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Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 256,000 in December 2024. Employment rose by 2.2 million in 2024 (an average monthly gain of 186,000), less than the increase of 3.0 million in 2023 (an average monthly gain of 251,000). Most major industries had lower average monthly gains in 2024 than in 2023.
Month | Over-the-month change | Annual average |
---|---|---|
Jan 2023 |
482,000 | 251,000 |
Feb 2023 |
287,000 | 251,000 |
Mar 2023 |
146,000 | 251,000 |
Apr 2023 |
278,000 | 251,000 |
May 2023 |
303,000 | 251,000 |
Jun 2023 |
240,000 | 251,000 |
Jul 2023 |
184,000 | 251,000 |
Aug 2023 |
210,000 | 251,000 |
Sep 2023 |
246,000 | 251,000 |
Oct 2023 |
165,000 | 251,000 |
Nov 2023 |
182,000 | 251,000 |
Dec 2023 |
290,000 | 251,000 |
Jan 2024 |
256,000 | 186,000 |
Feb 2024 |
236,000 | 186,000 |
Mar 2024 |
310,000 | 186,000 |
Apr 2024 |
108,000 | 186,000 |
May 2024 |
216,000 | 186,000 |
Jun 2024 |
118,000 | 186,000 |
Jul 2024 |
144,000 | 186,000 |
Aug 2024 |
78,000 | 186,000 |
Sep 2024 |
255,000 | 186,000 |
Oct 2024 |
43,000 | 186,000 |
Nov 2024 |
212,000 | 186,000 |
Dec 2024 |
256,000 | 186,000 |
Health care added 46,000 jobs in December 2024, with gains in home health care services (+15,000), nursing and residential care facilities (+14,000), and hospitals (+12,000). Health care added an average of 57,000 jobs per month in 2024, the same as the average monthly gain in 2023.
Retail trade added 43,000 jobs in December 2024, following a loss of 29,000 jobs in November. In December, employment increased in clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry retailers (+23,000); general merchandise retailers (+13,000); and health and personal care retailers (+7,000). Overall, employment in retail trade changed little in 2024, following an average monthly increase of 10,000 in 2023.
Industry | December 2024 change | Average annual monthly change, 2024 | Average annual monthly change, 2023 |
---|---|---|---|
Health care |
46,000 | 57,000 | 57,000 |
Retail trade |
43,000 | 6,000 | 10,000 |
Leisure and hospitality |
43,000 | 24,000 | 47,000 |
Government |
33,000 | 37,000 | 59,000 |
Professional and business services |
28,000 | 8,000 | 12,000 |
Social assistance |
23,000 | 18,000 | 23,000 |
Financial activities |
13,000 | 4,000 | 7,000 |
Private educational services |
11,000 | 6,000 | 8,000 |
Information |
10,000 | -1000 | -7,000 |
Transportation and warehousing |
10,000 | 9,000 | -6,000 |
Construction |
8,000 | 16,000 | 20,000 |
Other services |
8,000 | 6,000 | 8,000 |
Utilities |
-300 | 1000 | 1,000 |
Mining and logging |
-3,000 | -1000 | 1,000 |
Wholesale trade |
-4,000 | 3,000 | 8,000 |
Manufacturing |
-13,000 | -7,000 | 2,000 |
Employment in leisure and hospitality changed little in December 2024 (+43,000). Leisure and hospitality added an average of 24,000 jobs per month in 2024, about half the average monthly gain of 47,000 in 2023.
These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent two months are preliminary. To learn more, see "The Employment Situation — December 2024." We also have more charts of national employment, hours, and earnings data.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Employment up 256,000 in December 2024; average gain of 186,000 jobs per month in 2024 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2025/employment-up-256000-in-december-2024-average-gain-of-186000-jobs-per-month-in-2024.htm (visited March 22, 2025).