The U.S. Census Bureau estimated today that first-quarter 2012 revenue in the U.S. employment services industry rose to $58.42 billion, up 4.1 percent from $56.13 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011.

The employment services category measured by the bureau includes employment placement agencies, executive search firms, temporary employment agencies and professional employer organizations.

Census estimates of staffing industry revenue differ from other estimates. Staffing Industry Analysts estimates that 2011 staffing industry revenue totalled $117.2 billion