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Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 559,000 in May 2021, following increases of 278,000 in April and 785,000 in March. In May, nonfarm payroll employment was down by 7.6 million, or 5.0 percent, from its pre-pandemic level in February 2020. Notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, in public and private education, and in health care and social assistance in May.
Month | Total nonfarm | Total private | Mining and logging | Construction | Manufacturing | Wholesale trade | Retail trade | Transportation and warehousing |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 2019 |
150,545,000 | 127,989,000 | 738,000 | 7,478,000 | 12,817,000 | 5,889,700 | 15,608,400 | 5,628,200 |
Jun 2019 |
150,720,000 | 128,158,000 | 734,000 | 7,499,000 | 12,822,000 | 5,886,800 | 15,598,400 | 5,662,600 |
Jul 2019 |
150,913,000 | 128,306,000 | 727,000 | 7,503,000 | 12,820,000 | 5,890,000 | 15,595,400 | 5,676,100 |
Aug 2019 |
151,108,000 | 128,445,000 | 719,000 | 7,506,000 | 12,820,000 | 5,887,300 | 15,576,100 | 5,683,500 |
Sep 2019 |
151,329,000 | 128,639,000 | 718,000 | 7,524,000 | 12,814,000 | 5,889,600 | 15,584,500 | 5,705,400 |
Oct 2019 |
151,524,000 | 128,832,000 | 719,000 | 7,544,000 | 12,769,000 | 5,895,300 | 15,608,400 | 5,724,700 |
Nov 2019 |
151,758,000 | 129,042,000 | 707,000 | 7,546,000 | 12,818,000 | 5,893,400 | 15,576,000 | 5,747,700 |
Dec 2019 |
151,919,000 | 129,190,000 | 694,000 | 7,557,000 | 12,809,000 | 5,899,100 | 15,619,100 | 5,761,000 |
Jan 2020 |
152,234,000 | 129,445,000 | 689,000 | 7,615,000 | 12,792,000 | 5,901,100 | 15,605,200 | 5,798,100 |
Feb 2020 |
152,523,000 | 129,688,000 | 690,000 | 7,648,000 | 12,799,000 | 5,895,200 | 15,609,800 | 5,823,100 |
Mar 2020 |
150,840,000 | 128,066,000 | 674,000 | 7,557,000 | 12,718,000 | 5,876,600 | 15,483,600 | 5,822,100 |
Apr 2020 |
130,161,000 | 108,335,000 | 622,000 | 6,535,000 | 11,414,000 | 5,486,000 | 13,235,300 | 5,248,500 |
May 2020 |
132,994,000 | 111,680,000 | 601,000 | 7,004,000 | 11,657,000 | 5,508,600 | 13,644,100 | 5,239,000 |
Jun 2020 |
137,840,000 | 116,487,000 | 597,000 | 7,171,000 | 11,999,000 | 5,556,900 | 14,502,800 | 5,335,700 |
Jul 2020 |
139,566,000 | 118,010,000 | 593,000 | 7,197,000 | 12,037,000 | 5,537,400 | 14,742,900 | 5,385,200 |
Aug 2020 |
141,149,000 | 119,076,000 | 589,000 | 7,223,000 | 12,068,000 | 5,544,500 | 14,995,800 | 5,472,400 |
Sep 2020 |
141,865,000 | 120,008,000 | 592,000 | 7,256,000 | 12,123,000 | 5,578,400 | 15,025,300 | 5,516,400 |
Oct 2020 |
142,545,000 | 120,962,000 | 594,000 | 7,329,000 | 12,155,000 | 5,587,600 | 15,131,800 | 5,587,700 |
Nov 2020 |
142,809,000 | 121,321,000 | 597,000 | 7,353,000 | 12,196,000 | 5,602,400 | 15,129,700 | 5,711,300 |
Dec 2020 |
142,503,000 | 121,047,000 | 597,000 | 7,400,000 | 12,231,000 | 5,617,200 | 15,159,800 | 5,668,100 |
Jan 2021 |
142,736,000 | 121,169,000 | 596,000 | 7,412,000 | 12,213,000 | 5,631,400 | 15,178,300 | 5,674,000 |
Feb 2021 |
143,272,000 | 121,791,000 | 598,000 | 7,355,000 | 12,248,000 | 5,639,100 | 15,192,700 | 5,710,400 |
Mar 2021 |
144,057,000 | 122,515,000 | 613,000 | 7,448,000 | 12,299,000 | 5,658,000 | 15,234,600 | 5,753,100 |
Apr 2021 |
144,335,000 | 122,734,000 | 614,000 | 7,443,000 | 12,267,000 | 5,664,200 | 15,204,400 | 5,700,400 |
May 2021 |
144,894,000 | 123,226,000 | 614,000 | 7,423,000 | 12,290,000 | 5,684,100 | 15,198,600 | 5,723,300 |
Month | Utilities | Information | Financial activities | Professional and business services | Education and health services | Leisure and hospitality | Other services | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 2019 |
549,300 | 2,854,000 | 8,730,000 | 21,230,000 | 24,074,000 | 16,514,000 | 5,878,000 | 22,556,000 |
Jun 2019 |
550,700 | 2,868,000 | 8,738,000 | 21,261,000 | 24,119,000 | 16,524,000 | 5,894,000 | 22,562,000 |
Jul 2019 |
550,100 | 2,868,000 | 8,762,000 | 21,291,000 | 24,184,000 | 16,535,000 | 5,904,000 | 22,607,000 |
Aug 2019 |
549,500 | 2,870,000 | 8,779,000 | 21,320,000 | 24,246,000 | 16,580,000 | 5,909,000 | 22,663,000 |
Sep 2019 |
548,400 | 2,874,000 | 8,784,000 | 21,340,000 | 24,305,000 | 16,648,000 | 5,904,000 | 22,690,000 |
Oct 2019 |
546,800 | 2,876,000 | 8,805,000 | 21,374,000 | 24,340,000 | 16,727,000 | 5,903,000 | 22,692,000 |
Nov 2019 |
547,900 | 2,886,000 | 8,824,000 | 21,405,000 | 24,406,000 | 16,769,000 | 5,916,000 | 22,716,000 |
Dec 2019 |
548,600 | 2,897,000 | 8,832,000 | 21,410,000 | 24,433,000 | 16,811,000 | 5,919,000 | 22,729,000 |
Jan 2020 |
547,600 | 2,910,000 | 8,849,000 | 21,437,000 | 24,513,000 | 16,858,000 | 5,930,000 | 22,789,000 |
Feb 2020 |
547,400 | 2,914,000 | 8,875,000 | 21,469,000 | 24,565,000 | 16,915,000 | 5,937,000 | 22,835,000 |
Mar 2020 |
547,000 | 2,898,000 | 8,850,000 | 21,318,000 | 24,347,000 | 16,133,000 | 5,842,000 | 22,774,000 |
Apr 2020 |
543,500 | 2,633,000 | 8,596,000 | 19,082,000 | 21,722,000 | 8,691,000 | 4,527,000 | 21,826,000 |
May 2020 |
542,000 | 2,594,000 | 8,613,000 | 19,247,000 | 22,107,000 | 10,146,000 | 4,777,000 | 21,314,000 |
Jun 2020 |
539,000 | 2,602,000 | 8,634,000 | 19,568,000 | 22,671,000 | 12,158,000 | 5,153,000 | 21,353,000 |
Jul 2020 |
539,500 | 2,592,000 | 8,646,000 | 19,715,000 | 22,885,000 | 12,824,000 | 5,316,000 | 21,556,000 |
Aug 2020 |
539,900 | 2,617,000 | 8,674,000 | 19,915,000 | 23,084,000 | 12,963,000 | 5,390,000 | 22,073,000 |
Sep 2020 |
541,600 | 2,659,000 | 8,712,000 | 20,055,000 | 23,152,000 | 13,357,000 | 5,440,000 | 21,857,000 |
Oct 2020 |
540,100 | 2,650,000 | 8,746,000 | 20,296,000 | 23,235,000 | 13,622,000 | 5,488,000 | 21,583,000 |
Nov 2020 |
539,500 | 2,650,000 | 8,756,000 | 20,391,000 | 23,278,000 | 13,632,000 | 5,485,000 | 21,488,000 |
Dec 2020 |
538,500 | 2,659,000 | 8,774,000 | 20,550,000 | 23,249,000 | 13,134,000 | 5,469,000 | 21,456,000 |
Jan 2021 |
539,400 | 2,672,000 | 8,781,000 | 20,640,000 | 23,235,000 | 13,117,000 | 5,480,000 | 21,567,000 |
Feb 2021 |
539,200 | 2,678,000 | 8,774,000 | 20,733,000 | 23,292,000 | 13,530,000 | 5,502,000 | 21,481,000 |
Mar 2021 |
539,800 | 2,683,000 | 8,787,000 | 20,807,000 | 23,396,000 | 13,757,000 | 5,539,000 | 21,542,000 |
Apr 2021 |
540,400 | 2,692,000 | 8,803,000 | 20,726,000 | 23,421,000 | 14,085,000 | 5,574,000 | 21,601,000 |
May 2021 |
540,200 | 2,721,000 | 8,802,000 | 20,761,000 | 23,508,000 | 14,377,000 | 5,584,000 | 21,668,000 |
Month | Federal government | State government | Local government |
---|---|---|---|
May 2019 |
2,825,000 | 5,174,000 | 14,557,000 |
Jun 2019 |
2,827,000 | 5,180,000 | 14,555,000 |
Jul 2019 |
2,828,000 | 5,199,000 | 14,580,000 |
Aug 2019 |
2,854,000 | 5,225,000 | 14,584,000 |
Sep 2019 |
2,853,000 | 5,231,000 | 14,606,000 |
Oct 2019 |
2,839,000 | 5,243,000 | 14,610,000 |
Nov 2019 |
2,844,000 | 5,251,000 | 14,621,000 |
Dec 2019 |
2,842,000 | 5,257,000 | 14,630,000 |
Jan 2020 |
2,852,000 | 5,284,000 | 14,653,000 |
Feb 2020 |
2,863,000 | 5,303,000 | 14,669,000 |
Mar 2020 |
2,879,000 | 5,242,000 | 14,653,000 |
Apr 2020 |
2,883,000 | 5,074,000 | 13,869,000 |
May 2020 |
2,877,000 | 5,031,000 | 13,406,000 |
Jun 2020 |
2,876,000 | 5,043,000 | 13,434,000 |
Jul 2020 |
2,897,000 | 5,039,000 | 13,620,000 |
Aug 2020 |
3,153,000 | 5,060,000 | 13,860,000 |
Sep 2020 |
3,117,000 | 5,010,000 | 13,730,000 |
Oct 2020 |
2,975,000 | 4,945,000 | 13,663,000 |
Nov 2020 |
2,888,000 | 4,931,000 | 13,669,000 |
Dec 2020 |
2,892,000 | 4,930,000 | 13,634,000 |
Jan 2021 |
2,876,000 | 5,008,000 | 13,683,000 |
Feb 2021 |
2,882,000 | 4,955,000 | 13,644,000 |
Mar 2021 |
2,888,000 | 4,967,000 | 13,687,000 |
Apr 2021 |
2,898,000 | 4,978,000 | 13,725,000 |
May 2021 |
2,887,000 | 5,023,000 | 13,758,000 |
In May, employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 292,000, as pandemic-related restrictions continued to ease in some parts of the country. Nearly two-thirds of the increase was in food services and drinking places (+186,000). Employment also rose in amusements, gambling, and recreation (+58,000) and in accommodation (+35,000). Employment in leisure and hospitality is down by 2.5 million, or 15.0 percent, from its level in February 2020.
In May, employment increased in public and private education, reflecting the continued resumption of in-person learning and other school-related activities in some parts of the country. Employment rose by 53,000 in local government education, by 50,000 in state government education, and by 41,000 in private education. However, employment is down from February 2020 levels in local government education (−556,000), state government education (−244,000), and private education (−293,000).
Health care and social assistance added 46,000 jobs in May. Employment in health care continued to trend up (+23,000), reflecting a gain in ambulatory health care services (+22,000). Social assistance added 23,000 jobs over the month, largely in child day care services (+18,000). Compared with February 2020, employment is down by 508,000 in health care and by 257,000 in social assistance.
These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary. To learn more, see "The Employment Situation — May 2021." Also see more charts of national employment, hours, and earnings data.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 559,000 in May 2021 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/nonfarm-payroll-employment-increased-by-559-000-in-may-2021.htm (visited December 10, 2024).