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Nonfarm employment up 339,000 in May 2023

June 06, 2023

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 339,000 in May 2023, in line with the average monthly gain of 341,000 over the prior 12 months. In May, employment increases occurred in professional and business services, government, health care, construction, transportation and warehousing, and social assistance.

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Chart Data

Employment by industry, January 2018–May 2023
Month	Total nonfarm	Professional and business services	Health care	Leisure and hospitality	Retail trade	Local government	Manufacturing	Financial activities
Jan 2018	147,670,000	20,787,000	15,859,200	16,209,000	15,709,200	14,428,000	12,561,000	8,503,000
Feb 2018	148,058,000	20,825,000	15,886,700	16,231,000	15,756,900	14,473,000	12,584,000	8,527,000
Mar 2018	148,281,000	20,872,000	15,901,000	16,239,000	15,772,400	14,471,000	12,610,000	8,538,000
Apr 2018	148,426,000	20,920,000	15,917,900	16,226,000	15,772,700	14,467,000	12,631,000	8,546,000
May 2018	148,755,000	20,980,000	15,945,000	16,261,000	15,788,100	14,482,000	12,657,000	8,572,000
Jun 2018	148,966,000	21,029,000	15,957,600	16,310,000	15,740,700	14,505,000	12,691,000	8,590,000
Jul 2018	149,022,000	21,041,000	15,963,400	16,329,000	15,725,000	14,462,000	12,711,000	8,600,000
Aug 2018	149,272,000	21,080,000	15,986,500	16,343,000	15,725,500	14,493,000	12,725,000	8,612,000
Sep 2018	149,361,000	21,111,000	16,000,800	16,325,000	15,686,200	14,486,000	12,744,000	8,629,000
Oct 2018	149,526,000	21,134,000	16,026,400	16,356,000	15,643,400	14,491,000	12,767,000	8,643,000
Nov 2018	149,622,000	21,138,000	16,041,300	16,361,000	15,686,700	14,499,000	12,777,000	8,651,000
Dec 2018	149,805,000	21,157,000	16,087,700	16,412,000	15,632,600	14,527,000	12,796,000	8,661,000
Jan 2019	150,114,000	21,163,000	16,118,800	16,517,000	15,612,200	14,546,000	12,833,000	8,675,000
Feb 2019	150,092,000	21,191,000	16,135,100	16,498,000	15,593,000	14,543,000	12,822,000	8,683,000
Mar 2019	150,320,000	21,216,000	16,177,700	16,523,000	15,578,500	14,568,000	12,822,000	8,705,000
Apr 2019	150,563,000	21,269,000	16,201,000	16,520,000	15,573,300	14,590,000	12,820,000	8,724,000
May 2019	150,630,000	21,314,000	16,223,400	16,505,000	15,558,700	14,593,000	12,815,000	8,736,000
Jun 2019	150,797,000	21,363,000	16,259,600	16,499,000	15,530,600	14,572,000	12,820,000	8,749,000
Jul 2019	150,879,000	21,384,000	16,279,200	16,511,000	15,528,300	14,520,000	12,826,000	8,770,000
Aug 2019	151,111,000	21,413,000	16,312,300	16,574,000	15,519,300	14,547,000	12,825,000	8,786,000
Sep 2019	151,318,000	21,421,000	16,347,000	16,645,000	15,525,600	14,574,000	12,823,000	8,785,000
Oct 2019	151,447,000	21,425,000	16,357,300	16,710,000	15,536,100	14,600,000	12,772,000	8,800,000
Nov 2019	151,662,000	21,432,000	16,398,500	16,745,000	15,527,800	14,625,000	12,815,000	8,816,000
Dec 2019	151,764,000	21,422,000	16,421,100	16,794,000	15,544,800	14,639,000	12,801,000	8,821,000
Jan 2020	152,098,000	21,424,000	16,455,300	16,853,000	15,528,600	14,656,000	12,790,000	8,838,000
Feb 2020	152,371,000	21,437,000	16,480,900	16,945,000	15,519,900	14,699,000	12,785,000	8,869,000
Mar 2020	150,944,000	21,353,000	16,395,900	16,198,000	15,431,000	14,699,000	12,720,000	8,852,000
Apr 2020	130,430,000	19,170,000	14,877,100	8,710,000	13,253,800	13,930,000	11,414,000	8,589,000
May 2020	133,055,000	19,364,000	15,199,600	9,945,000	13,639,200	13,458,000	11,646,000	8,605,000
Jun 2020	137,620,000	19,734,000	15,570,300	11,754,000	14,440,700	13,462,000	11,977,000	8,622,000
Jul 2020	139,064,000	19,926,000	15,699,500	12,261,000	14,663,200	13,531,000	12,018,000	8,622,000
Aug 2020	140,799,000	20,111,000	15,789,900	12,542,000	14,957,400	13,737,000	12,044,000	8,647,000
Sep 2020	141,760,000	20,231,000	15,852,800	13,029,000	14,998,100	13,702,000	12,101,000	8,676,000
Oct 2020	142,479,000	20,449,000	15,910,000	13,271,000	15,107,800	13,716,000	12,125,000	8,698,000
Nov 2020	142,743,000	20,553,000	15,944,600	13,289,000	15,113,700	13,718,000	12,159,000	8,708,000
Dec 2020	142,475,000	20,710,000	16,004,800	12,780,000	15,117,700	13,696,000	12,199,000	8,720,000
Jan 2021	142,969,000	20,854,000	15,932,300	12,835,000	15,177,300	13,732,000	12,196,000	8,734,000
Feb 2021	143,544,000	20,940,000	15,954,700	13,207,000	15,207,600	13,745,000	12,222,000	8,723,000
Mar 2021	144,328,000	21,067,000	16,000,300	13,352,000	15,233,900	13,794,000	12,270,000	8,733,000
Apr 2021	144,614,000	21,048,000	16,000,100	13,558,000	15,201,700	13,839,000	12,228,000	8,753,000
May 2021	145,096,000	21,131,000	16,005,000	13,782,000	15,220,500	13,860,000	12,259,000	8,760,000
Jun 2021	145,789,000	21,234,000	15,994,800	14,055,000	15,256,400	13,920,000	12,276,000	8,767,000
Jul 2021	146,558,000	21,397,000	16,005,900	14,339,000	15,222,600	13,986,000	12,349,000	8,804,000
Aug 2021	147,221,000	21,500,000	16,010,500	14,565,000	15,234,500	14,061,000	12,395,000	8,821,000
Sep 2021	147,778,000	21,592,000	15,982,300	14,765,000	15,305,400	14,049,000	12,437,000	8,850,000
Oct 2021	148,559,000	21,821,000	16,003,500	14,931,000	15,359,000	14,028,000	12,496,000	8,877,000
Nov 2021	149,173,000	21,960,000	16,024,500	15,108,000	15,354,000	14,036,000	12,540,000	8,912,000
Dec 2021	149,742,000	22,069,000	16,035,300	15,258,000	15,365,200	14,070,000	12,584,000	8,935,000
Jan 2022	150,106,000	22,164,000	16,037,300	15,374,000	15,395,300	14,100,000	12,617,000	8,941,000
Feb 2022	151,010,000	22,306,000	16,098,500	15,536,000	15,564,100	14,120,000	12,654,000	8,982,000
Mar 2022	151,424,000	22,439,000	16,118,300	15,590,000	15,542,000	14,137,000	12,716,000	8,997,000
Apr 2022	151,678,000	22,421,000	16,155,000	15,626,000	15,504,600	14,153,000	12,768,000	9,034,000
May 2022	152,042,000	22,493,000	16,187,900	15,699,000	15,453,200	14,162,000	12,789,000	9,040,000
Jun 2022	152,412,000	22,582,000	16,246,500	15,774,000	15,467,300	14,169,000	12,819,000	9,043,000
Jul 2022	152,980,000	22,659,000	16,320,200	15,887,000	15,476,700	14,215,000	12,860,000	9,057,000
Aug 2022	153,332,000	22,707,000	16,378,600	15,935,000	15,513,400	14,257,000	12,891,000	9,066,000
Sep 2022	153,682,000	22,755,000	16,429,300	16,074,000	15,502,300	14,255,000	12,917,000	9,068,000
Oct 2022	154,006,000	22,791,000	16,487,100	16,135,000	15,496,700	14,287,000	12,954,000	9,086,000
Nov 2022	154,296,000	22,791,000	16,543,300	16,258,000	15,451,100	14,335,000	12,968,000	9,097,000
Dec 2022	154,535,000	22,814,000	16,591,300	16,316,000	15,477,800	14,370,000	12,974,000	9,101,000
Jan 2023	155,007,000	22,858,000	16,645,300	16,415,000	15,500,100	14,408,000	12,985,000	9,100,000
Feb 2023	155,255,000	22,879,000	16,681,800	16,472,000	15,548,100	14,435,000	12,988,000	9,100,000
Mar 2023	155,472,000	22,924,000	16,718,000	16,518,000	15,529,200	14,464,000	12,976,000	9,095,000
Apr 2023	155,766,000	22,989,000	16,759,800	16,548,000	15,539,200	14,488,000	12,986,000	9,120,000
May 2023	156,105,000	23,053,000	16,812,200	16,596,000	15,550,800	14,518,000	12,984,000	9,130,000
Note: Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary.

Employment by industry, January 2018–May 2023, continued
Month	Construction	Transportation and warehousing	Wholesale trade	Other services	State government	Social assistance	Educational services	Information
Jan 2018	7,093,000	5,290,300	5,824,100	5,809,000	5,152,000	3,877,100	3,703,300	2,817,000
Feb 2018	7,184,000	5,314,300	5,826,400	5,814,000	5,156,000	3,898,100	3,710,200	2,819,000
Mar 2018	7,194,000	5,353,100	5,839,900	5,816,000	5,164,000	3,914,400	3,708,400	2,826,000
Apr 2018	7,212,000	5,373,200	5,815,600	5,824,000	5,177,000	3,920,600	3,706,700	2,838,000
May 2018	7,274,000	5,404,200	5,820,900	5,835,000	5,174,000	3,931,700	3,714,100	2,841,000
Jun 2018	7,292,000	5,425,500	5,823,700	5,844,000	5,179,000	3,939,500	3,719,000	2,838,000
Jul 2018	7,318,000	5,433,400	5,836,600	5,829,000	5,175,000	3,954,700	3,723,000	2,841,000
Aug 2018	7,347,000	5,468,100	5,854,900	5,829,000	5,174,000	3,974,300	3,728,600	2,840,000
Sep 2018	7,375,000	5,488,600	5,850,900	5,838,000	5,183,000	3,992,700	3,717,600	2,838,000
Oct 2018	7,389,000	5,516,900	5,857,400	5,841,000	5,183,000	4,010,700	3,717,900	2,850,000
Nov 2018	7,386,000	5,536,100	5,865,800	5,839,000	5,165,000	4,022,900	3,705,500	2,850,000
Dec 2018	7,396,000	5,521,600	5,870,600	5,846,000	5,176,000	4,045,500	3,722,400	2,851,000
Jan 2019	7,424,000	5,588,700	5,881,000	5,853,000	5,174,000	4,052,100	3,732,000	2,842,000
Feb 2019	7,396,000	5,569,400	5,888,300	5,854,000	5,183,000	4,062,900	3,728,300	2,844,000
Mar 2019	7,422,000	5,589,900	5,886,000	5,875,000	5,192,000	4,084,200	3,726,600	2,850,000
Apr 2019	7,459,000	5,620,900	5,889,800	5,891,000	5,192,000	4,117,200	3,737,000	2,846,000
May 2019	7,486,000	5,644,100	5,886,200	5,887,000	5,151,000	4,128,000	3,737,700	2,854,000
Jun 2019	7,511,000	5,678,300	5,878,000	5,897,000	5,171,000	4,139,000	3,736,400	2,873,000
Jul 2019	7,525,000	5,688,000	5,887,600	5,901,000	5,192,000	4,152,300	3,741,200	2,866,000
Aug 2019	7,530,000	5,696,000	5,885,500	5,900,000	5,212,000	4,180,700	3,737,700	2,867,000
Sep 2019	7,551,000	5,709,200	5,886,900	5,902,000	5,219,000	4,189,500	3,749,800	2,872,000
Oct 2019	7,556,000	5,717,900	5,896,600	5,895,000	5,237,000	4,215,200	3,752,000	2,873,000
Nov 2019	7,545,000	5,729,600	5,895,200	5,912,000	5,247,000	4,236,700	3,757,100	2,883,000
Dec 2019	7,528,000	5,747,100	5,898,300	5,915,000	5,248,000	4,255,900	3,758,900	2,891,000
Jan 2020	7,580,000	5,807,700	5,898,900	5,935,000	5,271,000	4,271,600	3,797,300	2,901,000
Feb 2020	7,608,000	5,785,700	5,892,900	5,940,000	5,317,000	4,297,300	3,798,000	2,908,000
Mar 2020	7,539,000	5,805,300	5,878,300	5,850,000	5,266,000	4,254,800	3,703,300	2,899,000
Apr 2020	6,527,000	5,286,900	5,487,000	4,512,000	5,117,000	3,600,000	3,275,000	2,640,000
May 2020	7,009,000	5,307,300	5,502,800	4,741,000	5,060,000	3,658,700	3,294,600	2,610,000
Jun 2020	7,170,000	5,435,100	5,538,800	5,093,000	5,061,000	3,769,600	3,368,000	2,622,000
Jul 2020	7,195,000	5,490,300	5,521,200	5,233,000	5,071,000	3,825,800	3,375,600	2,617,000
Aug 2020	7,225,000	5,590,500	5,537,100	5,287,000	5,116,000	3,869,500	3,444,400	2,642,000
Sep 2020	7,256,000	5,658,900	5,564,300	5,334,000	5,095,000	3,918,700	3,421,600	2,698,000
Oct 2020	7,310,000	5,740,200	5,575,700	5,352,000	5,073,000	3,949,500	3,431,100	2,695,000
Nov 2020	7,317,000	5,843,500	5,589,500	5,342,000	5,074,000	3,966,500	3,437,500	2,702,000
Dec 2020	7,355,000	5,848,700	5,601,300	5,311,000	5,080,000	3,973,900	3,369,300	2,715,000
Jan 2021	7,363,000	5,885,600	5,614,300	5,322,000	5,162,000	3,968,700	3,464,100	2,749,000
Feb 2021	7,291,000	5,936,700	5,623,200	5,325,000	5,167,000	3,991,000	3,481,300	2,765,000
Mar 2021	7,395,000	6,015,900	5,637,600	5,342,000	5,195,000	4,014,400	3,522,900	2,770,000
Apr 2021	7,406,000	6,003,000	5,653,200	5,369,000	5,191,000	4,045,100	3,527,400	2,792,000
May 2021	7,394,000	6,035,500	5,671,000	5,378,000	5,179,000	4,060,200	3,549,900	2,820,000
Jun 2021	7,400,000	6,087,400	5,693,100	5,444,000	5,190,000	4,069,100	3,571,000	2,837,000
Jul 2021	7,415,000	6,137,500	5,719,300	5,485,000	5,163,000	4,079,300	3,595,000	2,866,000
Aug 2021	7,431,000	6,198,600	5,737,100	5,520,000	5,149,000	4,080,400	3,617,400	2,902,000
Sep 2021	7,472,000	6,257,600	5,757,100	5,534,000	5,138,000	4,114,500	3,610,600	2,917,000
Oct 2021	7,514,000	6,331,600	5,778,000	5,563,000	5,132,000	4,122,400	3,677,200	2,934,000
Nov 2021	7,560,000	6,383,300	5,800,000	5,592,000	5,120,000	4,133,300	3,692,800	2,955,000
Dec 2021	7,594,000	6,444,400	5,830,900	5,613,000	5,113,000	4,153,300	3,703,000	2,973,000
Jan 2022	7,590,000	6,489,200	5,854,700	5,606,000	5,101,000	4,130,400	3,719,600	2,985,000
Feb 2022	7,669,000	6,563,300	5,882,000	5,649,000	5,088,000	4,165,000	3,732,800	2,992,000
Mar 2022	7,692,000	6,588,700	5,917,900	5,660,000	5,063,000	4,189,200	3,742,800	3,018,000
Apr 2022	7,698,000	6,621,900	5,942,800	5,671,000	5,077,000	4,196,800	3,752,900	3,035,000
May 2022	7,736,000	6,667,200	5,961,100	5,681,000	5,092,000	4,220,800	3,772,200	3,067,000
Jun 2022	7,749,000	6,684,200	5,966,300	5,691,000	5,090,000	4,242,400	3,788,500	3,089,000
Jul 2022	7,773,000	6,703,600	5,982,300	5,723,000	5,103,000	4,270,500	3,813,100	3,102,000
Aug 2022	7,781,000	6,712,100	5,995,500	5,727,000	5,109,000	4,290,200	3,827,300	3,110,000
Sep 2022	7,797,000	6,721,800	6,003,800	5,748,000	5,115,000	4,311,200	3,835,400	3,113,000
Oct 2022	7,814,000	6,741,700	6,019,600	5,756,000	5,104,000	4,327,400	3,846,500	3,116,000
Nov 2022	7,833,000	6,704,600	6,019,200	5,785,000	5,116,000	4,353,800	3,859,200	3,129,000
Dec 2022	7,859,000	6,704,900	6,028,800	5,798,000	5,087,000	4,378,900	3,856,300	3,120,000
Jan 2023	7,885,000	6,736,600	6,037,700	5,819,000	5,156,000	4,402,200	3,890,400	3,097,000
Feb 2023	7,899,000	6,718,900	6,044,400	5,824,000	5,175,000	4,420,200	3,900,400	3,089,000
Mar 2023	7,890,000	6,735,100	6,047,900	5,838,000	5,195,000	4,439,900	3,914,400	3,092,000
Apr 2023	7,903,000	6,738,800	6,050,300	5,840,000	5,207,000	4,467,200	3,930,300	3,093,000
May 2023	7,928,000	6,763,000	6,051,400	5,850,000	5,226,000	4,489,400	3,952,600	3,084,000
Note: Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary.

Employment by industry, January 2018–May 2023, continued
Month	Federal government	Mining and logging	Utilities
Jan 2018	2,794,000	700,000	553,400
Feb 2018	2,790,000	706,000	556,200
Mar 2018	2,792,000	714,000	555,500
Apr 2018	2,800,000	722,000	556,800
May 2018	2,793,000	726,000	555,400
Jun 2018	2,798,000	730,000	554,500
Jul 2018	2,799,000	730,000	551,200
Aug 2018	2,801,000	739,000	551,200
Sep 2018	2,805,000	739,000	551,100
Oct 2018	2,805,000	742,000	551,800
Nov 2018	2,809,000	737,000	551,700
Dec 2018	2,808,000	743,000	551,100
Jan 2019	2,804,000	747,000	551,100
Feb 2019	2,810,000	741,000	550,000
Mar 2019	2,813,000	740,000	550,400
Apr 2019	2,828,000	738,000	547,300
May 2019	2,825,000	737,000	549,300
Jun 2019	2,834,000	734,000	551,700
Jul 2019	2,830,000	727,000	550,500
Aug 2019	2,855,000	721,000	549,500
Sep 2019	2,852,000	718,000	548,100
Oct 2019	2,838,000	719,000	546,500
Nov 2019	2,842,000	708,000	547,700
Dec 2019	2,836,000	694,000	548,900
Jan 2020	2,856,000	688,000	547,100
Feb 2020	2,855,000	686,000	547,500
Mar 2020	2,876,000	676,000	547,300
Apr 2020	2,880,000	619,000	542,400
May 2020	2,878,000	594,000	542,200
Jun 2020	2,884,000	579,000	539,500
Jul 2020	2,907,000	568,000	539,200
Aug 2020	3,158,000	560,000	541,300
Sep 2020	3,122,000	559,000	542,900
Oct 2020	2,978,000	556,000	541,700
Nov 2020	2,889,000	554,000	542,000
Dec 2020	2,895,000	557,000	541,500
Jan 2021	2,887,000	550,000	542,300
Feb 2021	2,881,000	541,000	542,500
Mar 2021	2,887,000	554,000	543,200
Apr 2021	2,899,000	556,000	543,800
May 2021	2,891,000	556,000	544,200
Jun 2021	2,889,000	560,000	544,800
Jul 2021	2,888,000	561,000	545,500
Aug 2021	2,890,000	564,000	544,900
Sep 2021	2,887,000	564,000	546,100
Oct 2021	2,877,000	568,000	546,700
Nov 2021	2,882,000	572,000	547,500
Dec 2021	2,873,000	579,000	548,100
Jan 2022	2,874,000	578,000	550,200
Feb 2022	2,874,000	583,000	551,200
Mar 2022	2,873,000	589,000	551,700
Apr 2022	2,871,000	598,000	551,800
May 2022	2,868,000	600,000	552,500
Jun 2022	2,851,000	607,000	552,900
Jul 2022	2,867,000	613,000	554,200
Aug 2022	2,865,000	611,000	555,500
Sep 2022	2,867,000	613,000	555,600
Oct 2022	2,871,000	616,000	556,900
Nov 2022	2,873,000	624,000	556,000
Dec 2022	2,874,000	628,000	555,300
Jan 2023	2,886,000	632,000	553,700
Feb 2023	2,895,000	633,000	552,600
Mar 2023	2,906,000	635,000	554,300
Apr 2023	2,911,000	640,000	555,800
May 2023	2,918,000	643,000	555,900
Note: Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary.

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Professional and business services added 64,000 jobs, following an increase of similar size in April. Health care added 52,000 jobs in May, similar to the average monthly gain over the prior 12 months. Construction added 25,000 jobs in May 2023; over the prior 12 months construction employment increased by 17,000 jobs per month, on average. Employment in transportation and warehousing increased by 24,000 in May, but has shown no clear trend in recent months. Employment in social assistance rose by 22,000, in line with the average monthly gain over the prior 12 months.

Total government employment increased by 56,000 in May, compared with the average monthly gain of 42,000 over the prior 12 months. Within government, local government increased 30,000 and state government was up 19,000. In May 2023, government employment was below its pre-pandemic February 2020 level.

Employment in leisure and hospitality continued to trend up, largely in food services and drinking places. Employment in leisure and hospitality remained below its February 2020 level.

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. To learn more, see "The Employment Situation — May 2023." Also see more charts of national employment, hours, and earnings data.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Nonfarm employment up 339,000 in May 2023 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2023/nonfarm-employment-up-339000-in-may-2023.htm (visited May 02, 2024).

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