Current Employment Statistics

Highlights

April 2006

Bureau of Labor Statistics

May 5, 2006

Bureau of Labor Statistics
2

All employees on nonfarm payrolls

1990-2006

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 5, 2006.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

April 2006

Level: 135,068

Change: +138

• Nonfarm payrolls increased by 138,000 in April to 135.1 million, seasonally 

adjusted. This increase follows gains of 200,000 in both February and March. 

Over the year, payroll employment has risen by almost 2 million or an average of 

164,000 per month.
3

Employment in total nonfarm and supersectors

Over-the-month change, April 2006 

8

10

19

11

-36

9

3

-2

26

28

35

20

1

7

-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40

Natural resources and mining

Construction

Manufacturing

Wholesale trade

Retail trade

Transportation and warehousing

Utilities

Information

Financial activities

Professional and business services

Education and health services

Leisure and hospitality

Other services

Government

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 5, 2006.

Note: Data are preliminary. 

Total nonfarm: 

+138

• Employment growth was spread throughout most supersectors.

• Industries with notable employment gains included education and health services,

professional and business services, financial activities, leisure and hospitality and 

manufacturing.

• The retail trade industry experienced the only notable loss of employment in 

April.
4

Average weekly hours, total private

1992-2006

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

33.0

33.5

34.0

34.5

35.0

Seasonally adjusted

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 5, 2006.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

April 2006

Level: 33.9

Change: +0.1

Over-the-year percent change in average hourly earnings, 

1990-2006

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

Seasonally adjusted, percent

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs Survey, May 5, 2006

Note: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary. 

April 2006

Percent Change: +3.8

• Average weekly hours for production or nonsupervisory workers increased by 0.1 

hours to 33.9 in April, seasonally adjusted. This is the first movement in hours in 

7 months and brings the average workweek to its highest level since September 

2002.

• Average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory workers increased by 

9 cents in April to $16.61, seasonally adjusted. This follows gains of 5 cents in 

March and 7 cents in February.

• Over the year, average hourly earnings increased by 61 cents or 3.8 percent—the 

largest over-the-year percent change since August 2001.
5

Index of total private aggregate weekly hours

1992-2006

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

80

85

90

95

100

105

110

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 5, 2006.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

April 2006

Level: 104.9

Percent Change: +0.5

Aggregate weekly hours are the product of average weekly hours a nd production or nonsupervisory workers.

Index of total private aggregate weekly payrolls

1992-2006

55

68

81

94

107

120

Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

55

68

81

94

107

120

Seasonally adjusted, 2002 = 100

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 5, 2006.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

April 2006

Level: 116.6

Percent Change: +1.0

Aggregate weekly payrolls are the product of average hourly earnings, average weekly hours, and production or nonsupervisory workers.

• The index of aggregate weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on 

private nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.5 percent to 104.9 in April, seasonally 

adjusted. Since its most recent trough in August 2003, the index has increased by 

6.8 percent, surpassing the level of its most recent peak (103.9) in December 

2000.

• The index of aggregate weekly payrolls of production or nonsupervisory workers 

on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 1.0 percent to 116.6 in April, seasonally 

adjusted--the largest over-the-month percentage increase since February 1997. 

Over-the-year, this index has grown by 6.4 percent.
6

1.4 1.4

5.3

3.0

4.4

1.5

4.5

0.1

1.0

-0.9

3.8

2.0

3.7

5.4

4.8

6.6

1.6

3.6

0.2

3.2

4.8

5.9

5.5

2.8

3.5

5.2

6.9 7.1

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Jan-04Feb-04

Mar-04

Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Sep-04

Oct-04

Nov-04

Dec-04Jan-05Feb-05

Mar-05

Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05

Oct-05

Nov-05

Dec-05Jan-06Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 5, 2006.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in mining

Over-the-month change, 2004-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Employment in mining rose by 7,000 in April. Since its recent low in April 2003, 

mining employment has increased by 106,000, or 21 percent. 

• Gains have been concentrated within support activities, particularly those related 

to oil and gas. Mining support employment has grown by 79,000 or 45 percent

since April 2003.
7

-6

-10

8

29

23

-8

0

16

-19

-9

-12

-14

-26

8

-8

-12

-5

-18

-9

-11

-26

9

18

8

5

-1

1

19

-35

-25

-15

-5

5

15

25

35

Jan-04Feb-04

Mar-04

Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Sep-04

Oct-04

Nov-04

Dec-04Jan-05Feb-05

Mar-05

Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05

Oct-05

Nov-05

Dec-05Jan-06Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 5, 2006.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in manufacturing

Over-the-month change, 2004-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Manufacturing added 19,000 jobs over the month; factory employment has risen 

by 50,000 since October 2005. 

• Employment increased in motor vehicles and parts (12,000), computer and 

electronic products (7,000), and fabricated metals (5,000). Small employment 

declines in primary metals, paper products and textile mills partly offset these 

gains.

• Manufacturing hours were unchanged, while factory overtime edged down.
8

Employment in retail trade

1990-2006

12,000

13,000

14,000

15,000

16,000

Jan-90Jan-91Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-06Jan-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics Survey, May 5, 2006.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

April 2006

Level: 15,276.6

Change: -36.1

• Retail trade employment declined by 36,000 in April, more than offsetting a large 

increase in March. Though the industry has added approximately 400,000 jobs 

since a trough in July 2003, employment has been little changed, on net, since the 

middle of last year.

• Nearly the entire April decline occurred in general merchandise stores. The 

decline more than offset an exceptionally large increase in March, and 

employment has shown a slight negative trend since last August.

• Building material and garden supply stores experienced its sixth consecutive 

month of above-trend growth. This industry has added 45,300 jobs over this time.
9

-2

9 9

15

20

7

-19

15

27

-9

3

19

15

6

-1

4

1

13

22

19

17

29

16

6

21

24

19

26

-25

-15

-5

5

15

25

35

Jan-04Feb-04

Mar-04

Apr-04

May-04

Jun-04

Jul-04

Aug-04

Sep-04

Oct-04

Nov-04

Dec-04Jan-05Feb-05

Mar-05

Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05

Oct-05

Nov-05

Dec-05Jan-06Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 5, 2006.

Note: Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

Employment in financial activities

Over-the-month change, 2004-06

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

• Employment in financial activities rose by 26,000, marking the ninth month in the 

past 10 where the industry has had significant employment growth. Over the 

year, financial activities employment increased by 213,000.

• In April, growth in the industry was led by insurance (10,000), credit 

intermediation (9,000) and real estate (7,000).
10

Employment in selected professional and business services

Over-the-month change, April 2006

20.8

4.9

6.4

5.9

2.6

4.7

1.2

7.4

0 5 10 15 20 25

Architectural and

engineering services

Computer systems design

and related services

Management and technical

consulting services

Employment services

Services to buildings and

dwellings

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs survey, May 5, 2006.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Professional and Business 

services: +28

Professional and 

technical services

Management of 

companies

Administrative and 

waste services

Employment in temporary help services

1992-2006

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Jan-92Jan-93Jan-94Jan-95Jan-96Jan-97Jan-98Jan-99Jan-00Jan-01Jan-02Jan-03Jan-04Jan-05Jan-06

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statisti cs survey, May 5, 2006.

Notes: Shaded areas denote recessions. Most recent 2 months of data are preliminary.

April 2006

Level: 2,611.4

Change: -0.7

• Hiring in professional and business services continued with 28,000 jobs added in 

April. Over the past 6 months, employment has grown by an average of 40,300 

per month. 

• Employment growth was spread amongst several of the professional and technical 

industries—architectural and engineering services, computer systems design, and 

management and technical consulting services.

• Employment in temporary help services was flat in April and has been little 

changed so far this year.
11

Employment in health care 

Over-the-month change, April 2006

7.9

5.5

1.2

-0.5

6.5

8.8

-2 0 2 4 6 8 10

Offices of physicians

Outpatient care centers

Home health care

services

Seasonally adjusted, in thousands

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics survey, May 5, 2006.

Note: Data are preliminary.

Health care:

+23.2

Ambulatory health 

care services

Hospitals

Nursing and residential 

care facilities

• Health care continued with average job growth in April. Over the year, 

employment has expanded by 296,000. 

• Growth was spread amongst the three components--ambulatory health care 

(7,900), hospitals (6,500), and nursing and residential health care (8,800), which 

included a 3,800 gain in nursing facilities.