OUTLOOK & ANALYSIS

Accounting Loses 6,000 Jobs in September

Industry headcount stands at 928,300.

Today’s U.S. employment report, which showed another month of a so-called “jobless recovery,” also signaled deeper problems for the accounting and bookkeeping sector.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a seasonally-adjusted decline in staffing by 6,000 positions, to 928,300 in September. Coupled with downwardly revised figures since May, it represents the fourth straight month of decline. Earlier BLS reports had shown some gains.

Compared to the year-ago month, accounting and bookkeeping employment declined about 1.9%, to 857,100 people from 874,100, not seasonally adjusted.

Overall, the BLS reported since the start of the recession in December 2007, unemployment has doubled in number and percentage, to 15.1 million people and 9.8% of the nation’s workforce idled.

One Response to “Accounting Loses 6,000 Jobs in September”

  1. Lynn M

    Recently the National Association of Colleges and Employers published this data. Out of the 10 top jobs for the graduates of 2009 (students heading into a very tough job market) three of the jobs listed were in the accounting and financial field.
    http://www.naceweb.org/press/display.asp?year=&prid=307