Handbook of Methods > Current Population Survey

Handbook of Methods Current Population Survey Overview

Current Population Survey: Overview

The Current Population Survey (CPS) is a monthly survey of U.S. households that is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The CPS is the source of the national unemployment rate, along with a wide range of information about employment, unemployment, and people not in the labor force.

Quick Facts: Current Population Survey
Subject areas	Hours, Unemployment, Employment
Key measures	Labor force Unemployment Employment Unemployment rate Usual weekly earnings
How the data are obtained	Survey of households
Classification	Demographic
Periodicity of data availability	Monthly, Quarterly, Annual
Geographic detail	National
Scope	Civilian noninstitutional population
Key products	See the complete list of CPS news releases and reports online. The Employment Situation Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers Employment Situation of Veterans Labor Force Characteristics of People With a Disability Labor Force Characteristics of Foreign-Born Workers Union Members Employment Characteristics of Families College Enrollment and Work Activity of High School Graduates Summer Employment and Unemployment Among Youth Employee Tenure Worker Displacement Monthly, quarterly, and annual tables
Program webpage	www.bls.gov/cps

Last Modified Date: April 10, 2018