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Industries with summer employment peaks

July 15, 2014

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.

Chart Image
Chart Data

Employment in selected private-sector industries, not seasonally adjusted, January 2004–May 2014
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.

SUGGESTED CITATION

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 March 15, 2026).

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