 

change. So far in 2019, other services 

employment has grown at an annualized 

rate of 1.7 percent—roughly in line with 

the industry’s growth rate over the prior 

2 years. 

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

Employment in other services

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, September 06, 2019. 

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: September 6, 2019
 Government employment rose by 

34,000 in August. Within the federal 

government (+28,000), job gains largely

resulted from hiring of temporary 

workers (+25,000) to prepare for the 

2020 Census for address canvassing.

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 6, 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

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