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Nonfarm payroll employment up 273,000 in February 2020

March 10, 2020

In February 2020, total U.S. nonfarm payroll employment rose by 273,000 to 152.5 million. In the private sector, employment in goods-producing industries increased 61,000, while service-providing industries employment grew by 167,000. Government employment increased by 45,000.

Nonfarm payroll employment, by industry, January 2010–February 2020
Month Total nonfarm Goods-producing Private service-providing Federal government State government Local government

Jan 2010

129,790,000 17,707,000 89,592,000 2,860,000 5,145,000 14,486,000

Feb 2010

129,698,000 17,627,000 89,595,000 2,872,000 5,147,000 14,457,000

Mar 2010

129,879,000 17,672,000 89,689,000 2,923,000 5,140,000 14,455,000

Apr 2010

130,110,000 17,729,000 89,812,000 2,984,000 5,136,000 14,449,000

May 2010

130,650,000 17,742,000 89,912,000 3,416,000 5,135,000 14,445,000

Jun 2010

130,511,000 17,763,000 90,008,000 3,193,000 5,139,000 14,408,000

Jul 2010

130,427,000 17,777,000 90,081,000 3,051,000 5,136,000 14,382,000

Aug 2010

130,422,000 17,793,000 90,209,000 2,945,000 5,130,000 14,345,000

Sep 2010

130,357,000 17,787,000 90,323,000 2,869,000 5,122,000 14,256,000

Oct 2010

130,625,000 17,801,000 90,527,000 2,866,000 5,139,000 14,292,000

Nov 2010

130,750,000 17,827,000 90,636,000 2,866,000 5,139,000 14,282,000

Dec 2010

130,822,000 17,796,000 90,760,000 2,870,000 5,133,000 14,263,000

Jan 2011

130,841,000 17,784,000 90,799,000 2,874,000 5,138,000 14,246,000

Feb 2011

131,053,000 17,844,000 90,994,000 2,876,000 5,106,000 14,233,000

Mar 2011

131,288,000 17,906,000 91,190,000 2,877,000 5,096,000 14,219,000

Apr 2011

131,602,000 17,957,000 91,461,000 2,870,000 5,091,000 14,223,000

May 2011

131,703,000 18,007,000 91,567,000 2,871,000 5,083,000 14,175,000

Jun 2011

131,939,000 18,045,000 91,730,000 2,860,000 5,079,000 14,225,000

Jul 2011

131,999,000 18,094,000 91,856,000 2,862,000 5,058,000 14,129,000

Aug 2011

132,125,000 18,120,000 91,988,000 2,850,000 5,079,000 14,088,000

Sep 2011

132,358,000 18,167,000 92,208,000 2,846,000 5,072,000 14,065,000

Oct 2011

132,562,000 18,188,000 92,376,000 2,850,000 5,056,000 14,092,000

Nov 2011

132,694,000 18,187,000 92,536,000 2,842,000 5,050,000 14,079,000

Dec 2011

132,896,000 18,244,000 92,698,000 2,836,000 5,047,000 14,071,000

Jan 2012

133,250,000 18,304,000 93,000,000 2,833,000 5,045,000 14,068,000

Feb 2012

133,512,000 18,334,000 93,231,000 2,828,000 5,048,000 14,071,000

Mar 2012

133,752,000 18,372,000 93,437,000 2,828,000 5,051,000 14,064,000

Apr 2012

133,834,000 18,384,000 93,519,000 2,826,000 5,055,000 14,050,000

May 2012

133,934,000 18,386,000 93,637,000 2,823,000 5,052,000 14,036,000

Jun 2012

134,007,000 18,411,000 93,666,000 2,824,000 5,059,000 14,047,000

Jul 2012

134,159,000 18,447,000 93,799,000 2,815,000 5,055,000 14,043,000

Aug 2012

134,331,000 18,459,000 93,956,000 2,820,000 5,063,000 14,033,000

Sep 2012

134,518,000 18,461,000 94,132,000 2,822,000 5,076,000 14,027,000

Oct 2012

134,677,000 18,472,000 94,302,000 2,824,000 5,055,000 14,024,000

Nov 2012

134,833,000 18,477,000 94,473,000 2,809,000 5,052,000 14,022,000

Dec 2012

135,072,000 18,532,000 94,653,000 2,806,000 5,048,000 14,033,000

Jan 2013

135,263,000 18,580,000 94,814,000 2,806,000 5,029,000 14,034,000

Feb 2013

135,541,000 18,638,000 95,022,000 2,806,000 5,045,000 14,030,000

Mar 2013

135,680,000 18,660,000 95,150,000 2,794,000 5,052,000 14,024,000

Apr 2013

135,871,000 18,653,000 95,349,000 2,794,000 5,047,000 14,028,000

May 2013

136,093,000 18,691,000 95,538,000 2,775,000 5,049,000 14,040,000

Jun 2013

136,274,000 18,724,000 95,710,000 2,771,000 5,038,000 14,031,000

Jul 2013

136,386,000 18,705,000 95,866,000 2,761,000 5,025,000 14,029,000

Aug 2013

136,628,000 18,756,000 96,041,000 2,754,000 5,045,000 14,032,000

Sep 2013

136,815,000 18,810,000 96,170,000 2,753,000 5,050,000 14,032,000

Oct 2013

137,040,000 18,857,000 96,353,000 2,739,000 5,057,000 14,034,000

Nov 2013

137,304,000 18,911,000 96,550,000 2,746,000 5,056,000 14,041,000

Dec 2013

137,373,000 18,881,000 96,672,000 2,741,000 5,053,000 14,026,000

Jan 2014

137,548,000 18,937,000 96,797,000 2,736,000 5,052,000 14,026,000

Feb 2014

137,714,000 18,988,000 96,901,000 2,731,000 5,057,000 14,037,000

Mar 2014

137,968,000 19,037,000 97,098,000 2,728,000 5,055,000 14,050,000

Apr 2014

138,293,000 19,104,000 97,336,000 2,728,000 5,055,000 14,070,000

May 2014

138,511,000 19,142,000 97,537,000 2,728,000 5,051,000 14,053,000

Jun 2014

138,837,000 19,195,000 97,747,000 2,729,000 5,058,000 14,108,000

Jul 2014

139,069,000 19,264,000 97,904,000 2,731,000 5,035,000 14,135,000

Aug 2014

139,257,000 19,316,000 98,086,000 2,735,000 5,016,000 14,104,000

Sep 2014

139,566,000 19,371,000 98,298,000 2,735,000 5,041,000 14,121,000

Oct 2014

139,818,000 19,419,000 98,482,000 2,735,000 5,046,000 14,136,000

Nov 2014

140,109,000 19,456,000 98,721,000 2,740,000 5,053,000 14,139,000

Dec 2014

140,377,000 19,481,000 98,949,000 2,743,000 5,059,000 14,145,000

Jan 2015

140,568,000 19,500,000 99,108,000 2,745,000 5,065,000 14,150,000

Feb 2015

140,839,000 19,537,000 99,324,000 2,747,000 5,071,000 14,160,000

Mar 2015

140,910,000 19,505,000 99,435,000 2,748,000 5,067,000 14,155,000

Apr 2015

141,194,000 19,553,000 99,636,000 2,763,000 5,070,000 14,172,000

May 2015

141,525,000 19,580,000 99,933,000 2,753,000 5,074,000 14,185,000

Jun 2015

141,699,000 19,591,000 100,093,000 2,754,000 5,073,000 14,188,000

Jul 2015

142,001,000 19,626,000 100,325,000 2,756,000 5,073,000 14,221,000

Aug 2015

142,126,000 19,629,000 100,437,000 2,760,000 5,077,000 14,223,000

Sep 2015

142,281,000 19,641,000 100,600,000 2,759,000 5,083,000 14,198,000

Oct 2015

142,587,000 19,680,000 100,851,000 2,759,000 5,084,000 14,213,000

Nov 2015

142,824,000 19,711,000 101,032,000 2,766,000 5,090,000 14,225,000

Dec 2015

143,097,000 19,738,000 101,262,000 2,776,000 5,088,000 14,233,000

Jan 2016

143,170,000 19,730,000 101,322,000 2,772,000 5,089,000 14,257,000

Feb 2016

143,433,000 19,728,000 101,561,000 2,778,000 5,086,000 14,280,000

Mar 2016

143,662,000 19,716,000 101,766,000 2,783,000 5,093,000 14,304,000

Apr 2016

143,849,000 19,728,000 101,935,000 2,785,000 5,098,000 14,303,000

May 2016

143,891,000 19,689,000 102,005,000 2,792,000 5,093,000 14,312,000

Jun 2016

144,158,000 19,709,000 102,265,000 2,797,000 5,107,000 14,280,000

Jul 2016

144,512,000 19,757,000 102,470,000 2,799,000 5,116,000 14,370,000

Aug 2016

144,647,000 19,732,000 102,647,000 2,803,000 5,113,000 14,352,000

Sep 2016

144,916,000 19,762,000 102,851,000 2,807,000 5,147,000 14,349,000

Oct 2016

145,061,000 19,789,000 102,980,000 2,804,000 5,134,000 14,354,000

Nov 2016

145,212,000 19,808,000 103,114,000 2,799,000 5,139,000 14,352,000

Dec 2016

145,442,000 19,825,000 103,309,000 2,817,000 5,141,000 14,350,000

Jan 2017

145,627,000 19,865,000 103,460,000 2,815,000 5,151,000 14,336,000

Feb 2017

145,815,000 19,928,000 103,568,000 2,813,000 5,160,000 14,346,000

Mar 2017

145,944,000 19,964,000 103,655,000 2,811,000 5,163,000 14,351,000

Apr 2017

146,141,000 19,985,000 103,826,000 2,800,000 5,166,000 14,364,000

May 2017

146,296,000 20,007,000 103,957,000 2,808,000 5,174,000 14,350,000

Jun 2017

146,512,000 20,050,000 104,116,000 2,806,000 5,170,000 14,370,000

Jul 2017

146,727,000 20,056,000 104,312,000 2,805,000 5,173,000 14,381,000

Aug 2017

146,911,000 20,135,000 104,419,000 2,802,000 5,167,000 14,388,000

Sep 2017

146,929,000 20,161,000 104,402,000 2,802,000 5,160,000 14,404,000

Oct 2017

147,196,000 20,206,000 104,621,000 2,803,000 5,155,000 14,411,000

Nov 2017

147,421,000 20,273,000 104,755,000 2,792,000 5,171,000 14,430,000

Dec 2017

147,551,000 20,326,000 104,844,000 2,794,000 5,159,000 14,428,000

Jan 2018

147,672,000 20,371,000 104,946,000 2,801,000 5,147,000 14,407,000

Feb 2018

148,078,000 20,494,000 105,178,000 2,793,000 5,151,000 14,462,000

Mar 2018

148,254,000 20,530,000 105,320,000 2,793,000 5,154,000 14,457,000

Apr 2018

148,391,000 20,577,000 105,400,000 2,795,000 5,167,000 14,452,000

May 2018

148,669,000 20,648,000 105,590,000 2,792,000 5,174,000 14,465,000

Jun 2018

148,888,000 20,698,000 105,731,000 2,796,000 5,180,000 14,483,000

Jul 2018

149,024,000 20,739,000 105,823,000 2,798,000 5,178,000 14,486,000

Aug 2018

149,268,000 20,791,000 105,987,000 2,801,000 5,183,000 14,506,000

Sep 2018

149,348,000 20,834,000 106,025,000 2,804,000 5,193,000 14,492,000

Oct 2018

149,549,000 20,884,000 106,180,000 2,805,000 5,184,000 14,496,000

Nov 2018

149,683,000 20,897,000 106,300,000 2,811,000 5,173,000 14,502,000

Dec 2018

149,865,000 20,948,000 106,422,000 2,809,000 5,173,000 14,513,000

Jan 2019

150,134,000 21,023,000 106,605,000 2,811,000 5,170,000 14,525,000

Feb 2019

150,135,000 20,994,000 106,628,000 2,814,000 5,175,000 14,524,000

Mar 2019

150,282,000 21,011,000 106,743,000 2,815,000 5,175,000 14,538,000

Apr 2019

150,492,000 21,039,000 106,900,000 2,823,000 5,169,000 14,561,000

May 2019

150,577,000 21,050,000 106,976,000 2,826,000 5,158,000 14,567,000

Jun 2019

150,759,000 21,076,000 107,130,000 2,829,000 5,157,000 14,567,000

Jul 2019

150,953,000 21,085,000 107,281,000 2,831,000 5,168,000 14,588,000

Aug 2019

151,160,000 21,087,000 107,436,000 2,857,000 5,184,000 14,596,000

Sep 2019

151,368,000 21,106,000 107,612,000 2,857,000 5,181,000 14,612,000

Oct 2019

151,553,000 21,086,000 107,822,000 2,844,000 5,184,000 14,617,000

Nov 2019

151,814,000 21,131,000 108,024,000 2,850,000 5,181,000 14,628,000

Dec 2019

151,998,000 21,136,000 108,183,000 2,847,000 5,184,000 14,648,000

Jan 2020

152,271,000 21,163,000 108,378,000 2,857,000 5,199,000 14,674,000

Feb 2020

152,544,000 21,224,000 108,545,000 2,865,000 5,217,000 14,693,000
Data for the most recent two months are preliminary.

 

1-month change in nonfarm payroll employment, by industry, January 2010–February 2020
Month Total nonfarm Goods-producing Private service-providing Federal government State government Local government

Jan 2010

2,000 -85,000 78,000 29,000 -5,000 -15,000

Feb 2010

-92,000 -80,000 3,000 12,000 2,000 -29,000

Mar 2010

181,000 45,000 94,000 51,000 -7,000 -2,000

Apr 2010

231,000 57,000 123,000 61,000 -4,000 -6,000

May 2010

540,000 13,000 100,000 432,000 -1,000 -4,000

Jun 2010

-139,000 21,000 96,000 -223,000 4,000 -37,000

Jul 2010

-84,000 14,000 73,000 -142,000 -3,000 -26,000

Aug 2010

-5,000 16,000 128,000 -106,000 -6,000 -37,000

Sep 2010

-65,000 -6,000 114,000 -76,000 -8,000 -89,000

Oct 2010

268,000 14,000 204,000 -3,000 17,000 36,000

Nov 2010

125,000 26,000 109,000 0 0 -10,000

Dec 2010

72,000 -31,000 124,000 4,000 -6,000 -19,000

Jan 2011

19,000 -12,000 39,000 4,000 5,000 -17,000

Feb 2011

212,000 60,000 195,000 2,000 -32,000 -13,000

Mar 2011

235,000 62,000 196,000 1,000 -10,000 -14,000

Apr 2011

314,000 51,000 271,000 -7,000 -5,000 4,000

May 2011

101,000 50,000 106,000 1,000 -8,000 -48,000

Jun 2011

236,000 38,000 163,000 -11,000 -4,000 50,000

Jul 2011

60,000 49,000 126,000 2,000 -21,000 -96,000

Aug 2011

126,000 26,000 132,000 -12,000 21,000 -41,000

Sep 2011

233,000 47,000 220,000 -4,000 -7,000 -23,000

Oct 2011

204,000 21,000 168,000 4,000 -16,000 27,000

Nov 2011

132,000 -1,000 160,000 -8,000 -6,000 -13,000

Dec 2011

202,000 57,000 162,000 -6,000 -3,000 -8,000

Jan 2012

354,000 60,000 302,000 -3,000 -2,000 -3,000

Feb 2012

262,000 30,000 231,000 -5,000 3,000 3,000

Mar 2012

240,000 38,000 206,000 0 3,000 -7,000

Apr 2012

82,000 12,000 82,000 -2,000 4,000 -14,000

May 2012

100,000 2,000 118,000 -3,000 -3,000 -14,000

Jun 2012

73,000 25,000 29,000 1,000 7,000 11,000

Jul 2012

152,000 36,000 133,000 -9,000 -4,000 -4,000

Aug 2012

172,000 12,000 157,000 5,000 8,000 -10,000

Sep 2012

187,000 2,000 176,000 2,000 13,000 -6,000

Oct 2012

159,000 11,000 170,000 2,000 -21,000 -3,000

Nov 2012

156,000 5,000 171,000 -15,000 -3,000 -2,000

Dec 2012

239,000 55,000 180,000 -3,000 -4,000 11,000

Jan 2013

191,000 48,000 161,000 0 -19,000 1,000

Feb 2013

278,000 58,000 208,000 0 16,000 -4,000

Mar 2013

139,000 22,000 128,000 -12,000 7,000 -6,000

Apr 2013

191,000 -7,000 199,000 0 -5,000 4,000

May 2013

222,000 38,000 189,000 -19,000 2,000 12,000

Jun 2013

181,000 33,000 172,000 -4,000 -11,000 -9,000

Jul 2013

112,000 -19,000 156,000 -10,000 -13,000 -2,000

Aug 2013

242,000 51,000 175,000 -7,000 20,000 3,000

Sep 2013

187,000 54,000 129,000 -1,000 5,000 0

Oct 2013

225,000 47,000 183,000 -14,000 7,000 2,000

Nov 2013

264,000 54,000 197,000 7,000 -1,000 7,000

Dec 2013

69,000 -30,000 122,000 -5,000 -3,000 -15,000

Jan 2014

175,000 56,000 125,000 -5,000 -1,000 0

Feb 2014

166,000 51,000 104,000 -5,000 5,000 11,000

Mar 2014

254,000 49,000 197,000 -3,000 -2,000 13,000

Apr 2014

325,000 67,000 238,000 0 0 20,000

May 2014

218,000 38,000 201,000 0 -4,000 -17,000

Jun 2014

326,000 53,000 210,000 1,000 7,000 55,000

Jul 2014

232,000 69,000 157,000 2,000 -23,000 27,000

Aug 2014

188,000 52,000 182,000 4,000 -19,000 -31,000

Sep 2014

309,000 55,000 212,000 0 25,000 17,000

Oct 2014

252,000 48,000 184,000 0 5,000 15,000

Nov 2014

291,000 37,000 239,000 5,000 7,000 3,000

Dec 2014

268,000 25,000 228,000 3,000 6,000 6,000

Jan 2015

191,000 19,000 159,000 2,000 6,000 5,000

Feb 2015

271,000 37,000 216,000 2,000 6,000 10,000

Mar 2015

71,000 -32,000 111,000 1,000 -4,000 -5,000

Apr 2015

284,000 48,000 201,000 15,000 3,000 17,000

May 2015

331,000 27,000 297,000 -10,000 4,000 13,000

Jun 2015

174,000 11,000 160,000 1,000 -1,000 3,000

Jul 2015

302,000 35,000 232,000 2,000 0 33,000

Aug 2015

125,000 3,000 112,000 4,000 4,000 2,000

Sep 2015

155,000 12,000 163,000 -1,000 6,000 -25,000

Oct 2015

306,000 39,000 251,000 0 1,000 15,000

Nov 2015

237,000 31,000 181,000 7,000 6,000 12,000

Dec 2015

273,000 27,000 230,000 10,000 -2,000 8,000

Jan 2016

73,000 -8,000 60,000 -4,000 1,000 24,000

Feb 2016

263,000 -2,000 239,000 6,000 -3,000 23,000

Mar 2016

229,000 -12,000 205,000 5,000 7,000 24,000

Apr 2016

187,000 12,000 169,000 2,000 5,000 -1,000

May 2016

42,000 -39,000 70,000 7,000 -5,000 9,000

Jun 2016

267,000 20,000 260,000 5,000 14,000 -32,000

Jul 2016

354,000 48,000 205,000 2,000 9,000 90,000

Aug 2016

135,000 -25,000 177,000 4,000 -3,000 -18,000

Sep 2016

269,000 30,000 204,000 4,000 34,000 -3,000

Oct 2016

145,000 27,000 129,000 -3,000 -13,000 5,000

Nov 2016

151,000 19,000 134,000 -5,000 5,000 -2,000

Dec 2016

230,000 17,000 195,000 18,000 2,000 -2,000

Jan 2017

185,000 40,000 151,000 -2,000 10,000 -14,000

Feb 2017

188,000 63,000 108,000 -2,000 9,000 10,000

Mar 2017

129,000 36,000 87,000 -2,000 3,000 5,000

Apr 2017

197,000 21,000 171,000 -11,000 3,000 13,000

May 2017

155,000 22,000 131,000 8,000 8,000 -14,000

Jun 2017

216,000 43,000 159,000 -2,000 -4,000 20,000

Jul 2017

215,000 6,000 196,000 -1,000 3,000 11,000

Aug 2017

184,000 79,000 107,000 -3,000 -6,000 7,000

Sep 2017

18,000 26,000 -17,000 0 -7,000 16,000

Oct 2017

267,000 45,000 219,000 1,000 -5,000 7,000

Nov 2017

225,000 67,000 134,000 -11,000 16,000 19,000

Dec 2017

130,000 53,000 89,000 2,000 -12,000 -2,000

Jan 2018

121,000 45,000 102,000 7,000 -12,000 -21,000

Feb 2018

406,000 123,000 232,000 -8,000 4,000 55,000

Mar 2018

176,000 36,000 142,000 0 3,000 -5,000

Apr 2018

137,000 47,000 80,000 2,000 13,000 -5,000

May 2018

278,000 71,000 190,000 -3,000 7,000 13,000

Jun 2018

219,000 50,000 141,000 4,000 6,000 18,000

Jul 2018

136,000 41,000 92,000 2,000 -2,000 3,000

Aug 2018

244,000 52,000 164,000 3,000 5,000 20,000

Sep 2018

80,000 43,000 38,000 3,000 10,000 -14,000

Oct 2018

201,000 50,000 155,000 1,000 -9,000 4,000

Nov 2018

134,000 13,000 120,000 6,000 -11,000 6,000

Dec 2018

182,000 51,000 122,000 -2,000 0 11,000

Jan 2019

269,000 75,000 183,000 2,000 -3,000 12,000

Feb 2019

1,000 -29,000 23,000 3,000 5,000 -1,000

Mar 2019

147,000 17,000 115,000 1,000 0 14,000

Apr 2019

210,000 28,000 157,000 8,000 -6,000 23,000

May 2019

85,000 11,000 76,000 3,000 -11,000 6,000

Jun 2019

182,000 26,000 154,000 3,000 -1,000 0

Jul 2019

194,000 9,000 151,000 2,000 11,000 21,000

Aug 2019

207,000 2,000 155,000 26,000 16,000 8,000

Sep 2019

208,000 19,000 176,000 0 -3,000 16,000

Oct 2019

185,000 -20,000 210,000 -13,000 3,000 5,000

Nov 2019

261,000 45,000 202,000 6,000 -3,000 11,000

Dec 2019

184,000 5,000 159,000 -3,000 3,000 20,000

Jan 2020

273,000 27,000 195,000 10,000 15,000 26,000

Feb 2020

273,000 61,000 167,000 8,000 18,000 19,000
Data for the most recent two months are preliminary.

Within the goods-producing industries, construction employment increased by 42,000, with employment gains in specialty trade contractors and residential building. Employment in the other major goods-producing industries, mining and manufacturing, changed little over the month. Employment in goods-producing industries totaled 21.2 million in February 2020.

Among the private service-providing industries, employment increased by 57,000 in health care and social assistance. Health care had employment gains in offices of physicians, home health care services, and hospitals. Employment in social assistance increased in individual and family services.

Food services and drinking places added 53,000 jobs.

Employment increased by 32,000 in professional and technical services. Job growth in February occurred in architectural and engineering services and in scientific research and development services.

With gains in real estate and in credit intermediation and related activities, financial activities employment increased 26,000.

Employment in other major private service-providing industries, such as wholesale trade, retail trade, transportation and warehousing, and information, changed little over the month. Private service-providing industries employed 108.5 million in February.

The 45,000-job gain in total government employment was led by a gain in state government education. Federal government employment increased by 8,000, reflecting the hiring of 7,000 temporary workers for the 2020 Census. The chart (above) shows increases in federal government employment during the 2010 Census.

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program. Data for the most recent 2 months are preliminary. To learn more, see "The Employment Situation — February 2020." Also see more charts showing nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings data.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Nonfarm payroll employment up 273,000 in February 2020 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2020/nonfarm-payroll-employment-up-273000-in-february-2020.htm (visited April 18, 2024).

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