An official website of the United States government
Employment in many industries changes throughout the year as hiring decisions are affected by seasonal factors such as the weather and school schedules; these industries usually follow a regular pattern of employment peaks and valleys year after year. In some of these industries maximum employment occurs during the summer and minimum employment in the winter.
Month | Recreational and vacation camps | Marinas | Historical sites, zoos, botanical gardens, nature parks and similar institutions | Museums | Amusement parks and arcades | Golf courses and country clubs | Fitness and recreational sports centers | Hotels and motels, except casino hotels |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 2004 | 14,900 | 24,700 | 40,900 | 65,700 | 110,300 | 228,400 | 426,000 | 1,352,500 |
Feb 2004 | 15,300 | 24,200 | 40,500 | 65,700 | 112,100 | 228,500 | 432,100 | 1,366,700 |
Mar 2004 | 15,800 | 25,800 | 42,700 | 67,000 | 130,400 | 247,200 | 443,200 | 1,386,400 |
Apr 2004 | 18,100 | 28,900 | 47,600 | 68,300 | 153,400 | 309,700 | 465,400 | 1,397,500 |
May 2004 | 21,700 | 34,200 | 51,400 | 69,800 | 182,500 | 369,000 | 493,300 | 1,430,000 |
Jun 2004 | 39,100 | 37,300 | 55,700 | 72,200 | 208,500 | 409,600 | 554,900 | 1,491,500 |
Jul 2004 | 56,800 | 38,100 | 57,100 | 74,400 | 213,700 | 419,500 | 571,400 | 1,513,300 |
Aug 2004 | 55,700 | 37,300 | 56,500 | 73,800 | 201,700 | 410,700 | 555,600 | 1,507,200 |
Sep 2004 | 20,400 | 33,400 | 50,000 | 70,200 | 167,500 | 372,900 | 495,600 | 1,451,900 |
Oct 2004 | 17,300 | 30,000 | 49,100 | 71,500 | 146,700 | 334,700 | 462,800 | 1,425,000 |
Nov 2004 | 15,400 | 26,800 | 46,600 | 70,100 | 123,800 | 287,000 | 452,600 | 1,396,100 |
Dec 2004 | 14,300 | 25,100 | 44,100 | 69,200 | 119,000 | 262,100 | 453,700 | 1,401,300 |
Jan 2005 | 13,900 | 23,300 | 40,700 | 67,600 | 111,700 | 233,800 | 441,900 | 1,381,100 |
Feb 2005 | 15,100 | 24,000 | 39,500 | 67,400 | 117,800 | 236,500 | 445,600 | 1,391,900 |
Mar 2005 | 15,700 | 25,700 | 43,200 | 69,000 | 131,100 | 251,700 | 451,400 | 1,404,300 |
Apr 2005 | 18,300 | 29,600 | 49,200 | 70,000 | 163,300 | 334,900 | 467,800 | 1,412,900 |
May 2005 | 21,300 | 33,900 | 53,000 | 71,600 | 186,400 | 399,600 | 491,100 | 1,443,400 |
Jun 2005 | 42,900 | 36,400 | 57,900 | 74,200 | 209,400 | 451,600 | 563,300 | 1,507,800 |
Jul 2005 | 66,700 | 37,900 | 58,500 | 75,100 | 217,800 | 460,200 | 577,800 | 1,526,800 |
Aug 2005 | 65,500 | 36,900 | 56,000 | 75,200 | 205,900 | 449,400 | 571,200 | 1,522,900 |
Sep 2005 | 22,100 | 32,900 | 51,800 | 72,900 | 170,100 | 397,800 | 501,100 | 1,470,200 |
Oct 2005 | 20,300 | 30,800 | 50,000 | 71,800 | 153,300 | 356,700 | 473,700 | 1,438,400 |
Nov 2005 | 17,400 | 28,300 | 47,600 | 70,400 | 132,800 | 306,700 | 468,300 | 1,413,900 |
Dec 2005 | 14,900 | 26,800 | 45,400 | 69,800 | 125,800 | 269,400 | 469,000 | 1,413,500 |
Jan 2006 | 14,600 | 25,400 | 41,700 | 68,600 | 115,400 | 240,400 | 452,200 | 1,393,300 |
Feb 2006 | 15,000 | 25,800 | 41,200 | 69,200 | 118,100 | 239,000 | 456,500 | 1,400,800 |
Mar 2006 | 16,000 | 26,300 | 43,100 | 69,900 | 129,300 | 260,900 | 465,100 | 1,420,700 |
Apr 2006 | 18,100 | 30,800 | 48,800 | 71,900 | 145,100 | 332,700 | 479,900 | 1,421,300 |
May 2006 | 21,500 | 35,100 | 54,500 | 73,800 | 166,900 | 391,600 | 511,200 | 1,450,000 |
Jun 2006 | 38,600 | 38,100 | 58,000 | 76,200 | 192,800 | 444,300 | 575,300 | 1,509,200 |
Jul 2006 | 66,100 | 39,500 | 59,300 | 77,500 | 200,900 | 452,900 | 592,100 | 1,540,400 |
Aug 2006 | 64,600 | 38,400 | 58,600 | 76,900 | 190,100 | 442,700 | 577,600 | 1,532,000 |
Sep 2006 | 28,600 | 34,500 | 53,800 | 73,000 | 159,300 | 386,300 | 510,100 | 1,488,100 |
Oct 2006 | 20,800 | 30,500 | 52,300 | 74,600 | 148,900 | 354,500 | 481,100 | 1,460,300 |
Nov 2006 | 18,000 | 28,400 | 48,500 | 73,600 | 126,900 | 303,800 | 475,800 | 1,438,800 |
Dec 2006 | 17,000 | 26,200 | 47,200 | 73,300 | 124,400 | 286,600 | 473,400 | 1,448,000 |
Jan 2007 | 15,800 | 24,900 | 44,800 | 71,900 | 117,300 | 256,200 | 464,400 | 1,419,700 |
Feb 2007 | 16,200 | 24,400 | 44,200 | 72,300 | 119,900 | 254,400 | 466,000 | 1,430,400 |
Mar 2007 | 17,000 | 27,000 | 46,200 | 72,300 | 132,700 | 273,000 | 473,100 | 1,452,400 |
Apr 2007 | 18,900 | 30,800 | 51,700 | 73,900 | 147,100 | 331,400 | 487,000 | 1,457,500 |
May 2007 | 21,600 | 37,300 | 57,200 | 76,800 | 167,100 | 399,000 | 514,900 | 1,489,700 |
Jun 2007 | 42,100 | 44,100 | 62,100 | 80,800 | 191,400 | 450,600 | 578,900 | 1,548,500 |
Jul 2007 | 63,900 | 44,800 | 64,000 | 82,600 | 198,200 | 457,900 | 590,300 | 1,576,000 |
Aug 2007 | 58,200 | 44,300 | 61,300 | 80,400 | 189,100 | 445,600 | 574,500 | 1,567,800 |
Sep 2007 | 26,300 | 39,600 | 57,700 | 76,700 | 157,400 | 399,200 | 510,400 | 1,528,800 |
Oct 2007 | 21,300 | 35,200 | 56,000 | 77,500 | 147,900 | 367,200 | 484,200 | 1,500,300 |
Nov 2007 | 19,700 | 30,900 | 52,100 | 75,500 | 129,800 | 312,400 | 479,100 | 1,480,600 |
Dec 2007 | 18,200 | 28,800 | 50,500 | 75,000 | 130,100 | 288,600 | 477,200 | 1,474,600 |
Jan 2008 | 16,500 | 26,700 | 47,200 | 74,100 | 122,800 | 261,000 | 468,100 | 1,450,100 |
Feb 2008 | 16,300 | 25,500 | 45,300 | 74,300 | 127,900 | 258,700 | 474,900 | 1,460,000 |
Mar 2008 | 17,100 | 27,100 | 48,500 | 75,500 | 144,600 | 280,100 | 478,700 | 1,477,800 |
Apr 2008 | 18,600 | 30,300 | 54,000 | 76,000 | 152,900 | 340,300 | 489,600 | 1,488,300 |
May 2008 | 22,600 | 35,700 | 60,000 | 79,100 | 170,700 | 403,600 | 517,100 | 1,520,800 |
Jun 2008 | 42,100 | 39,800 | 63,400 | 80,600 | 187,000 | 451,200 | 580,800 | 1,565,900 |
Jul 2008 | 63,500 | 42,800 | 64,500 | 82,400 | 193,800 | 456,600 | 596,900 | 1,584,900 |
Aug 2008 | 57,100 | 40,900 | 61,800 | 81,200 | 183,500 | 446,300 | 581,200 | 1,574,900 |
Sep 2008 | 25,900 | 33,900 | 56,400 | 75,900 | 157,900 | 394,100 | 514,800 | 1,523,200 |
Oct 2008 | 21,300 | 29,200 | 54,000 | 75,800 | 152,000 | 364,700 | 487,500 | 1,489,200 |
Nov 2008 | 19,100 | 26,700 | 50,400 | 75,500 | 130,700 | 308,200 | 480,900 | 1,443,700 |
Dec 2008 | 17,400 | 25,500 | 49,800 | 73,500 | 130,300 | 282,300 | 476,900 | 1,434,100 |
Jan 2009 | 16,000 | 23,900 | 45,900 | 72,800 | 119,700 | 252,200 | 466,000 | 1,392,200 |
Feb 2009 | 16,800 | 23,600 | 44,900 | 73,600 | 125,000 | 254,000 | 472,100 | 1,390,700 |
Mar 2009 | 17,000 | 24,300 | 47,100 | 73,100 | 137,700 | 267,900 | 475,700 | 1,386,200 |
Apr 2009 | 19,000 | 27,500 | 53,100 | 73,900 | 154,800 | 322,700 | 482,900 | 1,385,700 |
May 2009 | 23,100 | 32,500 | 58,900 | 77,400 | 169,200 | 384,300 | 506,600 | 1,414,000 |
Jun 2009 | 43,600 | 36,400 | 63,500 | 78,300 | 181,900 | 428,300 | 559,200 | 1,460,400 |
Jul 2009 | 72,900 | 39,300 | 65,000 | 78,800 | 186,700 | 437,600 | 572,500 | 1,472,600 |
Aug 2009 | 66,700 | 38,500 | 63,000 | 77,300 | 178,900 | 429,300 | 560,400 | 1,472,300 |
Sep 2009 | 28,000 | 32,900 | 58,000 | 73,800 | 162,900 | 388,200 | 501,600 | 1,433,500 |
Oct 2009 | 21,100 | 28,600 | 55,200 | 75,000 | 150,600 | 343,600 | 473,800 | 1,397,500 |
Nov 2009 | 18,000 | 26,000 | 50,400 | 73,400 | 129,100 | 296,500 | 465,400 | 1,368,400 |
Dec 2009 | 16,600 | 25,100 | 48,200 | 72,600 | 129,500 | 268,400 | 463,600 | 1,366,900 |
Jan 2010 | 15,100 | 22,600 | 45,100 | 70,300 | 121,700 | 237,200 | 455,700 | 1,335,100 |
Feb 2010 | 15,500 | 22,100 | 44,900 | 70,000 | 127,500 | 237,200 | 457,800 | 1,340,800 |
Mar 2010 | 16,400 | 23,500 | 48,500 | 70,800 | 139,100 | 259,200 | 461,700 | 1,356,800 |
Apr 2010 | 18,400 | 27,600 | 53,800 | 71,900 | 159,000 | 328,800 | 469,900 | 1,371,600 |
May 2010 | 23,200 | 34,200 | 58,400 | 74,500 | 170,300 | 388,400 | 487,400 | 1,399,800 |
Jun 2010 | 42,900 | 38,900 | 63,700 | 76,500 | 191,600 | 443,900 | 548,600 | 1,468,200 |
Jul 2010 | 66,700 | 41,300 | 65,700 | 78,100 | 196,200 | 449,700 | 559,600 | 1,494,400 |
Aug 2010 | 63,100 | 40,000 | 62,200 | 77,000 | 189,000 | 437,700 | 548,300 | 1,498,800 |
Sep 2010 | 26,900 | 35,600 | 56,900 | 73,400 | 167,700 | 389,700 | 493,600 | 1,443,100 |
Oct 2010 | 20,600 | 30,900 | 53,800 | 73,200 | 155,400 | 353,900 | 458,900 | 1,407,600 |
Nov 2010 | 18,300 | 27,900 | 50,400 | 72,400 | 134,700 | 296,800 | 453,200 | 1,374,500 |
Dec 2010 | 16,200 | 25,100 | 47,800 | 72,900 | 135,700 | 264,700 | 452,800 | 1,375,500 |
Jan 2011 | 15,400 | 23,400 | 45,300 | 71,200 | 123,300 | 232,500 | 449,900 | 1,356,800 |
Feb 2011 | 16,300 | 24,000 | 46,600 | 72,100 | 127,500 | 237,700 | 457,600 | 1,364,900 |
Mar 2011 | 17,000 | 24,600 | 49,400 | 73,300 | 140,900 | 262,100 | 465,800 | 1,391,000 |
Apr 2011 | 18,200 | 29,100 | 55,800 | 75,700 | 155,600 | 328,400 | 476,000 | 1,408,800 |
May 2011 | 21,100 | 36,300 | 58,900 | 77,400 | 175,000 | 389,900 | 495,300 | 1,433,100 |
Jun 2011 | 55,400 | 42,400 | 63,800 | 81,700 | 195,600 | 446,600 | 557,100 | 1,497,800 |
Jul 2011 | 86,600 | 43,700 | 65,600 | 82,500 | 202,300 | 452,600 | 569,500 | 1,523,300 |
Aug 2011 | 77,400 | 42,500 | 64,700 | 81,100 | 195,300 | 441,300 | 555,500 | 1,524,200 |
Sep 2011 | 31,500 | 35,600 | 57,600 | 77,000 | 170,100 | 391,700 | 501,400 | 1,478,800 |
Oct 2011 | 23,500 | 30,300 | 56,500 | 77,600 | 161,600 | 359,500 | 464,800 | 1,452,000 |
Nov 2011 | 20,700 | 26,900 | 52,100 | 77,700 | 138,200 | 303,800 | 459,200 | 1,413,400 |
Dec 2011 | 18,400 | 25,300 | 51,400 | 77,700 | 139,800 | 274,100 | 464,500 | 1,413,000 |
Jan 2012 | 15,900 | 22,600 | 48,800 | 74,900 | 132,000 | 244,700 | 463,100 | 1,390,500 |
Feb 2012 | 16,000 | 22,900 | 49,000 | 74,800 | 137,600 | 246,000 | 471,400 | 1,398,000 |
Mar 2012 | 17,100 | 25,500 | 52,200 | 76,600 | 155,400 | 280,400 | 478,000 | 1,420,700 |
Apr 2012 | 18,400 | 29,100 | 55,400 | 77,400 | 170,500 | 334,500 | 487,000 | 1,435,300 |
May 2012 | 23,200 | 34,000 | 58,700 | 80,000 | 192,000 | 388,400 | 506,000 | 1,471,400 |
Jun 2012 | 42,800 | 41,700 | 63,500 | 85,500 | 218,100 | 438,000 | 568,900 | 1,533,600 |
Jul 2012 | 68,600 | 43,200 | 64,200 | 84,700 | 226,800 | 442,900 | 578,700 | 1,554,000 |
Aug 2012 | 63,400 | 41,000 | 63,100 | 84,100 | 217,700 | 431,200 | 571,700 | 1,545,600 |
Sep 2012 | 27,900 | 34,000 | 58,100 | 80,700 | 183,800 | 383,200 | 513,400 | 1,500,500 |
Oct 2012 | 21,400 | 30,600 | 56,900 | 80,300 | 172,700 | 353,600 | 486,500 | 1,468,600 |
Nov 2012 | 19,300 | 26,600 | 53,600 | 79,300 | 150,900 | 302,700 | 481,700 | 1,436,900 |
Dec 2012 | 18,300 | 25,400 | 52,600 | 78,800 | 148,600 | 279,000 | 484,500 | 1,437,000 |
Jan 2013 | 17,000 | 24,300 | 50,800 | 75,600 | 139,200 | 249,600 | 481,700 | 1,413,300 |
Feb 2013 | 17,600 | 24,600 | 50,700 | 77,400 | 143,900 | 247,700 | 484,900 | 1,424,800 |
Mar 2013 | 18,500 | 25,700 | 54,200 | 79,100 | 161,800 | 273,000 | 492,900 | 1,451,200 |
Apr 2013 | 20,700 | 28,400 | 57,300 | 80,000 | 176,200 | 328,000 | 499,300 | 1,465,600 |
May 2013 | 24,600 | 33,500 | 61,600 | 82,300 | 203,400 | 399,200 | 522,700 | 1,499,500 |
Jun 2013 | 46,900 | 39,500 | 66,000 | 84,100 | 232,400 | 452,800 | 598,000 | 1,565,400 |
Jul 2013 | 70,600 | 41,600 | 66,600 | 84,100 | 236,300 | 458,900 | 606,700 | 1,585,500 |
Aug 2013 | 62,600 | 40,700 | 64,400 | 82,700 | 224,100 | 444,600 | 589,800 | 1,586,400 |
Sep 2013 | 29,000 | 35,000 | 61,000 | 80,400 | 198,500 | 394,400 | 519,100 | 1,531,400 |
Oct 2013 | 22,900 | 30,700 | 59,700 | 80,800 | 189,600 | 365,400 | 496,300 | 1,503,600 |
Nov 2013 | 19,700 | 28,000 | 57,000 | 80,200 | 166,500 | 306,600 | 494,400 | 1,464,600 |
Dec 2013 | 18,300 | 26,100 | 55,000 | 79,300 | 165,900 | 279,000 | 495,000 | 1,462,100 |
Jan 2014 | 17,100 | 24,000 | 52,300 | 77,000 | 156,100 | 247,100 | 495,300 | 1,434,600 |
Feb 2014 | 17,600 | 24,800 | 52,500 | 78,300 | 159,900 | 245,900 | 501,100 | 1,446,200 |
Mar 2014 | 18,300 | 26,700 | 56,300 | 78,200 | 171,700 | 268,100 | 506,700 | 1,467,500 |
Apr 2014 | 20,300 | 30,000 | 59,500 | 80,200 | 188,900 | 328,000 | 514,000 | 1,479,900 |
May 2014 (p) | 25,400 | 36,100 | 66,100 | 82,500 | 211,200 | 405,800 | 540,500 | 1,516,100 |
Footnotes: (p) Preliminary. |
Employment in recreational and vacation camps (the "summer camps" where many tweens and teens and are hiking, swimming, making arts and crafts, or engaging in other fun activities even as you read this) has been more than 4.2 times higher in the summer than the winter in recent years. Seasonal employment changes in other industries are not as large but are still quite distinct. The summer employment peaks at golf courses and country clubs, marinas, and amusement parks and arcades have been 1.6 to 2.0 times higher than their winter lows. In contrast, the number of people employed at museums and hotels and motels in the summer has been about 1.1 times higher than the number employed in the winter.
While the percentage change in employment is largest at summer camps, the actual number of additional workers hired for the summer is larger in other industries with summer employment peaks. Employment at recreational and vacation camps has had winter minimums in the range of 14,000 to 18,000 in recent years, while its summer maximums have been between 57,000 and 86,000. Thus, the difference between the summer maximum and winter minimum has averaged around 53,000.
In contrast, employment at golf courses and country clubs has varied between winter lows of 228,000 to 250,000 and summer highs between 443,000 and 459,000. Additional summer employment at golf courses and country clubs has averaged around 206,000.
Additional summer employment at hotels and motels has averaged about 150,000, as employment has varied between 1.4 million in winter and 1.5 million in summer.
These data are from the Current Employment Statistics (CES) program and are not seasonally adjusted. Data for these and other industries can be retrieved using the CES Databases tools. Because this chart features both small and large industries, the data are plotted on a logarithmic scale in order to show the employment changes in the smaller industries as clearly as those in the larger industries. A given distance along the vertical axis in the upper portion of the chart depicts a larger difference in employment than the same distance in the lower portion of the chart.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Industries with summer employment peaks at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2014/ted_20140715.htm (visited October 31, 2024).