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Nonfarm payroll employment rose 250,000 in October 2018

November 06, 2018

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 250,000 in October 2018. So far in 2018, the average monthly gain has been 213,000. In October, job growth occurred in health care, manufacturing, construction, and transportation and warehousing.

Monthly change in nonfarm payroll employment, seasonally adjusted, January 2013 to October 2018
Month 1-month change Average monthly change for the year

Jan 2013

207,000 192,000

Feb 2013

265,000 192,000

Mar 2013

156,000 192,000

Apr 2013

179,000 192,000

May 2013

240,000 192,000

Jun 2013

158,000 192,000

Jul 2013

111,000 192,000

Aug 2013

260,000 192,000

Sep 2013

201,000 192,000

Oct 2013

210,000 192,000

Nov 2013

221,000 192,000

Dec 2013

93,000 192,000

Jan 2014

174,000 250,000

Feb 2014

182,000 250,000

Mar 2014

261,000 250,000

Apr 2014

311,000 250,000

May 2014

252,000 250,000

Jun 2014

306,000 250,000

Jul 2014

196,000 250,000

Aug 2014

226,000 250,000

Sep 2014

284,000 250,000

Oct 2014

255,000 250,000

Nov 2014

307,000 250,000

Dec 2014

251,000 250,000

Jan 2015

211,000 226,000

Feb 2015

267,000 226,000

Mar 2015

78,000 226,000

Apr 2015

282,000 226,000

May 2015

326,000 226,000

Jun 2015

191,000 226,000

Jul 2015

256,000 226,000

Aug 2015

164,000 226,000

Sep 2015

88,000 226,000

Oct 2015

351,000 226,000

Nov 2015

264,000 226,000

Dec 2015

234,000 226,000

Jan 2016

103,000 195,000

Feb 2016

257,000 195,000

Mar 2016

235,000 195,000

Apr 2016

174,000 195,000

May 2016

34,000 195,000

Jun 2016

285,000 195,000

Jul 2016

325,000 195,000

Aug 2016

175,000 195,000

Sep 2016

264,000 195,000

Oct 2016

140,000 195,000

Nov 2016

172,000 195,000

Dec 2016

180,000 195,000

Jan 2017

259,000 182,000

Feb 2017

200,000 182,000

Mar 2017

73,000 182,000

Apr 2017

175,000 182,000

May 2017

155,000 182,000

Jun 2017

239,000 182,000

Jul 2017

190,000 182,000

Aug 2017

221,000 182,000

Sep 2017

14,000 182,000

Oct 2017

271,000 182,000

Nov 2017

216,000 182,000

Dec 2017

175,000 182,000

Jan 2018

176,000 213,000

Feb 2018

324,000 213,000

Mar 2018

155,000 213,000

Apr 2018

175,000 213,000

May 2018

268,000 213,000

Jun 2018

208,000 213,000

Jul 2018

165,000 213,000

Aug 2018

286,000 213,000

Sep 2018(p)

118,000 213,000

Oct 2018(p)

250,000 213,000
Footnotes:

(p) Preliminary

Health care added 36,000 jobs in October. Within the industry, employment growth occurred in hospitals (+13,000) and in nursing and residential care facilities (+8,000). Employment in ambulatory health care services continued to trend up (+14,000). Over the past 12 months, health care employment grew by 323,000.

In October, employment in manufacturing increased by 32,000. Most of the increase occurred in durable goods manufacturing, with a gain in transportation equipment (+10,000). Manufacturing has added 296,000 jobs over the year, largely in durable goods industries.

Employment change by industry, October 2018, seasonally adjusted
Industry 1-month net change 12-month net change

Mining and logging

5,000 65,000

Construction

30,000 330,000

Manufacturing

32,000 296,000

Wholesale trade

9,100 93,900

Retail trade

2,400 36,600

Transportation and warehousing

24,800 183,700

Utilities

1,200 -1,700

Information

7,000 -15,000

Financial activities

7,000 115,000

Professional and business services

35,000 516,000

Education and health services

44,000 499,000

Leisure and hospitality

42,000 254,000

Other services

7,000 78,000

Government

4,000 66,000

Construction employment rose by 30,000 in October, with nearly half of the gain occurring among residential specialty trade contractors (+14,000). Over the year, construction has added 330,000 jobs.

Transportation and warehousing added 25,000 jobs in October. Within the industry, employment growth occurred in couriers and messengers (+8,000) and in warehousing and storage (+8,000). Over the year, employment in transportation and warehousing has increased by 184,000.

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program. Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary. To learn more, see "The Employment Situation — October 2018." We also have more charts on nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Nonfarm payroll employment rose 250,000 in October 2018 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2018/nonfarm-payroll-employment-rose-250000-in-october-2018.htm (visited October 14, 2024).

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