January 10, 2005 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Payroll growth tops 2 million in 2004

From December 2003 to December 2004, total nonfarm payroll employment grew by 2.2 million.

Annual change in nonfarm payroll employment, 1999-2004 (December-December)
[Chart data—TXT]

Professional and business services experienced an over-the-year gain of 546,000. Within this sector, job growth in the temporary help industry totaled 206,000 in 2004.

Employment in health care and social assistance rose by 342,000 over the year.

Employment in financial activities increased by 140,000 in 2004. Strength in the housing market continued to stimulate hiring in the industry.

Manufacturing added 76,000 jobs in 2004. Nearly all of the gain occurred early in the year.

Payroll employment data are from the BLS Current Employment Statistics program. Data for December 2004 are preliminary and subject to revision. To learn more, see "The Employment Situation: December 2004" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 05-30.