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State and Metro Area Employment, Hours, & Earnings
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CES State and Area Revisions
Each month, CES State and Area releases initial estimates of employment, hours, and earnings for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and approximately 430 metropolitan areas and divisions, typically about five weeks after the reference period. The final estimates for a given month are published the following month after the preliminary release. Final estimates remain unchanged until annual benchmarking. CES State and Area issues two types of revisions: a monthly revision of the estimates and a benchmark revision.
The monthly revisions show the difference from preliminary to final estimates. Monthly revisions allow for late reporting to be incorporated, enabling data users to have a clearer picture of the labor market.
The benchmark revisions measure the gap between benchmark employment level and its sample-based estimate. Each year, nearly two years of Current Employment Statistics (CES) figures are replaced with more comprehensive counts from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). A preliminary report of March benchmark revisions is published with the release of first quarter QCEW data of the same year, while the final benchmark revision is published with the release of payroll employment estimates for January.
Last Modified Date: July 14, 2026