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Economic News Release
PRINT:Print
Productivity Productivity Program Links

Productivity and Costs by Industry: Selected Service-Providing Industries News Release

For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, May 17, 2018                                                    USDL-18-0787

Technical information: 	(202) 691-5606 • productivity@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/lpc 
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov


                                          PRODUCTIVITY AND COSTS BY INDUSTRY
                                     SELECTED SERVICE-PROVIDING INDUSTRIES - 2017


Labor productivity rose in 20 of 28 selected service-providing industries in 2017, the U.S. Bureau of 
Labor Statistics reported today, the same as in 2016. Output increased in 19 industries in 2017, fewer 
than in 2016, while hours increased in more industries.  

Long term measures of productivity and cost through 2016 are available for 58 industries.

Trends in Labor Productivity in 2017

    *  Labor productivity increased in 20 of 28 industries in 2017. Among those with increasing 
       productivity, output grew in 16 industries. 
    *  Hours worked grew in 16 of the 28 industries.
    *  Productivity gains of at least 7.0 percent occurred in 3 industries where output increases 
       coincided with declines in hours worked: amusement parks and arcades (13.7 percent), wireless 
       telecommunications carriers (11.1 percent), and gambling industries (7.9 percent).
    *  Hours worked increased in 7 out of the 8 industries which recorded declines in productivity. Of 
       these, the largest gains in hours worked were in truck, trailer, and RV rental and leasing (6.8 
       percent); couriers and messengers (5.5 percent); and water, sewage and other systems (4.4 percent).

Unit labor costs declined in 9 industries in 2017. Each of the industries with declines in unit labor 
cost also recorded increases in productivity. Increases in labor productivity counter the impact of 
rising hourly compensation on unit labor costs facing employers.

Trends in Unit Labor Costs in 2017

    *  Unit labor costs fell in 9 industries in 2017. 
    *  All unit labor cost declines occurred in industries where productivity rose. 
    *  Each of the industries where productivity fell also recorded an increase in unit labor costs. 
    *  Hourly compensation rose in 24 of the 28 industries measured. 

Long Term Productivity Trends 

    *  Over the long term, productivity rose in 45 out of 58 service-providing industries. For the 
       majority of the industries studied, this period extends from 1987 to 2016. 
    *  Median long term productivity growth for all 58 industries was approximately 1.7 percent 
       per year.
    *  Output increased over the long term in 44 industries while hours worked increased in 37 
       industries. 
    *  Productivity increased in 39 of the 58 industries in the period from 2007 to 2016 that began with 
       a severe recession. Only 36 industries had increases in output and 24 experienced growth in hours 
       worked. 

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* Access more productivity data using the data dashboard,                                                  *
* at https://www.bls.gov/lpc/lpc_by_industry_dashboard.xlsx                                                *
*      - Additional industries and sectors                                                                 *
*      - Detailed data series: indexes of productivity and related measures; rates of change; and          *
*        levels of industry employment, hours worked, nominal value of production, and labor compensation  *
*      - Additional years and long-term data                                                               *
*                                                                                                          *
* Questions?                                                                                               *
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* Additional information can be obtained by calling the BLS productivity program at (202) 691-5606 or by   *
* sending an email to productivity@bls.gov. Information in this release will be made available to sensory  *
* impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.   *
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                                       Technical Note

Labor Productivity:  Labor productivity describes the relationship between real output and the 
labor hours involved in its production. These measures show the changes from period to period in 
the amount of goods and services produced per hour worked. Although the labor productivity 
measures relate output in an industry to hours worked of all persons in that industry, they do not 
measure the specific contribution of labor to growth in output. Rather, they reflect the joint effects 
of many influences, including: changes in technology; capital investment; utilization of capacity, 
energy, and materials; the use of purchased services inputs, including contract employment 
services; the organization of production; the characteristics and effort of the workforce; and 
managerial skill.

Unit Labor Costs:  Unit labor costs represent the cost of labor required to produce one unit of 
output. The unit labor cost indexes are computed by dividing an index of nominal industry labor 
compensation by an index of real industry output. Unit labor costs also describe the relationship 
between compensation per hour and real output per hour (labor productivity). Increases in hourly 
compensation increase unit labor costs; increases in labor productivity offset compensation 
increases and reduce unit labor costs.

Output:  Industry output is measured as an annual-weighted index of the changes in the various 
products (in real terms) provided for sale outside the industry. Real industry output is usually 
derived by deflating nominal sales or values of production using BLS price indexes, but for some 
industries it is measured by physical quantities of output. 

Industry output measures are constructed primarily using data from the economic censuses and 
annual surveys of the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce, together with 
information on price changes from BLS. Other data sources include:  the Energy Information 
Administration, U.S. Department of Energy; the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. 
Department of Transportation; the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior; the 
U.S. Postal Service; the Postal Rate Commission; and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. 
Data from the Quarterly Service Survey from the Census Bureau are used to 
construct preliminary output measures for 2017 for some industries.

Labor Hours:  Labor hours are measured as annual hours worked by all employed persons in an 
industry. Data on industry employment and hours come primarily from the BLS Current 
Employment Statistics (CES) survey and Current Population Survey (CPS). CES data on the 
number of total and production worker jobs held by wage and salary workers in nonfarm 
establishments are supplemented with CPS self-employed and unpaid family worker data to 
estimate industry employment. Hours worked estimates are derived using CES and CPS 
employment, CES data on the average weekly hours paid of production workers, CPS data on 
hours of nonproduction, self-employed, and unpaid family workers, and ratios of hours worked to 
hours paid based on data from the National Compensation Survey (NCS). For some industries, 
employment and hours data are supplemented or further disaggregated using data from the BLS 
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), the Census Bureau, or other sources. 
Additional sources of employment and hours data for certain service industries include the 
Association of American Railroads, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Postal 
Service. Hours worked are estimated separately for different types of workers and then are directly 
aggregated; no adjustments for labor composition are made.

Labor Compensation:  Labor compensation, defined as payroll plus supplemental payments, is a 
measure of the cost to the employer of securing the services of labor. Payroll includes salaries, 
wages, commissions, dismissal pay, bonuses, vacation and sick leave pay, and compensation in 
kind. Supplemental payments include both legally required expenditures and payments for 
voluntary programs. The legally required portion consists primarily of federal old age and 
survivors’ insurance, unemployment compensation, and workers’ compensation. Payments for 
voluntary programs include all programs not specifically required by legislation, such as the 
employer portion of private health insurance and pension plans. Industry compensation measures 
are constructed primarily using data from the economic censuses and annual surveys of the Census 
Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce. The estimates for 2017 are constructed using data from 
the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW).







Table 1.  Recent labor productivity, unit labor costs, and related data





	Industry
	2012 NAICS code
	2017
Employment
(thousands)		
	Percent change, 2016-2017




	Labor productivity
	Unit labor costs
	Output
	Hours worked
	Labor compensation








	
Utilities

				





	




	
Utilities

	
22

	554.8
	-1.4
	5.8
	-1.7
	-0.2
	4.0





	
Utilities

	
221

	554.8
	-1.4
	5.8
	-1.7
	-0.2
	4.0





	
Power generation and supply

	
2211

	391.0
	-1.5
	6.3
	-2.1
	-0.6
	4.1





	
Natural gas distribution

	
2212

	113.3
	0.4
	3.5
	-0.3
	-0.7
	3.2





	
Water, sewage and other systems

	
2213

	50.5
	-0.8
	2.8
	3.5
	4.4
	6.4





	




	
Transportation and Warehousing

				





	




	
Air transportation

	
481

	468.2
	3.5
	3.2
	3.9
	0.3
	7.2





	
Line-haul railroads

	
482111

	167.8
	-0.9
	0.9
	-0.1
	0.8
	0.7





	
Truck transportation

	
484

	1,664.2
	0.8
	1.8
	1.1
	0.4
	3.0





	
General freight trucking

	
4841

	1,192.1
	-0.4
	2.9
	-0.3
	0.1
	2.6





	
General freight trucking, local

	
48411

	317.8
	3.5
	-0.7
	3.8
	0.3
	3.1





	
General freight trucking, long-distance

	
48412

	874.3
	-1.2
	3.6
	-1.2
	0.1
	2.4





	
Specialized freight trucking

	
4842

	472.1
	3.1
	0.0
	4.1
	1.0
	4.1





	
Postal service

	
491

	615.3
	4.7
	-3.1
	-2.1
	-6.5
	-5.2





	
Postal service

	
4911

	615.3
	4.7
	-3.1
	-2.1
	-6.5
	-5.2





	
Couriers and messengers

	
492

	716.3
	-3.5
	4.4
	1.8
	5.5
	6.2





	
Warehousing and storage

	
493

	1,003.2
	6.8
	-0.3
	10.0
	3.0
	9.7





	
Warehousing and storage

	
4931

	1,003.2
	6.8
	-0.3
	10.0
	3.0
	9.7





	




	
Information

				





	




	
Publishing

	
511

	754.9
	7.8
	0.7
	6.0
	-1.7
	6.7





	
Newspaper publishers

	
51111

	168.0
	7.6
	-1.4
	-4.0
	-10.8
	-5.3





	
Periodical publishers

	
51112

	103.1
	1.0
	3.2
	-4.8
	-5.7
	-1.7





	
Software publishers

	
5112

	374.8
	5.3
	2.0
	9.4
	3.9
	11.6





	
Broadcasting, except Internet

	
515

	274.0
	4.6
	0.1
	2.2
	-2.3
	2.3





	
Radio and television broadcasting

	
5151

	221.1
	5.8
	-1.2
	3.8
	-1.9
	2.6





	
Cable and other subscription programming

	
5152

	52.9
	5.5
	0.3
	1.4
	-3.9
	1.7





	
Wired telecommunications carriers

	
5171

	587.5
	2.8
	-3.0
	1.1
	-1.7
	-1.9





	
Wireless telecommunications carriers

	
5172

	121.6
	11.1
	-7.1
	8.4
	-2.5
	0.6





	




	
Finance and Insurance

				





	




	
Commercial banking

	
52211

	1,323.6
	-5.5
	9.6
	-3.7
	1.9
	5.5





	




	
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

				





	




	
Truck, trailer, and RV rental and leasing

	
53212

	80.2
	-2.5
	1.5
	4.1
	6.8
	5.6





	




	
Professional and Technical Services

				





	




	
Accounting and bookkeeping services

	
5412

	1,146.8
	0.8
	0.8
	1.5
	0.7
	2.3





	
Accounting and bookkeeping services

	
54121

	1,146.8
	0.8
	0.8
	1.5
	0.7
	2.3





	
Engineering services

	
54133

	995.3
	-3.7
	5.4
	-0.6
	3.2
	4.7





	




	
Administrative and Waste Services

				





	




	
Travel arrangement and reservation services

	
5615

	245.0
	2.0
	5.1
	3.4
	1.3
	8.7





	




	
Health Care and Social Assistance

				





	




	
Medical and diagnostic laboratories

	
6215

	283.0
	0.8
	2.6
	3.4
	2.6
	6.1





	




	
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

				





	




	
Amusement parks and arcades

	
7131

	212.2
	13.7
	-10.7
	8.3
	-4.7
	-3.3





	
Gambling industries

	
7132

	131.5
	7.9
	-7.4
	6.7
	-1.1
	-1.2





	




	
Other Services

				





	




	
Automotive repair and maintenance

	
8111

	1,126.7
	0.2
	3.1
	0.4
	0.2
	3.5





	
Drycleaning and laundry services

	
8123

	314.5
	3.8
	2.0
	3.1
	-0.7
	5.2















Table 2.  Long run labor productivity, unit labor costs, and related data





	Industry
	2012 NAICS code
	2016
Employment
(thousands)		
	Average annual percent change, 1987-2016




	Labor productivity
	Unit labor costs
	Output
	Hours worked
	Labor compensation








	
Utilities

				





	




	
Utilities

	
22

	556.4
	2.2
	1.5
	1.4
	-0.8
	2.9





	
Utilities

	
221

	556.4
	2.2
	1.5
	1.4
	-0.8
	2.9





	
Power generation and supply

	
2211

	394.2
	3.0
	0.6
	2.1
	-0.9
	2.7





	
Natural gas distribution

	
2212

	112.9
	0.7
	3.6
	-0.3
	-1.0
	3.3





	
Water, sewage and other systems

	
2213

	49.3
	-1.7
	4.6
	0.7
	2.5
	5.4





	




	
Transportation and Warehousing

				





	




	
Air transportation

	
481

	448.1
	3.0
	0.8
	2.7
	-0.3
	3.5





	
Line-haul railroads

	
482111

	173.1
	3.6
	-0.4
	1.7
	-1.8
	1.3





	
Truck transportation(1)

	
484

	1,665.2
	0.6
	1.0
	1.9
	1.4
	3.0





	
General freight trucking(1)

	
4841

	1,197.8
	1.0
	1.1
	2.3
	1.2
	3.4





	
General freight trucking, local(1)

	
48411

	317.3
	2.5
	0.3
	3.6
	1.1
	3.9





	
General freight trucking, long-distance

	
48412

	880.5
	1.1
	0.5
	2.2
	1.1
	2.7





	
Specialized freight trucking(2)

	
4842

	467.4
	0.8
	1.9
	1.9
	1.1
	3.8





	
Used household and office goods moving

	
48421

	100.2
	-0.6
	2.6
	-0.1
	0.4
	2.5





	
Other specialized trucking, local(2)

	
48422

	228.8
	0.2
	2.5
	1.4
	1.3
	3.9





	
Other specialized trucking, long-distance(2)

	
48423

	138.4
	1.2
	1.2
	3.5
	2.3
	4.7





	
Postal service

	
491

	608.8
	0.3
	3.1
	-0.5
	-0.8
	2.5





	
Postal service

	
4911

	608.8
	0.3
	3.1
	-0.5
	-0.8
	2.5





	
Couriers and messengers

	
492

	678.3
	-1.9
	3.2
	0.6
	2.5
	3.8





	
Warehousing and storage(1)

	
493

	933.4
	1.6
	0.0
	5.7
	4.0
	5.7





	
Warehousing and storage(1)

	
4931

	933.4
	1.6
	0.0
	5.7
	4.0
	5.7





	
General warehousing and storage(1)

	
49311

	817.2
	2.7
	-0.8
	7.0
	4.2
	6.2





	
Refrigerated warehousing and storage(1)

	
49312

	57.9
	-0.2
	1.4
	2.9
	3.1
	4.3





	




	
Information

				





	




	
Publishing

	
511

	760.4
	3.8
	1.5
	3.4
	-0.4
	4.9





	
Newspaper, book, and directory publishers

	
5111

	401.1
	-0.2
	4.2
	-2.6
	-2.4
	1.5





	
Newspaper publishers

	
51111

	180.9
	-1.0
	4.2
	-4.3
	-3.4
	-0.3





	
Periodical publishers

	
51112

	107.9
	-0.5
	4.9
	-1.6
	-1.0
	3.2





	
Book publishers

	
51113

	68.8
	-0.2
	4.7
	-0.8
	-0.6
	3.9





	
Software publishers

	
5112

	359.3
	11.2
	-5.7
	17.7
	5.8
	11.0





	
Motion picture and video exhibition

	
51213

	144.8
	1.8
	1.9
	1.8
	0.0
	3.7





	
Broadcasting, except Internet

	
515

	278.6
	3.0
	1.6
	3.0
	0.0
	4.6





	
Radio and television broadcasting

	
5151

	223.4
	2.0
	1.8
	1.7
	-0.3
	3.5





	
Radio broadcasting

	
51511

	88.8
	3.7
	1.4
	2.5
	-1.1
	4.0





	
Cable and other subscription programming

	
5152

	55.2
	5.3
	2.8
	6.7
	1.3
	9.7





	
Wired telecommunications carriers

	
5171

	594.4
	3.7
	-0.9
	2.8
	-0.9
	1.9





	
Wireless telecommunications carriers

	
5172

	123.0
	12.0
	-6.8
	18.9
	6.2
	10.8





	




	
Finance and Insurance

				





	




	
Commercial banking

	
52211

	1,309.5
	3.1
	1.9
	3.0
	-0.1
	5.0





	




	
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

				





	




	
Passenger car rental

	
532111

	122.6
	2.2
	1.5
	3.2
	1.0
	4.8





	
Truck, trailer, and RV rental and leasing

	
53212

	76.6
	2.1
	1.1
	2.6
	0.6
	3.8





	
Video tape and disc rental

	
53223

	11.6
	7.0
	-2.5
	-1.8
	-8.2
	-4.2





	




	
Professional and Technical Services

				





	




	
Accounting and bookkeeping services(3)

	
5412

	1,140.3
	2.8
	1.1
	3.5
	0.6
	4.6





	
Accounting and bookkeeping services(3)

	
54121

	1,140.3
	2.8
	1.1
	3.5
	0.6
	4.6





	
Offices of certified public accountants(3)

	
541211

	482.8
	2.1
	2.3
	3.1
	0.9
	5.4





	
Tax preparation services

	
541213

	137.9
	0.5
	2.1
	2.2
	1.6
	4.4





	
Other accounting services(3)

	
541219

	354.0
	4.8
	-1.8
	4.9
	0.1
	3.0





	
Architectural services

	
54131

	199.3
	1.5
	1.8
	2.5
	1.0
	4.4





	
Engineering services

	
54133

	968.1
	1.2
	2.8
	2.7
	1.6
	5.6





	
Advertising agencies

	
54181

	215.2
	1.8
	2.2
	2.3
	0.5
	4.6





	
Photography studios, portrait

	
541921

	60.1
	0.1
	1.9
	1.1
	1.1
	3.1





	
Veterinary services(4)

	
54194

	371.4
	-0.8
	4.0
	1.7
	2.6
	5.8





	




	
Administrative and Waste Services

				





	




	
Employment placement and executive search(5)

	
56131

	313.5
	4.1
	0.2
	5.2
	1.1
	5.5





	
Travel arrangement and reservation services(3)

	
5615

	239.2
	5.8
	-1.0
	3.7
	-2.0
	2.7





	
Travel agencies

	
56151

	103.9
	5.4
	-0.7
	4.3
	-1.1
	3.6





	
Janitorial services

	
56172

	1,392.5
	1.8
	1.5
	3.5
	1.6
	5.1





	




	
Health Care and Social Assistance

				





	




	
Medical and diagnostic laboratories(5)

	
6215

	274.2
	1.9
	0.5
	5.0
	3.0
	5.5





	
Medical laboratories(5)

	
621511

	198.1
	1.8
	0.4
	5.0
	3.1
	5.4





	
Diagnostic imaging centers(5)

	
621512

	76.1
	2.2
	0.7
	5.0
	2.8
	5.7





	
Hospitals, except psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals(6)

	
6221,3

	4,768.3
	0.5
	3.3
	1.9
	1.4
	5.3





	




	
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation

				





	




	
Amusement parks and arcades(7)

	
7131

	207.3
	-2.3
	6.3
	-0.8
	1.5
	5.5





	
Amusement and theme parks

	
71311

	182.6
	-0.7
	4.3
	1.9
	2.6
	6.2





	
Gambling industries(3)

	
7132

	134.9
	2.1
	2.3
	2.1
	0.0
	4.5





	
Golf courses and country clubs(2)

	
71391

	394.5
	-1.4
	4.3
	-0.1
	1.3
	4.2





	
Fitness and recreational sports centers(2)

	
71394

	638.5
	3.8
	-0.6
	4.3
	0.4
	3.7





	
Bowling centers

	
71395

	69.3
	0.7
	2.7
	-1.0
	-1.7
	1.6





	




	
Accommodation and Food Services

				





	




	
Accommodation and food services

	
72

	13,639.6
	0.8
	2.7
	2.3
	1.5
	5.1





	
Accommodation

	
721

	1,979.6
	2.1
	1.7
	2.8
	0.7
	4.5





	
Traveler accommodation

	
7211

	1,895.0
	2.1
	1.6
	2.8
	0.7
	4.5





	
Hotels and motels, except casino hotels

	
72111

	1,589.8
	1.5
	2.3
	2.2
	0.7
	4.6





	
Food services and drinking places

	
722

	11,660.0
	0.5
	3.1
	2.2
	1.7
	5.3





	
Special food services

	
7223

	805.1
	1.4
	1.4
	2.4
	1.1
	3.9





	
Drinking places, alcoholic beverages

	
7224

	392.2
	-0.4
	3.3
	-0.4
	0.0
	2.9





	
Restaurants and other eating places

	
72251

	10,462.7
	0.5
	3.3
	2.3
	1.8
	5.7





	
Full-service restaurants

	
722511

	5,396.0
	0.5
	3.7
	2.3
	1.7
	6.0





	
Limited-service eating places

	
722513,4,5

	5,066.7
	0.3
	2.8
	2.3
	2.0
	5.2





	




	
Other Services

				





	




	
Automotive repair and maintenance

	
8111

	1,114.1
	1.1
	2.2
	1.5
	0.4
	3.7





	
Reupholstery and furniture repair

	
81142

	21.0
	-0.5
	3.6
	-2.6
	-2.1
	0.9





	
Personal care services

	
8121

	1,190.3
	2.4
	1.5
	3.4
	1.0
	5.0





	
Hair, nail, and skin care services

	
81211

	972.5
	2.2
	1.6
	3.0
	0.8
	4.7





	
Funeral homes and funeral services

	
81221

	111.4
	-0.4
	4.0
	-0.3
	0.1
	3.7





	
Drycleaning and laundry services

	
8123

	314.9
	2.0
	1.5
	1.0
	-0.9
	2.5





	
Coin-operated laundries and drycleaners

	
81231

	43.2
	2.2
	1.7
	0.4
	-1.7
	2.1





	
Drycleaning and laundry services

	
81232

	142.2
	0.7
	2.2
	-1.2
	-1.9
	1.0





	
Linen and uniform supply

	
81233

	129.5
	2.3
	0.9
	3.1
	0.8
	4.0





	
Photofinishing

	
81292

	10.8
	3.0
	2.1
	-4.3
	-7.1
	-2.3









	

		Footnotes

		(1) For NAICS industries 484, 4841, 48411, 493, 4931, 49311, and 49312, average annual percent changes are for 1992-2016.

		(2) For NAICS industries 4842, 48422, 48423, 71391, and 71394, average annual percent changes are for 2002-2016.

		(3) For NAICS industries 5412, 54121, 541211, 541219, 5615, and 7132, average annual percent changes are for 1997-2016.

		(4) For NAICS industry 54194, average annual percent changes are for 2004-2016.

		(5) For NAICS industries 56131, 6215, 621511, and 621512, average annual percent changes are for 1994-2016.

		(6) For NAICS industry 6221,3, average annual percent changes are for 1993-2015. Employment is for 2015.

		(7) For NAICS industry 7131, average annual percent changes are for 2007-2016.

Last Modified Date: May 17, 2018