Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until USDL 22-1624

8:30 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Technical information: (202) 691-5606 • Productivity@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/productivity

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov

PRODUCTIVITY AND COSTS 

Second Quarter 2022, Preliminary

Nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreased 4.6 percent in the second quarter of 2022, the 

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, as output decreased 2.1 percent and hours worked 

increased 2.6 percent. (All quarterly percent changes in this release are seasonally adjusted annual rates.) 

From the same quarter a year ago, nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreased 2.5 percent, 

reflecting a 1.5-percent increase in output and a 4.1-percent increase in hours worked. The 2.5-percent

decline in labor productivity from the same quarter a year ago is the largest decline in this series, which 

begins in the first quarter of 1948. (See chart 1 and table A1.)

Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector increased 10.8 percent in the second quarter of 2022,

reflecting a 5.7-percent increase in hourly compensation and a 4.6-percent decrease in productivity. Unit 

labor costs increased 9.5 percent over the last four quarters. (See chart 2 and tables A1 and 2.) This is 

the largest four-quarter increase in this measure since a 10.6-percent increase in the first quarter of 1982. 

BLS calculates unit labor costs as the ratio of hourly compensation to labor productivity. Increases in 

hourly compensation tend to increase unit labor costs and increases in productivity tend to reduce them.

Labor productivity, or output per hour, is calculated by dividing an index of real output by an index of 

hours worked by all persons, including employees, proprietors, and unpaid family workers. The second 

quarter of 2022 is the second consecutive quarter in which output decreased while hours increased. The

resulting productivity declines over these two quarters reduced the average annual productivity growth 

rate since the fourth quarter of 2019–the last quarter not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic–to 0.6 

Chart 1. Labor productivity, nonfarm business, 2018Q1 – 2022Q2

-12.0

-10.0

-8.0

-6.0

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

From previous quarter, annual rate

From same quarter a year ago

Percent change Percent change

Chart 2. Unit labor costs, nonfarm business, 2018Q1 – 2022Q2

-12.0

-10.0

-8.0

-6.0

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

From previous quarter, annual rate

From same quarter a year ago
-2-

percent in the nonfarm business sector. Output and hours worked in the nonfarm business sector are now

2.9 percent and 1.5 percent above their fourth-quarter 2019 levels, respectively. (See chart 3.)

Hourly compensation increased 5.7 percent in the nonfarm business sector in the second quarter of 2022. 

Real hourly compensation, which takes into account changes in consumer prices, decreased 4.4 percent 

in the second quarter of 2022, which followed a 4.4-percent decline in the first quarter of 2022. The 

consumer price series which is used to estimate real hourly compensation grew 10.5 percent in the 

second quarter of 2022, the largest increase since an 11.6-percent increase in the first quarter of 1981

(seasonally adjusted annual rates). See Footnote 2 on page 14 for more information.

Manufacturing sector labor productivity increased 5.5 percent in the second quarter of 2022, as 

output increased 4.3 percent and hours worked decreased 1.1 percent. In the durable manufacturing 

sector, productivity increased 6.1 percent, with a 6.0-percent increase in output and a 0.1-percent 

decrease in hours worked. Nondurable manufacturing sector productivity increased 5.4 percent, as

output increased 2.6 percent and hours decreased 2.6 percent. Total manufacturing sector productivity 

increased 0.4 percent from the same quarter a year ago. (See tables A1, 3, 4, and 5.)

84

86

88

90

92

94

96

98

100

102

104

106

2019 Q4 2020 Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2021 Q1 2021 Q2 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2022 Q1 2022 Q2

Output Hours Worked

Chart 3. Output and Hours Worked index series, nonfarm business, 2019 Q4 – 2022 Q2

Index (2019 Q4=100)
-3-

Manufacturing sector output is now 3.6 percent above its level in the fourth quarter of 2019, the last 

quarter not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hours worked in manufacturing remain 1.3 percent 

below the fourth-quarter 2019 level. The manufacturing labor productivity index is 4.9 percent higher in 

second-quarter 2022 than in fourth-quarter 2019, corresponding to an annual labor productivity growth 

rate of 1.9 percent during that period. (See chart 4.)

Unit labor costs in the total manufacturing sector decreased 0.5 percent in the second quarter of 2022, 

reflecting a 4.9-percent increase in hourly compensation and a 5.5-percent increase in productivity. 

Manufacturing unit labor costs increased 4.4 percent from the same quarter a year ago. (See tables A1 

and 3.)

The concepts, sources, and methods used for the manufacturing output series differ from those used in 

the business and nonfarm business output series; these output measures are not directly comparable. See 

the Technical Notes for a more detailed explanation. (See page 6.)

Revised measures

Regular updates of source data published in June and July by the BLS and the Bureau of Economic 

Analysis (BEA) are reflected in data for the first quarter of 2022; data published by BLS August 5, 2022 

have not been incorporated. Quarterly measures of manufacturing output and all related measures—

including labor productivity—were revised historically to incorporate revised monthly Indexes of 

Industrial Production (IIP) published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on June

28, 2022. Annual manufacturing output measures for 1987 to 2020 were not revised; the annual average 

percent change for 2021 reflects changes in IIP. 

Table B1 presents revised and previous labor productivity and related measures for the nonfarm 

business, business, and manufacturing sectors for the first quarter of 2022. Table A2 presents these 

measures for the nonfinancial corporate sector.

Nonfarm business sector productivity was revised down slightly to a decrease of 7.4 percent in the

80

84

88

92

96

100

104

2019 Q4 2020 Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2021 Q1 2021 Q2 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2022 Q1 2022 Q2

Output Hours Worked

Chart 4. Output and Hours Worked index series, manufacturing, 2019 Q4 – 2022 Q2

Index (2019 Q4=100)
-4-

first quarter of 2022; output was revised down to a decrease of 2.5 percent and hours worked were 

revised down to an increase of 5.3 percent. (See table B1.) A slight upward revision to first-quarter unit 

labor costs, to a rate of 12.7 percent, reflected a slight downward revision to productivity; hourly 

compensation was not revised.

Manufacturing sector productivity was revised down 1.2 percentage points to a decline of 1.0 percent

in the first quarter of 2022, primarily reflecting a downward revision to output; hours were revised up

slightly. Productivity was revised down in the durable manufacturing subsector and the nondurable 

manufacturing subsector. In the first quarter of 2022, total manufacturing unit labor costs increased 6.9 

percent rather than increasing 5.7 percent as reported June 2, reflecting a 1.2-percent downward revision 

to productivity; hourly compensation was revised down 0.1 percentage point. Annual average 

manufacturing productivity growth in 2021 was revised down to an increase of 2.6 percent from the 3.2-

percent reported previously due to a downward revision in output. (See tables B1 and 3.) 

Nonfinancial corporate sector productivity decreased 4.6 percent in the first quarter of 2022, a 

smaller decline than the previously published estimate of 5.0 percent, reflecting an upward revision to 

output and a downward revision to hours. Productivity in nonfinancial corporations decreased 0.1

percent from the first quarter of 2021 to the first quarter of 2022. Unit labor costs in the nonfinancial 

corporate sector were revised down to an increase of 9.3 percent in the first quarter of 2022, as an 

upward revision to productivity was larger than an upward revision to hourly compensation. (See table 

A2.) Unit labor costs increased 8.2 percent from the same quarter a year ago. Unit profits were revised 

up in the first quarter to a smaller decline than previously reported, decreasing 2.1-percent in firstquarter 2022. (See table 6.)

Complete quarterly and annual data series can be found on the Productivity and Costs home page: 

www.bls.gov/productivity/data-overview.htm.

______________

The revised Productivity and Costs news release for second-quarter 2022 is scheduled to be 

released on Thursday, September 1, 2022 at 8:30 a.m. (ET).

Upcoming Revisions

Data in this release do not reflect the 2022 Annual Update of the National Income and Product Accounts 

(NIPA) to be released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. Department of Commerce on 

September 29, 2022. This annual update will be incorporated in our release on November 3, 2022.

Upcoming methodology change

The BLS productivity program will introduce a new methodology for estimating hours worked for its 

major sector Productivity and Costs news release on November 3, 2022. This new methodology uses allemployee hours data from the BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey as the main source of 

data. The new methodology for estimating hours worked improves on the current methodology, which 

uses the CES production and nonsupervisory employee hours data. For more information see 

www.bls.gov/productivity/technical-notes/labor-productivity-hours-worked-method-using-ces-allemployee-hours-nov-2022.htm.
-5-

Table A1. Labor productivity growth and related measures - preliminary second-quarter 2022

(percent change from previous quarter at annual rate and from same quarter a year ago)

Sector Percent change from:

Labor 

productivity Output

Hours 

worked

Hourly 

compensation

Real hourly 

compensation

Unit labor 

costs

Nonfarm business Previous quarter -4.6 -2.1 2.6 5.7 -4.4 10.8

A year ago -2.5 1.5 4.1 6.7 -1.7 9.5

Business Previous quarter -4.0 -1.9 2.2 6.1 -4.0 10.6

A year ago -2.4 1.5 4.0 6.9 -1.6 9.5

Manufacturing Previous quarter 5.5 4.3 -1.1 4.9 -5.1 -0.5

A year ago 0.4 4.5 4.1 4.8 -3.5 4.4

Durable 

manufacturing

Previous quarter 6.1 6.0 -0.1 5.3 -4.7 -0.7

A year ago 1.6 6.3 4.6 3.1 -5.1 1.4

Nondurable 

manufacturing

Previous quarter 5.4 2.6 -2.6 4.0 -5.9 -1.3

A year ago -0.6 2.6 3.2 8.0 -0.5 8.6

Table A2. Labor productivity growth and related measures - revised and previously published first-quarter 2022

(percent change from previous quarter at annual rate)

Sector

Labor 

productivity Output

Hours 

worked

Hourly 

compensation

Real hourly 

compensation

Unit labor 

costs

Nonfinancial 

corporate

Revised -4.6 1.1 5.9 4.3 -4.4 9.3

Previously published -5.0 0.7 6.0 4.2 -4.6 9.7

Table B1. Labor productivity growth and related measures - revised and previously published first-quarter 2022

(percent change from previous quarter at annual rate)

Sector

Labor 

productivity Output

Hours 

worked

Hourly 

compensation

Real hourly 

compensation

Unit labor 

costs

Nonfarm business Revised -7.4 -2.5 5.3 4.4 -4.4 12.7

Previously published -7.3 -2.3 5.4 4.4 -4.4 12.6

Business Revised -7.7 -2.5 5.6 4.2 -4.6 12.8

Previously published -7.6 -2.4 5.6 4.1 -4.6 12.7

Manufacturing Revised -1.0 3.9 5.0 5.8 -3.1 6.9

Previously published 0.2 5.1 4.9 5.9 -3.0 5.7

Durable 

manufacturing

Revised -0.4 5.9 6.2 5.9 -3.0 6.3

Previously published 0.9 6.9 6.0 6.0 -2.9 5.1

Nondurable 

manufacturing

Revised -1.1 2.0 3.0 5.5 -3.4 6.6

Previously published 0.0 3.2 3.2 5.5 -3.3 5.5
-6-

TECHNICAL NOTES

Labor Hours

Hours worked data for the labor productivity and cost measures include hours worked for all persons 

working in the sector—wage and salary workers, the self-employed and unpaid family workers. The 

primary source of hours and employment data is the BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) 

program, which provides monthly survey data on the number of jobs held by wage and salary workers in 

nonfarm establishments, counting a person who is employed by two or more establishments at each 

place of employment. The CES also provides average weekly paid hours of production and 

nonsupervisory workers in these establishments. Weekly paid hours are adjusted to hours worked using 

data from the National Compensation Survey (NCS) for 1996 forward and data from the BLS Hours at 

Work survey, conducted for this purpose, prior to 1990. Between 1990 and 1995, weekly paid hours are 

adjusted to hours at work using a combination of NCS and Hours at Work survey data. The Office of 

Productivity and Technology estimates average weekly hours at work for nonproduction and supervisory 

workers using information from the Current Population Survey (CPS), the CES, and the NCS.

Data from the CPS are used to estimate hours worked for farm labor, nonfarm proprietors, and nonfarm 

unpaid family workers. Using CPS information on employment and hours worked at primary jobs and 

all other jobs, separately, the BLS productivity measures assign all hours worked to the appropriate 

industrial sector. Hours for government enterprises are derived from the CPS, the CES, and the National 

Income and Product Accounts (NIPA) prepared by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the 

Department of Commerce. 

Detailed hours data are presented in the table “Hours Worked in Total U.S. Economy and Subsectors” 

on the BLS website (www.bls.gov/productivity/tables/total-economy-hours-employment.xlsx).

Output

Business sector output is a chain-type, current-weighted index constructed after excluding from gross 

domestic product (GDP) the following outputs: general government, nonprofit institutions, and private 

households (including owner-occupied housing). Corresponding exclusions also are made in labor hours 

worked. Business output accounted for about 76 percent of the value of GDP in 2021. Nonfarm 

business, which excludes farming, accounted for about 75 percent of GDP in 2021.

Annual indexes for manufacturing and its durable and nondurable goods components are constructed by 

deflating current-dollar industry value of production data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census with 

deflators from the BLS. These deflators are based on data from the BLS Producer Price Index program 

and other sources. The industry shipments are aggregated using annual weights, and intrasector 

transactions are removed. Quarterly manufacturing output measures are based on the indexes of 

industrial production prepared monthly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 

adjusted to be consistent with annual indexes of manufacturing sector output prepared by BLS. 

Nonfinancial corporate output is a chain-type, current-weighted index calculated on the basis of the 

costs incurred and the incomes earned from production. The output measure excludes the following 

outputs from GDP: general government; nonprofit institutions; private households; unincorporated 

business; and those corporations classified as offices of bank holding companies, offices of other 

holding companies, or offices in the finance and insurance sector. Nonfinancial corporations accounted 

for about 51 percent of the value of GDP in 2021.
-7-

Labor Productivity

The measure describes the relationship between real output and the labor time involved in its production. 

Measures of labor productivity growth show the changes from period to period in the amount of goods 

and services produced per hour worked. They reflect the joint effects of many influences, including

changes in technology; capital investment; level of output; utilization of capacity, energy, and materials; 

the organization of production; managerial skill; and the characteristics and effort of the work force.

Labor Compensation

The measure includes accrued wages and salaries, supplements, employer contributions to employee 

benefit plans, and taxes. Estimates of labor compensation by major sector, required for measures of 

hourly compensation and unit labor costs, are based primarily on employee compensation data from the 

NIPA, prepared by the BEA. The compensation of employees in general government, nonprofit 

institutions and private households are subtracted from compensation of employees in domestic 

industries to derive employee compensation for the business sector. The labor compensation of 

proprietors cannot be explicitly identified and must be estimated. This is done by assuming that 

proprietors have the same hourly compensation as employees in the same sector. The quarterly labor 

productivity and cost measures do not contain estimates of compensation for unpaid family workers. 

Unit Labor Costs

These measures describe the relationship between compensation per hour and labor productivity, or real 

output per hour, and can be used as an indicator of inflationary pressure on producers. Increases in 

hourly compensation increase unit labor costs; labor productivity increases offset compensation 

increases and lower unit labor costs. 

Presentation of the data

The quarterly data in this release are presented in three ways: as percent changes from the previous 

quarter presented at a compound annual rate, as percent changes from the corresponding quarter of the 

previous year, and as index number series where 2012=100. Annual data are presented both as index 

number series and percent changes from the previous year. 

The index numbers and rates of change reported in the productivity and costs news release are rounded 

to one decimal place. All percent changes in this release and on the BLS web site are calculated using 

index numbers to three decimal places. A complete historical series of these index numbers are available 

at the BLS web site, www.bls.gov/data/home.htm, or by contacting the BLS Division of Major Sector 

Productivity (Telephone 202-691-5606 or email productivity@bls.gov).

For a more detailed explanation of methodology see the Handbook of Methods at 

www.bls.gov/opub/hom/msp/home.htm.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access 

telecommunications relay services.
-8-

 

Table 1. Business sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and prices,

seasonally adjusted.

 Real

 Hourly hourly Unit Implicit

Year Labor compen- compen- Unit nonlabor price

and produc- Hours sation sation labor payments deflator

quarter tivity Output worked (1) (2) costs (3) (4)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)

2022 II -4.0 -1.9 2.2 6.1 -4.0 10.6 9.3 10.0 

 I -7.7 r -2.5 r 5.6 4.2 r -4.6 12.8 r 3.9 r 9.0 r

2021 ANNUAL 1.9 7.2 5.2 5.8 1.1 3.8 5.5 4.5 

2021 IV 6.3 8.9 2.4 10.7 2.6 4.1 12.5 7.5 

 III -3.7 1.8 5.7 6.7 0.0 10.8 -0.1 6.2 

 II 3.4 8.2 4.6 9.6 1.4 6.0 9.1 7.3 

 I 2.1 8.2 5.9 -0.4 -4.3 -2.5 17.2 5.1 

2020 ANNUAL 2.5 -4.2 -6.6 6.9 5.6 4.3 -4.8 0.4 

2020 IV -3.4 6.1 9.8 9.9 7.5 13.8 -13.7 1.6 

 III 7.3 44.7 34.9 -3.8 -8.2 -10.4 32.5 5.1 

 II 9.3 -36.8 -42.2 20.8 25.0 10.6 -23.1 -4.6 

 I -1.8 -6.8 -5.1 8.6 7.2 10.6 -12.8 0.0 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year

2022 II -2.4 1.5 4.0 6.9 -1.6 9.5 6.3 8.2 

 I -0.6 4.0 4.6 7.8 r -0.2 8.4 6.2 7.5 

2021 ANNUAL 1.9 7.2 5.2 5.8 1.1 3.8 5.5 4.5 

2021 IV 2.0 6.7 4.7 6.6 -0.1 4.5 9.5 6.5 

 III -0.5 6.0 6.5 6.4 1.1 6.8 2.5 5.0 

 II 2.3 15.8 13.2 3.6 -1.1 1.3 10.0 4.7 

 I 3.7 1.2 -2.4 6.2 4.2 2.4 0.7 1.7 

2020 ANNUAL 2.5 -4.2 -6.6 6.9 5.6 4.3 -4.8 0.4 

2020 IV 2.7 -2.5 -5.0 8.5 7.2 5.7 -6.4 0.5 

 III 3.9 -3.5 -7.1 7.3 6.0 3.3 -3.3 0.4 

 II 2.4 -11.3 -13.4 8.4 7.9 5.9 -9.2 -0.6 

 I 1.0 0.3 -0.7 3.6 1.5 2.6 -0.6 1.2 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Indexes 2012=100

2022 II 110.1 125.9 114.3 144.1 113.2 130.9 115.3 124.0 

 I 111.2 r 126.5 r 113.7 r 141.9 r 114.3 r 127.6 r 112.7 r 121.1 r

2021 ANNUAL 112.5 124.4 110.6 136.0 115.1 120.9 108.7 115.6 

2021 IV 113.5 127.3 112.2 140.5 115.7 123.8 111.7 118.5 

 III 111.8 124.6 111.5 137.0 115.0 122.6 108.4 116.4 

 II 112.8 124.1 110.0 134.8 115.0 119.5 108.5 114.6 

 I 111.9 121.6 108.7 131.7 114.6 117.7 106.1 112.6 

2020 ANNUAL 110.4 116.0 105.1 128.6 113.9 116.5 103.1 110.6 

2020 IV 111.3 119.3 107.2 131.9 115.8 118.5 102.0 111.3 

 III 112.3 117.5 104.7 128.8 113.8 114.7 105.8 110.8 

 II 110.3 107.2 97.2 130.1 116.2 117.9 98.6 109.5 

 I 107.9 120.2 111.4 124.1 109.9 115.0 105.3 110.8 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See footnotes following Table 6. August 9, 2022

r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
-9-

 

Table 2. Nonfarm business sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and

prices, seasonally adjusted.

 Real

 Hourly hourly Unit Implicit

Year Labor compen- compen- Unit nonlabor price

and produc- Hours sation sation labor payments deflator

quarter tivity Output worked (1) (2) costs (3) (4)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)

2022 II -4.6 -2.1 2.6 5.7 -4.4 10.8 7.3 9.4 

 I -7.4 r -2.5 r 5.3 r 4.4 -4.4 12.7 r 2.1 r 8.3 r

2021 ANNUAL 1.9 7.4 5.4 5.6 0.9 3.7 4.6 4.0 

2021 IV 6.3 9.0 2.5 10.5 2.4 3.9 13.7 7.8 

 III -3.9 2.0 6.2 6.3 -0.4 10.6 -0.4 6.0 

 II 3.2 8.5 5.1 9.2 1.1 5.8 6.6 6.1 

 I 2.2 8.4 6.1 -0.6 -4.5 -2.7 16.5 4.6 

2020 ANNUAL 2.4 -4.4 -6.7 7.0 5.7 4.5 -4.9 0.4 

2020 IV -2.8 6.2 9.2 10.6 8.2 13.8 -15.3 0.9 

 III 6.2 44.6 36.2 -4.7 -9.1 -10.3 31.3 4.7 

 II 10.3 -36.9 -42.7 21.6 25.8 10.3 -21.6 -3.9 

 I -2.5 -7.4 -5.0 8.7 7.3 11.5 -13.4 0.2 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year

2022 II -2.5 1.5 4.1 6.7 -1.7 9.5 5.5 7.8 

 I -0.6 4.1 r 4.8 7.6 -0.4 8.2 5.3 7.0 

2021 ANNUAL 1.9 7.4 5.4 5.6 0.9 3.7 4.6 4.0 

2021 IV 1.9 6.9 4.9 6.3 -0.4 4.3 8.9 6.1 

 III -0.4 6.2 6.6 6.3 1.0 6.7 1.2 4.4 

 II 2.2 15.9 13.5 3.4 -1.3 1.2 8.4 4.1 

 I 3.9 1.3 -2.5 6.2 4.3 2.3 0.4 1.5 

2020 ANNUAL 2.4 -4.4 -6.7 7.0 5.7 4.5 -4.9 0.4 

2020 IV 2.7 -2.7 -5.2 8.6 7.3 5.8 -6.8 0.4 

 III 3.7 -3.7 -7.1 7.3 6.0 3.4 -3.3 0.5 

 II 2.5 -11.5 -13.6 8.7 8.2 6.0 -9.0 -0.4 

 I 0.9 0.2 -0.7 3.7 1.6 2.7 -0.8 1.2 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Indexes 2012=100

2022 II 109.7 125.7 114.6 144.0 113.2 131.3 114.1 123.8 

 I 111.0 r 126.4 r 113.9 r 142.1 r 114.4 r 128.0 r 112.1 r 121.1 r

2021 ANNUAL 112.2 124.2 110.7 136.2 115.2 121.4 108.6 115.8 

2021 IV 113.2 127.2 112.4 140.6 115.7 124.2 111.5 118.7 

 III 111.4 124.5 111.7 137.1 115.0 123.0 108.0 116.5 

 II 112.6 123.9 110.0 135.0 115.2 119.9 108.1 114.8 

 I 111.7 121.4 108.7 132.1 114.8 118.3 106.4 113.1 

2020 ANNUAL 110.1 115.7 105.1 128.9 114.1 117.1 103.8 111.3 

2020 IV 111.1 118.9 107.1 132.2 116.2 119.1 102.4 111.8 

 III 111.8 117.2 104.8 129.0 113.9 115.3 106.8 111.6 

 II 110.2 106.9 97.0 130.5 116.7 118.5 99.8 110.3 

 I 107.5 119.9 111.5 124.3 110.2 115.6 106.0 111.4 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See footnotes following Table 6. August 9, 2022

r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
-10-

 

Table 3. Manufacturing sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor costs,

seasonally adjusted.

 Real

Year Labor Hourly hourly Unit

and produc- Hours compensa- compensa- labor

quarter tivity Output worked tion (1) tion (2) costs

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)

2022 II 5.5 4.3 -1.1 4.9 -5.1 -0.5 

 I -1.0 r 3.9 r 5.0 r 5.8 r -3.1 r 6.9 r

2021 ANNUAL 2.6 r 5.8 r 3.2 4.5 -0.1 1.9 r

2021 IV -0.2 r 5.9 r 6.1 9.6 1.6 9.8 r

 III -2.5 3.8 6.4 -0.8 -7.0 1.7 

 II 9.4 r 5.7 r -3.3 11.3 2.9 1.7 r

 I -1.5 r 2.6 r 4.2 0.2 -3.8 1.7 r

2020 ANNUAL 0.2 -6.7 -6.8 7.0 5.7 6.8 

2020 IV 0.4 r 8.3 r 7.8 10.3 7.9 9.8 r

 III 17.8 r 53.0 r 29.9 -11.4 -15.4 -24.8 r

 II -8.3 r -43.2 r -38.0 27.2 31.5 38.6 r

 I 2.0 r -5.4 r -7.3 8.0 6.6 5.8 r

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year

2022 II 0.4 4.5 4.1 4.8 -3.5 4.4 

 I 1.3 r 4.8 r 3.5 r 6.4 -1.5 5.0 r

2021 ANNUAL 2.6 r 5.8 r 3.2 4.5 -0.1 1.9 r

2021 IV 1.2 4.5 3.3 4.9 -1.7 3.7 

 III 1.4 r 5.1 r 3.7 5.1 -0.2 3.7 r

 II 6.3 r 15.8 r 9.0 2.2 -2.5 -3.9 r

 I 1.7 r -0.8 r -2.5 5.6 3.7 3.9 r

2020 ANNUAL 0.2 -6.7 -6.8 7.0 5.7 6.8 

2020 IV 2.6 r -2.8 r -5.3 7.6 6.3 4.9 r

 III 1.9 -5.4 -7.2 6.9 5.6 4.9 r

 II -2.6 r -15.2 r -12.9 10.0 9.5 13.0 r

 I -1.3 -3.2 r -1.9 3.7 1.6 5.1 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Indexes 2012=100

2022 II 99.2 103.9 104.8 135.5 106.5 136.7 

 I 97.9 r 102.8 r 105.1 r 133.9 r 107.9 r 136.8 r

2021 ANNUAL 97.9 r 100.0 r 102.1 129.1 109.2 131.8 r

2021 IV 98.1 r 101.8 r 103.8 132.0 108.7 134.6 r

 III 98.2 r 100.4 r 102.3 129.0 108.3 131.4 r

 II 98.8 r 99.5 r 100.7 129.3 110.3 130.9 r

 I 96.6 r 98.1 r 101.6 125.9 109.5 130.3 r

2020 ANNUAL 95.4 94.5 99.0 123.5 109.3 129.4 

2020 IV 97.0 r 97.5 r 100.5 125.8 110.5 129.8 r

 III 96.8 r 95.5 r 98.7 122.8 108.5 126.8 r

 II 93.0 r 85.9 r 92.4 126.6 113.1 136.2 r

 I 95.0 r 98.9 r 104.2 119.2 105.6 125.5 r

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See footnotes following Table 6. August 9, 2022

r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
-11-

 

Table 4. Durable manufacturing sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor

costs, seasonally adjusted.

 Real

Year Labor Hourly hourly Unit

and produc- Hours compensa- compensa- labor

quarter tivity Output worked tion (1) tion (2) costs

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)

2022 II 6.1 6.0 -0.1 5.3 -4.7 -0.7 

 I -0.4 r 5.9 r 6.2 r 5.9 r -3.0 r 6.3 r

2021 ANNUAL 5.1 r 8.1 r 2.9 4.1 -0.5 -0.9 r

2021 IV 2.1 r 6.5 r 4.3 10.3 2.2 8.0 r

 III -1.2 r 6.7 r 8.0 -8.2 -14.0 -7.1 r

 II 7.5 r 1.0 r -6.1 13.9 5.4 6.0 r

 I 0.3 r 6.4 r 6.1 1.2 -2.8 0.9 r

2020 ANNUAL 0.1 -8.0 -8.2 7.0 5.7 6.9 

2020 IV 2.9 r 9.1 r 5.9 12.3 9.9 9.1 r

 III 42.7 r 93.7 r 35.7 -15.4 -19.3 -40.7 r

 II -18.4 r -53.1 r -42.5 28.9 33.4 58.0 r

 I -0.5 r -8.5 r -8.0 7.4 6.0 7.9 r

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year

2022 II 1.6 6.3 4.6 3.1 -5.1 1.4 

 I 2.0 5.0 3.0 r 5.1 -2.6 3.1 

2021 ANNUAL 5.1 r 8.1 r 2.9 4.1 -0.5 -0.9 r

2021 IV 2.1 r 5.1 r 2.9 3.9 -2.6 1.8 r

 III 2.3 r 5.7 r 3.3 4.4 -0.8 2.0 r

 II 12.2 r 22.7 r 9.4 2.3 -2.4 -8.8 r

 I 4.7 r 1.3 r -3.2 5.5 3.6 0.8 r

2020 ANNUAL 0.1 -8.0 -8.2 7.0 5.7 6.9 

2020 IV 4.5 r -2.4 r -6.6 7.1 5.8 2.5 r

 III 3.3 r -5.3 r -8.3 6.7 5.4 3.3 r

 II -6.0 r -20.1 r -15.1 10.8 10.3 17.9 r

 I -1.6 r -4.3 r -2.8 4.0 1.8 5.7 r

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Indexes 2012=100

2022 II 103.9 107.5 103.4 134.9 106.0 129.8 

 I 102.4 r 105.9 r 103.4 r 133.2 r 107.3 r 130.1 r

2021 ANNUAL 101.8 r 102.3 r 100.5 129.3 109.3 127.0 r

2021 IV 102.5 r 104.4 r 101.9 131.3 108.1 128.1 r

 III 101.9 r 102.8 r 100.8 128.1 107.5 125.7 r

 II 102.3 r 101.1 r 98.9 130.9 111.6 128.0 r

 I 100.4 r 100.9 r 100.5 126.7 110.2 126.2 r

2020 ANNUAL 96.8 94.6 97.7 124.1 109.9 128.2 

2020 IV 100.4 r 99.3 r 99.0 126.3 111.0 125.9 r

 III 99.6 r 97.2 r 97.6 122.7 108.4 123.2 r

 II 91.2 r 82.4 r 90.4 128.0 114.3 140.4 r

 I 95.9 r 99.6 r 103.8 120.1 106.4 125.2 r

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See footnotes following Table 6. August 9, 2022

r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
-12-

 

Table 5. Nondurable manufacturing sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor

costs, seasonally adjusted.

 Real

Year Labor Hourly hourly Unit

and produc- Hours compensa- compensa- labor

quarter tivity Output worked tion (1) tion (2) costs

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)

2022 II 5.4 2.6 -2.6 4.0 -5.9 -1.3 

 I -1.1 r 2.0 r 3.0 r 5.5 -3.4 r 6.6 r

2021 ANNUAL -0.2 r 3.5 r 3.6 5.3 0.6 5.5 r

2021 IV -3.5 r 5.1 r 9.0 8.7 0.7 12.7 r

 III -2.9 r 0.8 r 3.8 14.1 6.9 17.5 r

 II 9.8 r 11.2 r 1.3 7.2 -0.8 -2.3 r

 I -2.4 r -1.3 r 1.1 -2.2 -6.0 0.2 r

2020 ANNUAL -0.4 -4.9 -4.5 7.3 6.0 7.7 

2020 IV -2.9 r 7.7 r 10.9 7.0 4.7 10.2 r

 III -0.9 r 19.8 r 21.0 -4.4 -8.8 -3.5 r

 II -1.0 r -30.7 r -30.0 26.3 30.6 27.6 r

 I 4.6 r -1.8 r -6.1 9.5 8.1 4.6 r

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year

2022 II -0.6 2.6 3.2 8.0 -0.5 8.6 

 I 0.4 r 4.7 r 4.2 r 8.8 0.8 8.4 r

2021 ANNUAL -0.2 r 3.5 r 3.6 5.3 0.6 5.5 r

2021 IV 0.1 r 3.9 r 3.8 6.8 0.1 6.7 r

 III 0.3 r 4.5 r 4.2 6.4 1.1 6.1 r

 II 0.8 r 9.1 r 8.3 1.8 -2.9 1.0 r

 I -1.8 r -3.0 r -1.3 6.0 4.1 8.0 r

2020 ANNUAL -0.4 -4.9 -4.5 7.3 6.0 7.7 

2020 IV -0.1 r -3.2 r -3.1 9.1 7.8 9.1 r

 III -0.1 r -5.4 r -5.3 7.6 6.3 7.8 r

 II -0.3 r -9.5 r -9.2 9.1 8.6 9.5 r

 I -1.1 r -1.5 r -0.4 3.6 1.4 4.7 r

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Indexes 2012=100

2022 II 97.6 104.6 107.1 137.0 107.6 140.3 

 I 96.4 r 103.9 r 107.8 r 135.7 r 109.3 r 140.8 r

2021 ANNUAL 97.1 r 101.7 r 104.8 129.1 109.2 133.1 r

2021 IV 96.6 r 103.4 r 107.0 133.9 110.2 138.6 r

 III 97.5 r 102.1 r 104.8 131.1 110.0 134.5 r

 II 98.2 r 101.9 r 103.8 126.9 108.2 129.2 r

 I 96.0 r 99.3 r 103.4 124.7 108.4 129.9 r

2020 ANNUAL 97.2 98.3 101.1 122.6 108.6 126.1 

2020 IV 96.5 r 99.6 r 103.2 125.4 110.1 129.9 r

 III 97.2 r 97.7 r 100.5 123.2 108.9 126.7 r

 II 97.5 r 93.4 r 95.8 124.7 111.4 127.9 r

 I 97.7 r 102.4 r 104.8 117.6 104.2 120.3 r

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See footnotes following Table 6. August 9, 2022

r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
-13-

 

Table 6. Nonfinancial corporate sector: Labor productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs,

unit profits, and prices, seasonally adjusted.

 Real

 Hourly hourly Unit Total Implicit

Year Labor compen- compen- Unit nonlabor unit Unit price

and produc- Hours sation sation labor costs costs profits deflator

quarter tivity Output worked (1) (2) costs (6) (7) (8) (4)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate (5)

2022 I -4.6 r 1.1 r 5.9 r 4.3 r -4.4 r 9.3 r 26.6 r 14.3 r -2.1 r 11.7 r

2021 ANNUAL 4.6 9.7 4.9 5.3 0.6 0.7 4.7 1.9 23.0 4.6 

2021 IV 1.1 5.0 3.9 9.8 1.8 8.7 24.0 13.0 -3.7 10.2 

 III 1.8 6.7 4.8 9.2 2.3 7.2 14.4 9.3 0.4 7.8 

 II 1.6 5.7 4.1 9.3 1.1 7.6 -14.4 0.7 58.8 7.9 

 I 3.2 8.9 5.6 -1.8 -5.6 -4.8 18.7 1.6 30.0 5.1 

2020 ANNUAL 2.2 -4.2 -6.2 6.9 5.5 4.6 -10.6 -0.2 2.4 0.1 

2020 IV 17.1 28.4 9.6 8.4 6.1 -7.4 53.3 6.3 -31.4 -0.2 

 III -0.3 31.7 32.1 -5.2 -9.5 -4.9 -21.4 -9.6 206.1 6.2 

 II 2.7 -39.0 -40.6 23.7 28.0 20.5 -49.3 -6.5 -9.1 -6.8 

 I 0.7 -3.3 -4.0 7.4 6.0 6.6 4.2 5.8 -35.4 -0.4 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year

2022 I -0.1 r 4.6 r 4.7 8.1 0.2 r 8.2 r 11.4 r 9.2 r 10.7 r 9.4 

2021 ANNUAL 4.6 9.7 4.9 5.3 0.6 0.7 4.7 1.9 23.0 4.6 

2021 IV 1.9 6.6 4.6 6.5 -0.2 4.5 9.6 6.0 18.9 7.7 

 III 5.7 12.1 6.0 6.2 0.9 0.4 15.5 4.4 9.2 5.1 

 II 5.2 18.1 12.3 2.5 -2.2 -2.5 5.2 -0.4 44.3 4.7 

 I 5.5 3.0 -2.4 5.7 3.8 0.2 -7.7 -2.3 25.5 1.0 

2020 ANNUAL 2.2 -4.2 -6.2 6.9 5.5 4.6 -10.6 -0.2 2.4 0.1 

2020 IV 4.8 -0.1 -4.7 8.1 6.8 3.1 -10.7 -1.2 5.4 -0.4 

 III 1.3 -5.6 -6.8 7.1 5.8 5.8 -20.3 -2.5 18.3 0.1 

 II 1.5 -11.6 -12.9 8.8 8.4 7.3 -14.2 0.4 -10.0 -0.9 

 I 1.0 0.4 -0.6 3.7 1.5 2.6 2.1 2.4 -4.9 1.5 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Indexes 2012=100

2022 I 112.5 r 127.6 r 113.4 r 144.0 r 116.0 r 128.0 r 112.2 r 122.7 r 126.1 r 123.2 r

2021 ANNUAL 113.3 124.7 110.1 137.8 116.5 121.6 100.9 114.7 124.1 116.1 

2021 IV 113.8 127.2 111.8 142.5 117.3 125.2 105.7 118.7 126.7 119.9 

 III 113.5 125.7 110.8 139.2 116.8 122.6 100.2 115.1 127.9 117.0 

 II 113.0 123.7 109.5 136.1 116.1 120.5 96.9 112.6 127.8 114.8 

 I 112.6 122.0 108.4 133.1 115.8 118.3 100.7 112.4 113.8 112.6 

2020 ANNUAL 108.3 113.7 105.0 130.8 115.8 120.8 96.3 112.6 100.9 111.0 

2020 IV 111.7 119.4 106.9 133.7 117.5 119.8 96.5 112.0 106.6 111.2 

 III 107.4 112.2 104.5 131.1 115.8 122.1 86.7 110.3 117.2 111.3 

 II 107.4 104.7 97.5 132.8 118.7 123.6 92.1 113.1 88.6 109.6 

 I 106.7 118.5 111.0 125.9 111.6 118.0 109.1 115.0 90.7 111.6 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See footnotes following Table 6. August 9, 2022

r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
-14-

 

SOURCES: Output data are from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Census Bureau of the U.S. 

Department of Commerce; the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor; and the Federal 

Reserve Board. Hours and compensation data are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of

Economic Analysis.

SIZE OF REVISIONS: Productivity and cost measures are revised on a regular schedule as more 

complete data become available. The first estimate is published within 40 days of the close of the 

reference quarter, the second estimate approximately 30 days later, and the third estimate approximately 

60 days after the second estimate. Based on past revisions, the third estimate of nonfarm business sector 

quarterly labor productivity growth has differed from the first estimate by -1.1 to +1.4 percentage point 

about 80 percent of the time. This interval is based on estimates for reference quarters from the first 

quarter of 2001 to the first quarter of 2022. For more about revisions to labor productivity growth see 

“How large are revisions to estimates of quarterly labor productivity growth?” at 

www.bls.gov/osmr/research-papers/2021/ec210040.htm.

Table Footnotes

(1) Wages and salaries of employees plus employers' contributions for social insurance and private

benefit plans. Except for nonfinancial corporations, where there are no self-employed, data also include

an estimate of wages, salaries, and supplemental payments for the self-employed.

(2) The change for recent quarters is based on the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers 

(CPI-U). The trend from 1978-2021 is based on the Consumer Price Index Retroactive series (CPI-URS).

(3) Unit nonlabor payments include profits, consumption of fixed capital, taxes on production and 

imports less subsidies, net interest and miscellaneous payments, business current transfer payments, 

rental income of persons, and the current surplus of government enterprises.

(4) Current dollar output divided by the output index.

(5) Quarterly changes: Percent change compounded at annual rate is calculated using index numbers to 

three decimal places. Indexes published in the news release are rounded to one decimal place for

convenience. Annual changes: Percent change is calculated using annual indexes to three decimal 

places.

(6) Unit nonlabor costs include consumption of fixed capital, taxes on production and imports less 

subsidies, net interest and miscellaneous payments, and business current transfer payments.

(7) Total unit costs are the sum of unit labor and nonlabor costs.

(8) Unit profits include corporate profits before tax with inventory valuation and capital consumption 

adjustment.