Overview of BLS Productivity Statistics

Productivity measures and related cost measures are designed for use in economic analysis and public and private policy planning. The data are used in forecasting and analysis of prices, wages, and technological change. There are two primary types of productivity statistics:

• Labor productivity measures output per hour of labor.
• Multifactor productivity measures output per unit of combined inputs, which consist of labor and capital, and, in some cases, intermediate inputs such as fuel.

BLS programs that generate productivity statistics:

Labor Productivity

Data on output per hour and unit labor costs are available for the U.S. business sector, the nonfarm business sector, and the manufacturing sector. These are the productivity statistics most often cited in the news. In addition, output per hour and unit labor costs are available for specific industries, including complete coverage in manufacturing, retail trade, wholesale trade, and some data for other sectors.

Multifactor Productivity

Multifactor productivity statistics are available for the U.S. business sector, the nonfarm business sector, the manufacturing sector, 20 groups of manufacturing industries, many specific detailed manufacturing industries, the railroad industry, and utilities.

International Comparisons

International comparisons of output per hour and unit labor costs in manufacturing are available for about a dozen countries, including the U.S.

For more information on the measurement of productivity, see the BLS Handbook of Methods.

Last Modified Date: December 30, 2003

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