The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor is the principal Federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ mission is to collect, analyze, and disseminate essential economic information to support public and private decision-making.
BLS provides data products and services that are objective, timely, accurate, and relevant.
Overview of BLS Statistics on Employment
Few economic datasets are as closely watched as those that measure employment levels.
BLS statistics include subjects such as occupational employment and wages, labor demand and turnover, and the dynamic state of the labor market.
Current Employment Statistics (CES) Survey –
A monthly survey of the payroll records of business establishments that provides data on employment, hours, and earnings of workers and estimates of employment, hours, and earnings for individual states and metropolitan areas.
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) – A complete count of employment and wages, classified by industry, and based on quarterly reports filed by employers for over 7 million establishments subject to unemployment insurance laws.
Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey (CPS) – A monthly household survey providing comprehensive information on the employment and unemployment of the population classified by age, sex, race, and other characteristics.
Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) – LAUS estimates are key indicators of local economic conditions, and data are available by geographic region in the mapping tool.
Employment Projections – Estimates of the labor market 10 years into the future ,and other career information.
Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) – Monthly data on job openings, hires, and separations.
Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) – A survey providing annual data on employment and wages by occupation and industry for over 800 occupations and for about 400 industries.
National Longitudinal Surveys – These surveys provide information about many aspects of the lives and labor market experiences of six groups of men and women at multiple points in time, some stretching over several decades.
Business Employment Dynamics (BED) – Quarterly data series of gross job gains and gross job losses statistics, generated from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program.
Employment Research – Employment Research staff initiates, plans, and directs activities for improving the quality and enhancing the analytical usefulness of BLS employment and unemployment statistics.