March 2019

Release Date: April 5, 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, March 2019

CES Highlights Release Date: April 5, 2019

+37,000 Professional and Business Services

 In March, employment rose in professional 

and technical services (+34,000), with 

computer system design and related services 

adding 12,000 jobs. Over the year, 

professional and technical services has added 

311,000 jobs.

+33,000 Leisure and Hospitality

 Employment in food services and drinking 

places continued to trend up over the month 

 Nonfarm employment increased by 

196,000 in March. Over the month, 

employment rose in health care and in 

professional and technical services.

 The employment change for February

revised up from +20,000 to +33,000, and the 

change for January revised up from +311,000 

to +312,000. With these revisions, job growth 

has averaged 180,000 thus far in 2019, 

compared to 223,000 in 2018.

 Average hourly earnings of all privatesector employees increased by 4 cents in

March, after rising by 10 cents in February. 

Over the year, hourly earnings have risen by

3.2 percent. Average weekly hours, at 34.5 

hours, rose 0.1 hour in March, after a 0.1-hour 

decline in February. 

+70,000 Education and Health Services

 Health care added 49,000 jobs in March. 

Within the industry, employment increased in 

ambulatory care services (+27,000), with 

offices of dentists adding 5,000 jobs and home 

health care services adding 8,000 jobs. 

Hospital employment also rose by 14,000. 

Over the past 12 months, health care has 

added 398,000 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

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282

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277

196

227

312

33

196

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, April 05, 2019.

Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Over-the-month change, January 2016–March 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: April 5, 2019

(+27,000). Over the year, employment in the 

industry has grown by 309,000.

+16,000 Construction 

 Employment in construction changed little 

in March (+16,000). The industry has added 

246,000 jobs over the past 12 months.

-6,000 Manufacturing

 Manufacturing employment change little 

for a second month (-6,000 in March). In the 

12 months prior to February, manufacturing 

employment growth had averaged 22,000 per 

month.

-12,000 Retail Trade

 Employment in retail trade changed little 

over the month (-12,000), following a decline 

of 20,000 in February. Employment in the 

industry has shown little net change over the 

past 12 months (-36,000).

14

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33

70

37

11

10

1

7

-12

-2

-6

16

2

-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

March 2019 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, March 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Total nonfarm:

196*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 05, 2019.

Data are preliminary.

* denotes significance

Current Employment Statistics Summary, March 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 was little 

changed in March (+1,000). The price of 

West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 

7.1 percent in March.

-15

-21

-20

-12

-12

-10

-4

-4

-1

-3

4

0

3

55

9

5

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4

0

7

7

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5

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0

8

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6

-3

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5

-2

1

-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–March 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 05, 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: April 5, 2019
 Construction employment changed 

little in March (+16,000). Much of the 

change occurred in specialty trade 

contractors (+13,000). 

 In February, construction spending

rose 1-percent and housing 

completions rose 4.5-percent over the 

month.

 

-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 56

-25 16

-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–March 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 05, 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: April 5, 2019
 Manufacturing employment changed little in March (-6,000), with little 

change in both durable goods (-7,000) and nondurable goods (+1,000). 

 

 The average workweeks of production workers and of all employees 

remained unchanged at 41.7 and 40.7 hours, respectively. 

 

 

 

 

 In March, employment in transportation equipment edged down by 

5,000, driven by a loss in motor vehicles and parts (-6,000). Including the 

March decline, employment in motor vehicles and parts has changed little 

over the year (+4,000). Sales of light-vehicles fell 3.2 percent in March for 

the third consecutive month. (AutoNews)

22

-15

-25

7

-18

20

17

-23

-3 -3

0

14 13

18

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8

2

15

-3

42

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20

30

28

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31

20

22 21

32

20

8

18

29

27

20

17

1

-6

-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, April 05, 2019. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in manufacturing

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

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

Employment in motor vehicles and parts

March 2019 Level: 999

OTM Change: -6* 

Jun 2009 trough: 623

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 05, 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–March 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Manufacturing

CES Highlights Release Date: April 5, 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 was little changed in March 

(-2,000), though the industry has added 83,000 jobs over the 

most recent 12 months. Durable goods employment 

continued to trend up over the month (+3,000) and has 

accounted for 85 percent of the job gains in wholesale trade 

over the year.

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-13

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8 14 19

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8 10

-2

-25

-20

-15

-10

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0

5

10

15

20

25

30

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

Employment in wholesale trade

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 05, 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: April 5, 2019

5
 In March, employment in retail trade 

changed little (-12,000), after a decline 

of 20,000 in February. Over the past 12 

months, industry employment 

experienced little net change (-36,000).

 Over the month, employment 

declines occurred in health and personal 

care stores (-8,000), and general 

merchandise stores (-7,000). 

 Retail-related economic indicators 

have been mixed. Retail sales were down 

by 0.2 percent in February. US Light 

Weight Vehicle Sales increased by 5.7 

percent in March. E-commerce Sales

were up by 2.0 percent in the fourth 

quarter of 2018.

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: April 5, 2019
 Employment in transportation and 

warehousing changed little in March 

(+7,000). Most of the component 

industries experienced over-the-month 

changes consistent with their prior-12 

month averages.

 Couriers and messengers (+2,000) and 

warehousing and storage (+2,000), 

however, experienced weaker than 

average over-the-month changes. 

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: April 5, 2019
 Employment in utilities was little 

changed in March (1,000) and has shown 

little net change over the year.

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00

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3

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

Employment in utilities

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 05, 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: April 5, 2019
 Information employment changed little in 

March (+10,000). No component industries 

expanded or contracted significantly over the 

month.

 Employment in other information services, 

which includes news syndicates, libraries and 

archives, and internet publishing and 

broadcasting and web search portals,

changed by an average +1,000 in the first 

quarter of 2019 compared to an average 

+2,000 per month in 2018.

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: April 5, 2019

March 2019
 Employment in financial activities 

edged up in March (+11,000). Insurance 

carriers and related activities (+7,000) 

contributed to job growth. This gain was 

partially offset by a decline of 3,000 in 

commercial banking. Over the most 

recent 12 months, financial activities has 

added 101,000 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: April 5, 2019
 Employment in professional and business services continued to trend up in 

March (+37,000). In the first quarter of 2019, professional and business 

services has added an average 32,000 jobs per month, compared to 47,000 per 

month in in 2018.

 In March, professional and technical services accounted for the majority of 

the employment change, adding 34,000 jobs. Computer systems design and 

related services added 12,000 jobs over the month, while employment in other 

components of professional and technical services trended close to their 

respective prior 12-month average employment changes.

 Administrative and waste services employment was flat in March (-1,000). 

Employment in both services to building and dwelling places (unchanged) and 

employment services (-3,000) was below their prior 12-month average changes. 

-1

3

34

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

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, March 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, April 05, 2019 Most recent 2 months are preliminary.

* denotes significance

1

-3

-2

-1

-1

0

0

2

3

-4 -2 0 2 4 6 8

Waste management and remediation

Employment

Other support

Business support

Business support

Facilities support

Services to buildings and dwellings

Office administrative

Investigation and security

Over-the-month change Prior-12

Employment in administrative and waste services

Over-the-month change, March 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Mar-19: -1

Prior-12: 15

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, April 05, 2019 Most recent 2 months are preliminary.

Travel arrangement and reservation

CES Highlights Release Date: April 5, 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 49,000 jobs in March. Health care employment has 

started 2019 strongly, with job gains averaging 40,000 a month over the 

first 3 months. In 2018, job gains had averaged 29,000 per month. 

 

 In March, employment increased in ambulatory health care services by 

27,000. Employment grew in home health care services (+8,000) and 

offices of dentists (+5,000) and continued to trend up in offices of 

physicians (+7,000). 

 Employment in hospitals increased by 14,000, above the industry’s prior 

12-month average increase of 8000 per month. 

 

 

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22 22

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25

32

34

50

42

29

49

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, April 05, 2019. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

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

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Employment in health care

9

14

8

1

7

27

-10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

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

March 2019 Prior 12-month average

Over-the-month change, March 2019

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Health care 

industries:

49*

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 05, 2019.

Data are preliminary.

1 Includes additional component industries not shown separately.

* denotes significance

Private Education and Health Services

CES Highlights Release Date: April 5, 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 

continued to trend up in March (+33,000), in 

line with the prior 12-month average change.

 Employment in food services and drinking 

places trended up in March and has added 

88,000 jobs so far in 2019.

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: April 5, 2019
 Employment in other services edged 

up in March (+14,000), driven primarily 

by an uptick in repair and maintenance 

(+8,000). Although monthly job gains 

have been modest, other services has 

seen significant growth over the most 

recent 12 months (+92,000). 

5,000

5,200

5,400

5,600

5,800

6,000

6,200

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

Employment in other services

March 2019 Level: 5,905

OTM Change: 14 

Jun 2010 trough: 5,315

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 05, 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–March 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: April 5, 2019
 Employment in government changed 

little in March (+14,000). Over the last 12 

months, government employment has 

increased by 110,000. Local government 

employment accounted for two-thirds of 

the increase. 

 

21,400

21,600

21,800

22,000

22,200

22,400

22,600

22,800

23,000

23,200

23,400

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

Employment in government

March 2019 Level: 22,519

OTM Change: 14 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, April 05, 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–March 2019

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: April 5, 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