Professional and Business Services
About the Professional and Business Services supersector
The professional and business services supersector is part of the service-providing industries supersector group.
The professional and business services supersector consists of these sectors:
Workforce Statistics
This section provides information relating to employment and unemployment in professional and business services.
While most data are obtained from employer or establishment surveys, information on industry unemployment comes from a national survey of households.
The following tables present an overview of the industry including
the number of jobs,
the unemployment rate of those previously employed in the industry,
job openings and labor turnover,
union membership and representation,
gross job gains and losses,
and projections of occupational employment change.
Employment, Unemployment, and Openings, Hires, and Separations
Data series |
Back data |
Jun. 2012 |
Jul. 2012 |
Aug. 2012 |
Sep. 2012 |
Employment (in thousands) |
|
Employment, all employees (seasonally adjusted) |
|
17,883 |
17,924 |
17,943 |
17,956 |
Employment, production and nonsupervisory employees (seasonally adjusted) |
|
14,770 |
14,824 |
14,856 |
14,891 |
Unemployment |
|
Unemployment rate |
|
8.9% |
9.1% |
8.9% |
8.2% |
Job openings, hires, and separations (in thousands) |
|
Job openings |
|
634 |
657 |
698 |
|
Hires |
|
1,025 |
904 |
947 |
|
Separations |
|
898 |
882 |
982 |
|
(Source: Current Employment Statistics, Current Population Survey, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey)
Union Membership and Representation
Data series |
Back data |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
Union membership and representation |
|
Members of unions (percent of wage and salary workers) |
|
2.1% |
2.3% |
2.7% |
2.1% |
Represented by unions (percent of wage and salary workers) |
|
2.7% |
2.8% |
3.3% |
2.6% |
(Source: Current Population Survey)
Dynamic Changes in Employment
Data series |
Back data |
1st quarter 2011 |
2nd quarter 2011 |
3rd quarter 2011 |
4th quarter 2011 |
Dynamic changes in employment (in thousands) |
|
Gross job gains |
|
1,219 |
1,300 |
1,359 |
1,340 |
Gross job losses |
|
1,134 |
1,212 |
1,152 |
1,249 |
(Source: Business Employment Dynamics)
Projections
For projected (future) employment estimates in professional and business services, see the Employment and projected employment by major industry sector table.
(Source: Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections)
Earnings and Hours
This section presents data on employee earnings and weekly hours.
The latest industry averages of hourly earnings and weekly hours, as well as weekly earnings by union membership status, are shown.
This section also contains information on recent rates of change in wages and total compensation.
Earnings and Hours of All Employees
(Source: Current Employment Statistics)
Earnings and Hours of Production and Nonsupervisory Employees
(Source: Current Employment Statistics)
Union Membership and Representation
(Source: Current Population Survey)
Employer Compensation Costs
Data series |
Back data |
3rd quarter 2011 |
4th quarter 2011 |
1st quarter 2012 |
2nd quarter 2012 |
12-month percent change |
|
Total compensation |
|
2.4% |
2.2% |
2.1% |
1.6% |
Wages and salaries |
|
2.1% |
1.7% |
1.7% |
1.5% |
(Source: Compensation Cost Trends)
Work-related Fatalities, Injuries, and Illnesses
This section presents data for the industry on the number of workplace fatalities and the rates of workplace injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in professional and business services. An injury or illness is considered to be work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing condition.
(Source: Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities)
Workplace Trends
This section presents data on the number of establishments and the number of establishments experiencing job gains or job losses in professional and business services.
Establishments
Data series |
Back data |
2nd quarter 2011 |
3rd quarter 2011 |
4th quarter 2011 |
1st quarter 2012 |
Number of establishments |
|
Private industry |
|
1,554,259 |
1,568,858 |
1,578,645 |
1,582,678 |
Local government |
|
4,100 |
4,115 |
4,118 |
4,181 |
State government |
|
893 |
887 |
885 |
885 |
Federal government |
|
1,594 |
1,593 |
1,587 |
1,570 |
Establishments with changes in employment (in thousands) |
|
With job gains (seasonally adjusted) |
|
315 |
325 |
318 |
|
With job losses (seasonally adjusted) |
|
311 |
304 |
317 |
|
(Source: Business Employment Dynamics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages)
Other BLS Resources
The Editor's Desk
See industry studies in the subject matter index of The Editor's Desk (Current Edition).
Career Guide to Industries
To learn about careers from an industry perspective, see the Career Guide to Industries.
Data extracted on:
October 16, 2012