Average Hourly Earnings
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) March 7th report, the average hourly earnings for all employees in the United States rose to $35.93, up from $35.46 in November 2024. This average includes all industries, skills, and employee levels. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have risen 4%.
Contract Staffing Employment
According to the American Staffing Association, contract staffing employment jobs for the four weeks ending 2/23/2025 were down 8.4% year over year with a staffing index of 83. In June of 2006 ASA established an index baseline of 100. ASA Economists predict staffing employment to contract by 6.1% in Q12025, and as the economy stabilizes, this will reverse.
Temporary Help Penetration Rate
The temporary help penetration rate has historically been around 2% of total employment. In October of 2022, it dropped below 2% and has continued to decline.
In September 2024, it dropped to 1.67%, and in February 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it’s hit a low of 1.59%
GDP Projection
According to BLS March 11th report, the number of job openings is now at 7.7 million.
Job Openings
Categories of jobs with highest gains in employment
- Real Estate, Rental and Leasing – 6.4
- Accommodation and Food Services – 6.2
- Healthcare and Social Assistance – 6.0
See the full chart here.
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