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Payroll employment rose by 235,000 in August 2021

September 08, 2021

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 235,000 in August 2021, following increases of 1.1 million in July and 962,000 in June. Nonfarm employment has increased by 17.0 million since April 2020 but is down by 5.3 million, or 3.5 percent, from its pre-pandemic level in February 2020.

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Chart Data

Nonfarm payroll employment, January 1990–August 2021
Month	Employment level	Over-the-month change
Jan 1990	109,199,000	363,000
Feb 1990	109,435,000	236,000
Mar 1990	109,644,000	209,000
Apr 1990	109,686,000	42,000
May 1990	109,839,000	153,000
Jun 1990	109,856,000	17,000
Jul 1990	109,824,000	-32,000
Aug 1990	109,616,000	-208,000
Sep 1990	109,518,000	-98,000
Oct 1990	109,367,000	-151,000
Nov 1990	109,214,000	-153,000
Dec 1990	109,166,000	-48,000
Jan 1991	109,055,000	-111,000
Feb 1991	108,734,000	-321,000
Mar 1991	108,574,000	-160,000
Apr 1991	108,364,000	-210,000
May 1991	108,249,000	-115,000
Jun 1991	108,334,000	85,000
Jul 1991	108,292,000	-42,000
Aug 1991	108,310,000	18,000
Sep 1991	108,336,000	26,000
Oct 1991	108,357,000	21,000
Nov 1991	108,296,000	-61,000
Dec 1991	108,328,000	32,000
Jan 1992	108,369,000	41,000
Feb 1992	108,311,000	-58,000
Mar 1992	108,365,000	54,000
Apr 1992	108,519,000	154,000
May 1992	108,649,000	130,000
Jun 1992	108,715,000	66,000
Jul 1992	108,793,000	78,000
Aug 1992	108,925,000	132,000
Sep 1992	108,959,000	34,000
Oct 1992	109,139,000	180,000
Nov 1992	109,272,000	133,000
Dec 1992	109,495,000	223,000
Jan 1993	109,794,000	299,000
Feb 1993	110,044,000	250,000
Mar 1993	109,994,000	-50,000
Apr 1993	110,296,000	302,000
May 1993	110,568,000	272,000
Jun 1993	110,749,000	181,000
Jul 1993	111,055,000	306,000
Aug 1993	111,206,000	151,000
Sep 1993	111,448,000	242,000
Oct 1993	111,733,000	285,000
Nov 1993	111,984,000	251,000
Dec 1993	112,314,000	330,000
Jan 1994	112,595,000	281,000
Feb 1994	112,781,000	186,000
Mar 1994	113,242,000	461,000
Apr 1994	113,586,000	344,000
May 1994	113,921,000	335,000
Jun 1994	114,238,000	317,000
Jul 1994	114,610,000	372,000
Aug 1994	114,896,000	286,000
Sep 1994	115,247,000	351,000
Oct 1994	115,458,000	211,000
Nov 1994	115,869,000	411,000
Dec 1994	116,165,000	296,000
Jan 1995	116,501,000	336,000
Feb 1995	116,697,000	196,000
Mar 1995	116,907,000	210,000
Apr 1995	117,069,000	162,000
May 1995	117,049,000	-20,000
Jun 1995	117,286,000	237,000
Jul 1995	117,380,000	94,000
Aug 1995	117,634,000	254,000
Sep 1995	117,875,000	241,000
Oct 1995	118,031,000	156,000
Nov 1995	118,175,000	144,000
Dec 1995	118,320,000	145,000
Jan 1996	118,316,000	-4,000
Feb 1996	118,739,000	423,000
Mar 1996	118,993,000	254,000
Apr 1996	119,158,000	165,000
May 1996	119,486,000	328,000
Jun 1996	119,769,000	283,000
Jul 1996	120,015,000	246,000
Aug 1996	120,199,000	184,000
Sep 1996	120,410,000	211,000
Oct 1996	120,665,000	255,000
Nov 1996	120,961,000	296,000
Dec 1996	121,143,000	182,000
Jan 1997	121,363,000	220,000
Feb 1997	121,675,000	312,000
Mar 1997	121,990,000	315,000
Apr 1997	122,286,000	296,000
May 1997	122,546,000	260,000
Jun 1997	122,814,000	268,000
Jul 1997	123,111,000	297,000
Aug 1997	123,093,000	-18,000
Sep 1997	123,585,000	492,000
Oct 1997	123,929,000	344,000
Nov 1997	124,235,000	306,000
Dec 1997	124,549,000	314,000
Jan 1998	124,812,000	263,000
Feb 1998	125,016,000	204,000
Mar 1998	125,164,000	148,000
Apr 1998	125,442,000	278,000
May 1998	125,844,000	402,000
Jun 1998	126,076,000	232,000
Jul 1998	126,205,000	129,000
Aug 1998	126,544,000	339,000
Sep 1998	126,752,000	208,000
Oct 1998	126,954,000	202,000
Nov 1998	127,231,000	277,000
Dec 1998	127,596,000	365,000
Jan 1999	127,702,000	106,000
Feb 1999	128,120,000	418,000
Mar 1999	128,227,000	107,000
Apr 1999	128,597,000	370,000
May 1999	128,808,000	211,000
Jun 1999	129,089,000	281,000
Jul 1999	129,414,000	325,000
Aug 1999	129,569,000	155,000
Sep 1999	129,772,000	203,000
Oct 1999	130,177,000	405,000
Nov 1999	130,466,000	289,000
Dec 1999	130,772,000	306,000
Jan 2000	131,005,000	233,000
Feb 2000	131,124,000	119,000
Mar 2000	131,596,000	472,000
Apr 2000	131,888,000	292,000
May 2000	132,105,000	217,000
Jun 2000	132,061,000	-44,000
Jul 2000	132,236,000	175,000
Aug 2000	132,230,000	-6,000
Sep 2000	132,353,000	123,000
Oct 2000	132,351,000	-2,000
Nov 2000	132,556,000	205,000
Dec 2000	132,709,000	153,000
Jan 2001	132,698,000	-11,000
Feb 2001	132,789,000	91,000
Mar 2001	132,747,000	-42,000
Apr 2001	132,463,000	-284,000
May 2001	132,410,000	-53,000
Jun 2001	132,299,000	-111,000
Jul 2001	132,177,000	-122,000
Aug 2001	132,028,000	-149,000
Sep 2001	131,771,000	-257,000
Oct 2001	131,454,000	-317,000
Nov 2001	131,142,000	-312,000
Dec 2001	130,982,000	-160,000
Jan 2002	130,852,000	-130,000
Feb 2002	130,736,000	-116,000
Mar 2002	130,717,000	-19,000
Apr 2002	130,623,000	-94,000
May 2002	130,634,000	11,000
Jun 2002	130,684,000	50,000
Jul 2002	130,590,000	-94,000
Aug 2002	130,587,000	-3,000
Sep 2002	130,501,000	-86,000
Oct 2002	130,628,000	127,000
Nov 2002	130,615,000	-13,000
Dec 2002	130,472,000	-143,000
Jan 2003	130,580,000	108,000
Feb 2003	130,444,000	-136,000
Mar 2003	130,232,000	-212,000
Apr 2003	130,177,000	-55,000
May 2003	130,196,000	19,000
Jun 2003	130,194,000	-2,000
Jul 2003	130,191,000	-3,000
Aug 2003	130,149,000	-42,000
Sep 2003	130,254,000	105,000
Oct 2003	130,454,000	200,000
Nov 2003	130,474,000	20,000
Dec 2003	130,588,000	114,000
Jan 2004	130,769,000	181,000
Feb 2004	130,825,000	56,000
Mar 2004	131,142,000	317,000
Apr 2004	131,411,000	269,000
May 2004	131,694,000	283,000
Jun 2004	131,793,000	99,000
Jul 2004	131,848,000	55,000
Aug 2004	131,937,000	89,000
Sep 2004	132,093,000	156,000
Oct 2004	132,447,000	354,000
Nov 2004	132,503,000	56,000
Dec 2004	132,624,000	121,000
Jan 2005	132,774,000	150,000
Feb 2005	133,032,000	258,000
Mar 2005	133,156,000	124,000
Apr 2005	133,518,000	362,000
May 2005	133,690,000	172,000
Jun 2005	133,942,000	252,000
Jul 2005	134,296,000	354,000
Aug 2005	134,498,000	202,000
Sep 2005	134,566,000	68,000
Oct 2005	134,655,000	89,000
Nov 2005	134,993,000	338,000
Dec 2005	135,149,000	156,000
Jan 2006	135,429,000	280,000
Feb 2006	135,737,000	308,000
Mar 2006	136,047,000	310,000
Apr 2006	136,205,000	158,000
May 2006	136,244,000	39,000
Jun 2006	136,325,000	81,000
Jul 2006	136,520,000	195,000
Aug 2006	136,694,000	174,000
Sep 2006	136,843,000	149,000
Oct 2006	136,852,000	9,000
Nov 2006	137,063,000	211,000
Dec 2006	137,249,000	186,000
Jan 2007	137,477,000	228,000
Feb 2007	137,558,000	81,000
Mar 2007	137,793,000	235,000
Apr 2007	137,842,000	49,000
May 2007	137,993,000	151,000
Jun 2007	138,069,000	76,000
Jul 2007	138,038,000	-31,000
Aug 2007	138,015,000	-23,000
Sep 2007	138,095,000	80,000
Oct 2007	138,174,000	79,000
Nov 2007	138,284,000	110,000
Dec 2007	138,392,000	108,000
Jan 2008	138,403,000	11,000
Feb 2008	138,324,000	-79,000
Mar 2008	138,275,000	-49,000
Apr 2008	138,035,000	-240,000
May 2008	137,858,000	-177,000
Jun 2008	137,687,000	-171,000
Jul 2008	137,491,000	-196,000
Aug 2008	137,213,000	-278,000
Sep 2008	136,753,000	-460,000
Oct 2008	136,272,000	-481,000
Nov 2008	135,545,000	-727,000
Dec 2008	134,839,000	-706,000
Jan 2009	134,055,000	-784,000
Feb 2009	133,312,000	-743,000
Mar 2009	132,512,000	-800,000
Apr 2009	131,817,000	-695,000
May 2009	131,475,000	-342,000
Jun 2009	131,008,000	-467,000
Jul 2009	130,668,000	-340,000
Aug 2009	130,485,000	-183,000
Sep 2009	130,244,000	-241,000
Oct 2009	130,045,000	-199,000
Nov 2009	130,057,000	12,000
Dec 2009	129,788,000	-269,000
Jan 2010	129,790,000	2,000
Feb 2010	129,698,000	-92,000
Mar 2010	129,879,000	181,000
Apr 2010	130,110,000	231,000
May 2010	130,650,000	540,000
Jun 2010	130,511,000	-139,000
Jul 2010	130,427,000	-84,000
Aug 2010	130,422,000	-5,000
Sep 2010	130,357,000	-65,000
Oct 2010	130,625,000	268,000
Nov 2010	130,750,000	125,000
Dec 2010	130,822,000	72,000
Jan 2011	130,841,000	19,000
Feb 2011	131,053,000	212,000
Mar 2011	131,288,000	235,000
Apr 2011	131,602,000	314,000
May 2011	131,703,000	101,000
Jun 2011	131,939,000	236,000
Jul 2011	131,999,000	60,000
Aug 2011	132,125,000	126,000
Sep 2011	132,358,000	233,000
Oct 2011	132,562,000	204,000
Nov 2011	132,694,000	132,000
Dec 2011	132,896,000	202,000
Jan 2012	133,250,000	354,000
Feb 2012	133,512,000	262,000
Mar 2012	133,752,000	240,000
Apr 2012	133,834,000	82,000
May 2012	133,934,000	100,000
Jun 2012	134,007,000	73,000
Jul 2012	134,159,000	152,000
Aug 2012	134,331,000	172,000
Sep 2012	134,518,000	187,000
Oct 2012	134,677,000	159,000
Nov 2012	134,833,000	156,000
Dec 2012	135,072,000	239,000
Jan 2013	135,263,000	191,000
Feb 2013	135,541,000	278,000
Mar 2013	135,680,000	139,000
Apr 2013	135,871,000	191,000
May 2013	136,093,000	222,000
Jun 2013	136,274,000	181,000
Jul 2013	136,386,000	112,000
Aug 2013	136,628,000	242,000
Sep 2013	136,815,000	187,000
Oct 2013	137,040,000	225,000
Nov 2013	137,304,000	264,000
Dec 2013	137,373,000	69,000
Jan 2014	137,548,000	175,000
Feb 2014	137,714,000	166,000
Mar 2014	137,968,000	254,000
Apr 2014	138,293,000	325,000
May 2014	138,511,000	218,000
Jun 2014	138,837,000	326,000
Jul 2014	139,069,000	232,000
Aug 2014	139,257,000	188,000
Sep 2014	139,566,000	309,000
Oct 2014	139,818,000	252,000
Nov 2014	140,109,000	291,000
Dec 2014	140,377,000	268,000
Jan 2015	140,568,000	191,000
Feb 2015	140,839,000	271,000
Mar 2015	140,910,000	71,000
Apr 2015	141,194,000	284,000
May 2015	141,525,000	331,000
Jun 2015	141,699,000	174,000
Jul 2015	142,001,000	302,000
Aug 2015	142,126,000	125,000
Sep 2015	142,281,000	155,000
Oct 2015	142,587,000	306,000
Nov 2015	142,824,000	237,000
Dec 2015	143,097,000	273,000
Jan 2016	143,205,000	108,000
Feb 2016	143,417,000	212,000
Mar 2016	143,654,000	237,000
Apr 2016	143,851,000	197,000
May 2016	143,892,000	41,000
Jun 2016	144,150,000	258,000
Jul 2016	144,521,000	371,000
Aug 2016	144,664,000	143,000
Sep 2016	144,953,000	289,000
Oct 2016	145,071,000	118,000
Nov 2016	145,201,000	130,000
Dec 2016	145,415,000	214,000
Jan 2017	145,612,000	197,000
Feb 2017	145,795,000	183,000
Mar 2017	145,934,000	139,000
Apr 2017	146,154,000	220,000
May 2017	146,295,000	141,000
Jun 2017	146,506,000	211,000
Jul 2017	146,734,000	228,000
Aug 2017	146,924,000	190,000
Sep 2017	146,966,000	42,000
Oct 2017	147,215,000	249,000
Nov 2017	147,411,000	196,000
Dec 2017	147,590,000	179,000
Jan 2018	147,671,000	81,000
Feb 2018	148,049,000	378,000
Mar 2018	148,244,000	195,000
Apr 2018	148,397,000	153,000
May 2018	148,667,000	270,000
Jun 2018	148,881,000	214,000
Jul 2018	149,030,000	149,000
Aug 2018	149,259,000	229,000
Sep 2018	149,364,000	105,000
Oct 2018	149,576,000	212,000
Nov 2018	149,668,000	92,000
Dec 2018	149,908,000	240,000
Jan 2019	150,145,000	237,000
Feb 2019	150,095,000	-50,000
Mar 2019	150,263,000	168,000
Apr 2019	150,482,000	219,000
May 2019	150,545,000	63,000
Jun 2019	150,720,000	175,000
Jul 2019	150,913,000	193,000
Aug 2019	151,108,000	195,000
Sep 2019	151,329,000	221,000
Oct 2019	151,524,000	195,000
Nov 2019	151,758,000	234,000
Dec 2019	151,919,000	161,000
Jan 2020	152,234,000	315,000
Feb 2020	152,523,000	289,000
Mar 2020	150,840,000	-1,683,000
Apr 2020	130,161,000	-20,679,000
May 2020	132,994,000	2,833,000
Jun 2020	137,840,000	4,846,000
Jul 2020	139,566,000	1,726,000
Aug 2020	141,149,000	1,583,000
Sep 2020	141,865,000	716,000
Oct 2020	142,545,000	680,000
Nov 2020	142,809,000	264,000
Dec 2020	142,503,000	-306,000
Jan 2021	142,736,000	233,000
Feb 2021	143,272,000	536,000
Mar 2021	144,057,000	785,000
Apr 2021	144,326,000	269,000
May 2021	144,940,000	614,000
Jun 2021	145,902,000	962,000
Jul 2021	146,955,000	1,053,000
Aug 2021	147,190,000	235,000

Employment in professional and business services increased by 74,000 in August 2021. Since February 2020, employment in professional and business services is down by 468,000, with over half the decline in temporary help services.

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Chart Data

Change in nonfarm payroll employment by industry, August 2021
Industry	Change since July 2021	Change since August 2020	Change since February 2020
Mining and logging	6,000	55,000	-46,000
Construction	-3,000	193,000	-232,000
Manufacturing	37,000	353,000	-378,000
Wholesale trade	1,400	177,600	-173,100
Retail trade	-28,500	329,100	-284,900
Transportation and warehousing	53,200	372,600	21,900
Utilities	-1,300	-2,600	-10,100
Information	17,000	147,000	-150,000
Financial activities	16,000	172,000	-29,000
Professional and business services	74,000	1,086,000	-468,000
Education and health services	35,000	576,000	-905,000
Leisure and hospitality	0	2,253,000	-1,699,000
Other services	37,000	358,000	-189,000
Government	-8,000	-28,000	-790,000

Transportation and warehousing added 53,000 jobs in August 2021, bringing employment in the industry slightly above (+22,000) its pre-pandemic level in February 2020.

In August 2021, notable job gains also occurred in private education (+40,000), manufacturing (+37,000), and other services (+37,000).

Employment in leisure and hospitality was unchanged in August 2021, after increasing by an average of 350,000 per month over the prior 6 months. Since February 2020, employment in leisure and hospitality is down by 1.7 million, or 10.0 percent.

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 — August 2021." 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, Payroll employment rose by 235,000 in August 2021 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/payroll-employment-rose-by-235000-in-august-2021.htm (visited March 07, 2026).

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