Quarterly Selected Services Revenue Report Q2 2026: Insights for Business Owners

Publication Date: 12 September, 2026

The U.S. Census Bureau released the Quarterly Selected Services Revenue report on 9 September, 2026, covering the second quarter of 2026. This report provides seasonally adjusted revenue estimates for employer firms in selected service industries across the U.S. The key headline is a 3.0% increase in total selected services revenue from the first quarter of 2026, pointing to continued growth in the service sector. For business owners, understanding these revenue trends can help guide decisions on hiring, pricing, and expansion in a dynamic market environment.

Key Numbers

The report shows that total U.S. selected services revenue for Q2 2026 was approximately $6.42 trillion, a 3.0% increase (± 0.4%) from Q1 2026. This growth is also 7.6% higher (± 0.6%) compared to Q2 2025. The first quarter to second quarter percentage change was slightly revised from an earlier estimate of 3.1% to 3.0%.

Industry-specific figures include:

• Utilities: Revenue was $219.6 billion, down 1.9% (± 1.1%) from Q1 2026 but up 6.8% (± 1.1%) year-over-year.
• Transportation and Warehousing: Revenue reached $401.8 billion, up 5.1% (± 1.3%) from Q1 2026 and 12.3% (± 1.5%) from Q2 2025.
• Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services: Revenue was $356.1 billion, increasing 1.0% (± 2.1%) from Q1 2026 and 2.8% (± 1.3%) year-over-year.
• Educational Services: Revenue was $30.0 billion, a slight decrease of 0.6% (± 3.6%) from Q1 2026 but up 2.9% (± 4.4%) from Q2 2025.

Note: All figures are seasonally adjusted but not adjusted for price changes.

Industry-Specific Interpretation

The report covers a broad range of service industries, with notable growth in transportation and warehousing, which saw a strong 5.1% quarterly increase and a robust 12.3% year-over-year gain. This suggests rising demand for logistics and distribution services, consistent with ongoing supply chain activity and consumer spending patterns.

Utilities experienced a modest quarterly decline of 1.9%, which may reflect seasonal or operational factors, but still show solid year-over-year growth of 6.8%, indicating steady demand for essential services.

Administrative and support services, including waste management and remediation, showed moderate growth, pointing to stable business activity in these support functions.

Educational services revenue dipped slightly quarter-to-quarter but remains higher than the previous year, suggesting some short-term fluctuations but overall resilience.

The available context does not provide detailed revenue data for other service industries or sub-sectors.

Business Owner Implications

The 3.0% overall revenue growth in selected services signals a generally positive environment for service sector businesses. For owners in transportation and warehousing, the strong revenue gains may justify investments in capacity expansion, technology upgrades, or workforce hiring to meet rising demand.

Utilities providers should monitor the slight quarterly revenue dip carefully, as it may point to short-term demand shifts or operational challenges. However, the solid year-over-year growth supports continued investment in infrastructure and service reliability.

Administrative and support service firms can interpret the modest growth as a sign of steady demand, which may support cautious hiring and operational efficiency improvements.

Educational service providers should be aware of the slight quarterly revenue decline and consider strategies to stabilize or grow enrollment and service offerings.

Across the board, business owners should consider that these revenue figures are not adjusted for price changes, so inflationary pressures or pricing strategies may also influence actual revenue performance and margins.

What to Watch Next

• Upcoming quarterly revenue releases from the U.S. Census Bureau to track ongoing service sector trends.
• Price change data and inflation indicators to understand real revenue growth versus nominal increases.
• Employment and wage reports in service industries to assess labor market tightness and wage pressures.
• Consumer spending and supply chain indicators that impact transportation and warehousing demand.
• Policy developments affecting utilities and environmental regulations impacting waste management services.

Practical Takeaway

For service sector business owners, the Q2 2026 revenue growth reported by the U.S. Census Bureau points to a generally favorable market environment, especially in transportation and warehousing. However, some sectors like utilities and education show mixed signals that warrant close monitoring. Use this data to inform hiring plans, pricing strategies, and investment timing, while remaining alert to inflation and operational factors that could affect margins.

Want to know what this report means for your industry, location, costs, and growth plans? Ask AmericanEconomy.ai for a tailored analysis.

Sources Used

• Quarterly Selected Services Revenue (U.S. Census Bureau | 9 September, 2026)