The health care and social assistance industry experienced the
largest gain in employment in 2008 with 438,700 jobs added.
··Both manufacturing and construction
lost more than 400,000 jobs in 2008.
14
FIGURE
Largest over-the-year changes in private-sector annual
average employment by industry, 2007–2008
Change in employment
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
–100,000
Retail trade
Administrative and
waste services
Construction
Manufacturing
Health care and Professional, scientific, Educational services
Management of
social assistance and technical services
companies and enterprises
–200,000
–300,000
–400,000
–500,000
Industry
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employment and Wages Annual Averages, 2008 • 27
www.bls.gov/cew