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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Frances Perkins, Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Isador Lubin, Commissioner (on leave)
A . F. H inrichs, Acting Commissioner
in cooperation with
FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY
UNITED STATES OFFICE OF EDUCATION
Occupational Data for Counselors
A H andbook o f Census Inform ation
Selected for U se in Guidance
Bulletin No. 817
For sale by the Superintendent o f Documents, United States Government Printing Office
W ashington 25? D . C., P rice: 10 cents
Letter o f Transm ittal
U n it e d * S t a t e s D e p a r t m e n t o p L a b o r ,
B u r e a u o f L a b o r S t a t is t ic s ,
Washington, D. C., February 2 7 ,19I>5.
T h e Se c r e ta r y o f L a b o r :
I have the honor to transmit herewith a bulletin presenting occupational infor
mation selected and arranged for the use of counselors and other persons engaged
in giving vocational or educational guidance and information to veterans, young
people in school, and others.
The bulletin was prepared by the Occupational Outlook Division of the Bureau
of Labor Statistics in cooperation with the United States Office of Education, Voca
tional Division, Occupational Information and Guidance Service. The text was
written by Walter J. Greenleaf, of the Office of Education, and by Cora E. Taylor
and Harold Goldstein, of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data in the tables,
based on publications of the Bureau of the Census, were selected and arranged and
the computations made by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under the direction of
Cora E. Taylor.
A. F. H in r ic h s , Acting Commissioner.
H o n . F r a n c e s P e r k in s ,
Secretary of Labor.
C ontents
Page
Part
Part
Part
Part
I.—Use of Census occupational data in guidance work_______________
II.— Suggestions for interpreting Census data________________________
III.— Definitions and explanations_________________________ u_______
IV.— Summaries of occupational data from the Census:
Table 1.— Employment status of the population, by sex, for the United
States, 1940______________________________________________________
Table 2.— Major occupation groups (experienced labor force, by sex, in
cluding employed and unemployed workers, 1940)_________________
Table 3.— Industries (experienced labor force, including employed and
unemployed workers, 1940)_______________________________________
Table 4.— Employment information for selected occupations__________
Table 5.— Class of worker of employed women for selected occupations,
1940_____________________________________________________________
Selected references______________________________________________________
Index of occupations (table 4)___________________________________________
(H I)
1
4
17
21
22
23 24
32
33
34
Bulletin No. 817 o f the
United States, Bureau o f Labor Statistics
Occupational Data for Counselors
PA R T I.— Use o f Census O ccupational Data
in Guidance W ork
Particularly useful in guidance programs is a considerable amount
of information about occupations and workers to be found in the vari
ous publications of the Bureau of the Census. Published census
tables, however, fill several large volumes which are not generally
accessible to counselors, and even when available in libraries, require
both time and patience to extract occupational data that are useful
and comparable. With these facts in mind, material from the mass
of census statistics has been carefully selected, summarized, and
interpreted to supply a need on the part of counselors and others
who are helping young people and veterans to choose a vocation.
The census data selected are condensed into five tables with discus
sions and interpretations intended to be useful to counselors, personnel
workers, employment officials, and deans of students. Teachers in
classes in occupations who are helping students find answers to ques
tions concerning workers in the United States will find ready reference
in these summaries, and those studying curriculum planning in schools,
stability of employment, relative employment opportunities of men
and of women, and similar subjects will find essential data and refer
ences for further study.
Persons seeking guidance in vocations constantly ask questions that
require the study of occupational trends if they are to be adequately
answered. Typical of such questions are the following extracted from
a counselor’s letter: “ M any people are asking for counseling to help
determine further educational plans. ‘Will the nursing field be over
crowded in the postwar era?’ ‘What chance will there be for employ
ment in the field of interior decorating or commercial art?’ ‘W ill
office occupations be flooded after the war?’ These are just a few
of the questions.”
In choosing a career it is well to state at the outset that there is no
set formula and no test or scientific measuring instrument that a
counselor or anyone else may use to indicate the one occupation that
an individual should enter for his life work. It is not too difficult for
a counselor to examine a person's potentialities and suggest several
broad fields of work in which he might be interested, but the final
choice of work rests squarely with the individual. The counselor on
1
2
USE OP CENSUS DATA IN GUIDANCE W ORK
the other hand must actively give the best possible information about
alternative occupations in an effort to aid in a final decision, but he
cannot tell the individual whether or not he should enter a particular
field. If he has good information on occupational trends and labormarket prospects, particularly in his local area, this is useful in
counseling when supplemented with other occupational materials.
Personal factors, preferences, and abilities, however, are often impor
tant enough in a vocational choice to outweigh the prospects of
difficult com petitive situations.
Among the facts that a counselor should present about an occupa
tion are: Nature of the work; number of workers engaged; need for
workers; duties; qualifications; preparation; methods of entering the
work; earnings; typical places of employment; organizations pro
moting the work; and labor-market conditions affecting one’s ability
to get a job, keep it, and advance in it.
Furnishing information on some of these topics requires a knowledge
of occupational trends and outlook, and to this end census statistics
most useful to the counselor have been selected to present significant
facts. T o avoid misinterpreting the data, one should read carefully
the definitions and explanations outlined in Part III. These statis
tics represent only one phase of occupational information and b y no
means tell the whole story about any particular occupation. To
interpret the data adequately, the counselor will also want as much
descriptive information as possible about occupations and industrial
trends.
Use o f National Data in L oad Situations
As given in general census statistics, national averages, figures, and
trends indicate the condition of affairs for the country as a whole
rather than for any particular region. It is common knowledge that
occupational opportunities in every line of work vary greatly in differ
ent areas and communities. Such occupations as barber, clerk, phy
sician, teacher, or shoe repairer are characteristic of every community
both large and small, and opportunities in these occupations are to
be found in every State. On the other hand, certain occupations in
such industries as forestry, mining, and various kinds of manufac
turing are concentrated in a few regions, and workers seeking employ
ment in these fields must go where the centers of industry are located.
National data must then be related to local situations before proper
interpretations can be made for those who wish to become acquainted
with opportunities in a definite location. T o supplement national
figures the Census has compiled data on employment in each occupa
tion in 1940 for individual States and for cities of 100,000 population
and over. The guidance counselor may obtain such local information
b y asking the Bureau of the Census for a copy of the release, Series
P -11, for his State.
Detailed occupation and industry statistics for these large areas
are presented in the third series of 1940 Population bulletins for each
State. Condensed occupation and industry statistics for cities of less
than 100,000 population and counties are given in the second series
of 1940 Population bulletins for each State. Both of these publica
tions are available in most libraries, either in bulletin form or as bound
USE OP CENSUS DATA IN GUIDANCE W ORK
3
Volumes III and II, respectively, of the 1940 Census Reports on Popu
lation. Copies of State bulletins are available in the Bureau of the
Census for free distribution in limited number.
The counselor in a smaller city may wish to sponsor a local occu
pational survey in order to determine what occupations are carried on
in the local community. Helpful suggestions are offered in Com
munity Occupational Surveys, Vocational Division Bulletin No. 223
of the United States Office of Education (obtainable from the Super
intendent of Documents, Washington 25, D . C., price 35 cents).
PA R T II.— Suggestions for Interpreting Census Data
Significant facts about the labor-market situations which may be
expected in each occupation are revealed in the tables, if properly
interpreted together with other information.
One of the most important items of information is the number of
people employed in the occupation or industry. The greatest source
of new job openings, generally, is the replacement demand arising
from deaths and retirements. The replacement rate varies, depend
ing upon the nature of each occupation and the ages of all the workers
employed in it, but usually amounts to several percent a year. In
addition to this factor, openings are created by people leaving one job
to take another. It is, therefore, obvious that the mere size of an
occupation or an industry is a clue to the number of job opportunities
it will offer. Size may even be more important in this respect than
growth; each year more new workers will have the opportunity to
enter an occupation such as that of carpenters (employing several
hundred thousand), even though there is no increase in the number of
carpenters, than will be able to enter a small occupation like that of
aviators, which may be growing rapidly.
Interpreting Population and Labor Force Data ( Table 1)
A nation’s population—its size and the way it is used—is of funda
mental importance, as we have learned in wartime, to its industrial
and military strength. In occupational analysis, interest centers
upon that part of the population constituting its working force.
The number in the labor force depends in part upon the proportion
of the population that is of working age, its age composition, and
institutional factors affecting employment of women, school attend
ance, retirement, etc. Of our 132 million population in 1940 (table 1),
more than 100 million were 14 years of age and over, of which about
53 million were working or looking for work. In the war years the
increase in the labor force has been disproportionate to the natural
increase in the population of working age.
The data in table 1 simply give an accounting of the activity of
the population 14 years and over, whether employed or unemployed,
whether engaged in home housework, in school, unable to work, etc.
On the sample basis, current data are available from the Bureau of
the Census, Special Surveys Division, which publishes the M onthly
Report on the Labor Force and The Labor Force Bulletin. These
surveys provide a starting point for any broad understanding of the
changes occurring in the economy with respect to employment status
of the population.
Interpreting Inform ation on M ajor Occupation Groups ( Table 2)
The experienced labor force in 1940 may be divided into 11 major
occupation groups. Four of the major groups included more than
half the total experienced labor force— operatives and kindred workers;
clerical, sales, and kindred workers; craftsmen, foremen, and kindred
workers; and farmers and farm managers. M ore than half of the men
were also in these four fields, but the women were concentrated in
4
MAJOR OCCUPATION GROUPS
N U M B ER
OPERATIVES AND KINDRED
WORKERS
FARMERS, FARM MANAGERS,
FARM LABORERS,
AND FOREMAN
CLERICAL, SALES, AND
KINDRED WORKERS
CRAFTSMEN,FOREMEN,AND
KINDRED WORKERS
LABORERS, EXCEPT FARM
AND MINE
PROPRIETORS,MANAGERS,
OFFICIALS, EXC EP T FARM
mimumiumi
muimiiiiiiiMi
PROFESSIONAL AND S E M IPROFESSIONAL WORKERS
u w im u m im
M ILL IO N S
tmiltlltmiillititiiiiiiliitliiiilliiiltllti
lltliiiililiitlllltlliliiilltiiiliiiiiiliili
llllitlllilHIMtmittllliiiiiiitillltll
tilllilliitillittitiiitiiiiiit
Itliilililiiitiilittlii
SERVICE WORKERS, EXCEPT
DOMESTIC
DOMESTIC SERVICE
WORKERS
IN
ilMliilil
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
NUMBER OF MEN AND WOMEN IN EXPERIENCED LABOR FORCE IN EACH MAJOR OCCUPATION GROUP,1940
EACH FIGURE > 200,000
OT
6
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
somewhat different fields; three-quarters of the women were clerical,
sales, and kindred workers; operatives and kindred workers; domestic
service workers; and professional and semiprofessional workers. In
the professional field there were nearly as many women (1,439,174) as
men (1,609,298), in spite of the fact that in the total experienced labor
force men outnumbered women three to one. This is accounted for
by the large number of women who are teachers and nurses. While
nearly half the professionals and 93 percent of the domestic-service
workers were women, only 2 percent of the craftsmen were women.
During the war women have gained an increasing proportion of the
jobs in each occupation group, particularly in the clerical, sales, and
operatives groups.
Those unemployed in the week in which the census was taken in
March 1940 may be studied by occupation groups; unemployment
rates for the experienced labor force in each occupation group are
detailed in table 2. Such groups as professionals, farmers, proprie
tors, managers, and officials, and protective service workers were less
subject to unemployment than the others. One important reason
for this is the fact that large numbers in these groups were selfemployed or worked for Federal, State, or local government.
Interpreting Inform ation on Industries ( Table 3)
The industries in which the experienced labor force worked are
summarized in table 3 for the United States as a whole. The coun
selor will need to gather as much additional local information as
possible. Knowledge of the relative importance of each industry is
useful in counseling. For instance, there is considerable discussion
of employment opportunities in the plastics industry which even in
1943, after a wartime expansion, employed only 30 to 40 thousand
workers. In 1940 plastics were only a small part of the whole chemi
cals industry which employed 440 thousand workers, or about 1 per
cent of the total employment of 45 million in all industries. More
jobs open up each year because of replacement demand in such large
industries as construction or retail trade than the total number of jobs
in the plastics industry.
Census data also reveal the relative employment of men and women
by industry (table 3, column 4). Some industries employed very small
proportions of women—for example) construction, mining, petroleum
and coal products, iron and steel, and transportation. Others em
ployed more women than men— for example, apparel manufacturing,
communications (including telephone companies), personal services,
and tobacco manufacturing.
From census data we may determine the unemployment rate
in the various industries (table 3, column 6). Construction had the
highest rate in the census week—41 percent. Other industries had
very low rates—communications and utilities are relatively stable and
not subject to large seasonal fluctuations. Professional services also
had a low rate, reflecting a high proportion of self-employed and
government workers in this group.
Interpreting Census Data fo r Selected Occupations ( Tables 4 and 5)
Data on the more than 200 specific occupations shown in tables 4
and 5 are probably most useful to counselors. The occupations,
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
7
chosen from the published census data, are those of the greatest
practical interest to counselors; the principal omissions are in the
unskilled groups. For convenience in reference, the occupations,
except professional and semiprofessional, are grouped under the
industries in which the workers were principally employed.
Trends in the number of experienced workers may be traced through
census data from 1910 to 1940 (table 4, columns 2, 3 ,4 , and 5). Such
trends are useful in judging whether an occupation is expanding
rapidly or slowly, or even growing smaller. In general, it is likely
that there will be better employment opportunities in expanding occu
pations than in those which are contracting. M ost occupations on
the list grew in numbers from 1910 to 1940, but at widely varying
rates. It must be remembered that the total population itself in
creased over the period, rising by 43.2 percent from 1910 to 1940.
In evaluating the trend in an occupation it may be useful to compare
its growth with that of the population. For the past 3 decades,
population has increased as follows:
P op u la tion
1910_________
1920_____
1930______________________
1940______________________
91,972,266
105,710,620
122,775,046
131,669,275
P ercen t o f gain over
previous cen su s
21.0
14.9
16.1
7.2
Great changes have taken place since 1940 as a result of the war.
Unfortunately there is no general information on changes in numbers
in most occupations since then, although there are statistics on some,
and rough estimates can be made in certain cases. N o attempt,
therefore, is made here to summarize the scattered information that
is available.
The unemployment rate in each occupation in 1940 is shown in
table 4, column 6. In interpreting such rates, it is necessary to follow
the discussion in Part III— Definitions and Explanations, to determine
exactly what is meant by “ unemployed.” As pointed out there, the
unemployment rates in some occupations in the census week of 1940
are affected by regular seasonal factors, and also by the fact that
persons engaged in public emergency work programs (who were
counted as “ unemployed” ) tended to concentrate in certain occupa
tions because of the nature of the work programs.
The unemployment rate should be evaluated iir connection with
the information on class of worker (table 4, columns 9,10, and 11; and
table 5). Occupations with large proportions of self-employed per
sons usually have low unemployment rates for obvious reasons. The
effects of economic instability are often felt in such occupations
through a reduction in earnings rather than in unemployment.
The number of men and women employed in each occupation in
1940 is summarized in table 4 (number of men, column 7; number
of women, column 12; percent of total who were men, column 8).
A young woman considering the choice of an occupation will want to
know how women have fared in that occupation in the past. The
fact that very few women or men were employed in a particular occu
pation in 1940 does not necessarily mean that members of that sex
are virtually barred from the occupation, but it suggests that the
opportunities may be limited. In many occupations the number and
8
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
proportion of women employed has gradually increased in the past,
and this increase has been particularly great during the war.
Class of worker is an item of census data that is of special interest
to those who counsel veterans. Veterans are given special oppor
tunities to launch their own business enterprises or to enter the
employ of Federal, State, and local government agencies. Certain
fields offer many opportunities for self-employment—medicine and
related fields, architecture, law, farming, baking, printing, and con
struction. Opportunities for government employment are relatively
important for such occupations as veterinarians, teachers, nurses, civil
engineers, and social and welfare workers.
Census data on the class of worker are summarized for men in table 4,
columns 9, 10, and 11; and for women in table 5, which covers only
occupations employing large numbers of women (those marked “ f ” hi
table 4, column 12).
Illustrations o f the Use o f Census D ata in Counseling
To illustrate how the statistical data presented in the tables may
be used in guidance work, seven types of workers are selected for dis
cussion: Nurses, mail carriers, brickmasons, telephone operators,
teachers, chemists, and welders. It is important to obtain, in addi
tion, descriptive information for any field of work, as the figures tell
only a part of the story.
Discussion of each of the seven occupations below is based on a
simple outline which may be adapted by the local guidance officer
for use in counseling: (1) Census data taken directly from table 4.
(As indicated in column 12 by “ f ” , additional data on “ class-ofworker” figures for women in 16 occupations are found in table 5.)
(2) Some interpretation of these data on a Nation-wide basis. (3) Local
applications for your community.
1.— Nurses 1
Experienced workers:
1910___________________________________________________
1920___________________________________________________
1930___________________________________________________
1940: Number_________________________________________
Percent unemployed______________________________
Employed workers, 1940:
Men:
Total number______________________________________
Percent of all employed workers____________________
Class of worker:*
Private wage or salary workers_________________
Government workers___________________________
Employers and own-account workers____________
Women:
Total number______________________________________
Class of worker: *
Private wage or salary workers_________________
Government workers___________________________
Employers and own-account workers____________
Table 4
82,327
149,128
294,189
371,066
4.1
col.
col.
col.
col.
col.
2
3
4
5
6
7,509
2.1
col. 7
col. 8
4,700
2,740
880
col. 9
col. 10
col.11
348,277
col.12
Table 5
243,460
70,640
25,600
col. 2
col. 3
col. 4
* Figures for class of worker do not add to the number employed because the class-of-worker figures
are based on a 5-percent sample tabulation, while the figures on number employed are based on a complete
count of all persons reported.
1 See table 4, p. 24.
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
9
For the Nation as a whole the occupation of nurse grew rapidly and
steadily in the past 3 decades, increasing 350.7 percent, as compared
to a population increase of 43.2 percent. Nearly all the employed
nurses in 1940 were women (97.9 percent), but there were more male
nurses employed in that year than the number of men reported by the
census as osteopaths, aviators, and a few other occupations. The
number of men graduate nurses employed in nursing work has de
creased since 1940 due to Selective Service and better paying war
jobs. However, men nurses will be in demand; the Veterans Admin
istration alone is planning on 300,000 beds in the next 20 years. For
a woman considering a professional career, nursing is an important
possibility, since nurses represented one of every four professional
women (table 2, column 4). The unemployment rate in 1940 was
quite low for an occupation in which such a large proportion of the
workers were private wage and salary workers.
As to the local situation, young people in most towns are generally
aware of the Nation-wide recruiting programs for nurses to meet an
urgent wartime need, both military and civilian. Local facts about
nursing in your community may be readily checked by calling your
nearest nurse-training institution. The National League of Nursing
Education, 1790 Broadway, New York 19, New York, will give advice
concerning any of the 1,300 approved institutions for nurse training.
Further information may be obtained from several sources including
the State Board of Nurse Examiners at your State Capitol, or the
nearest local registry of nurses listed in your telephone directory.
2.— M ail Carriers 2
Experienced workers:
1910___________________________________________________ 79,852
1920______________________
90,509
1930___________________________________________________ 120,106
1940: Number___________________________________________122,910
Percent unemployed______________________________
1.7
Employed workers, 1940:
Men:
Total number______________________________________ 119,246
Percent of all employed workers_____________________
98.7
Women: Total number_________________________________
1,524
T able 4
col. 2
col. 3
col. 4
col. 5
col. 6
col. 7
col. 8
col. 12
The occupation of mail carrier represents a field of work that has
remained fairly stable, since it has increased at approximately the
same rate as population. The gain from 1910 to 1940 was 53.9 per
cent as compared with 43.2 percent for population for the same period.
Nearly all the mail carriers are men, and all are classed as government'
workers. Employment is regular and secure, and the unemployment
rate is low because of the year-round nature of the work and the em
ployment practices of the post office, the only employer.
As to the local situation, information may be obtained at your local
post office. Mail carriers are Federal employees selected through
examinations whenever a given locality needs more workers. Such
examinations are open to all races and preference is given to veterans.
Vacancies are filled from substitute lists which provide one substitute
for every six carriers. Entrance to the occupation is via the sub2 See table 4, p. 30.
10
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
stitute and as a rule the turnover in the post office is very small. The
base salary of a city carrier is $1,700 a year with a $100 increase each
year until $2,100 is reached.
3.— Brickmasons 8
Experienced workers:
1910___________________________________________________
1920___________________________________________________
1930___________________________________________________
1940: Number_________________________________________
Percent unemployed______________________________
T able 4
169,402
131,264
170,903
141,690
34.1
Employed workers, 1940:
Men:
Total number______________________________________
Percent of all employed workers____________________
Class of worker (includes stonecutters and stone
carvers):
Private wage or salary workers_________________
Government workers___________________________
Employers and own-account workers____________
Women: Total number_________________________________
col.
col.
col.
col.
col.
2
3
4
5
6
93,024
99.7
col. 7
col. 8
81,540
3,020
20,260
306
col. 9
col.10
col.11
col.12
Brickmasons, stonemasons, and tile setters represent an occupational
field that has been declining in numbers while population has been
increasing. A construction boom in the 1920's raised the number of
experienced workers in 1930 to approximately the same as in 1910,
but by 1940 more than 29,000 dropped out—a loss of 17.1 percent—
and more than a third of those still in the labor force were unemployed.
The introduction of various substitutes for brick and stone construc
tion has also affected the trade. The Bureau of the Census makes the
following comment with regard to workers in the building trades:
The decrease from 1930 to 1940 in the number of workers in certain of the build
ing trades doubtless resulted in large measure from the marked decline during the
decade in the construction industry— a decline, for establishments reporting business
of $25,000 or more, in 1939 as compared with 1929, of 27.4 percent in the dollar
value of work performed during the year, and a decline of 35.3 percent in the amount
of the annual payroll. In part, the decrease in the number of workers may be
accounted for by the fact that to a considerable extent the construction industry
is seasonal and, in many sections of the country, was near its lowest ebb at the
time of the census in 1940. Of the persons who usually worked in the construction
industry, many were not at work at their regular trades during the census week,
March 24-30. Some of these doubtless were working at other jobs, and some
doubtless were unemployed and not seeking work and were not included in the
labor force.*4
Local details concerning this field of work can be obtained from the
nearest office of the union— The Bricklayers, Masons, and Plasterers
International—but the trade is not a local one as skilled craftsmen can
work anywhere. M any men go through the steps from apprentice to
journeyman to foreman to contractor. The opportunities for selfemployment are good, as shown by the fact that about one in five was
so employed in 1940. Like many other construction trades, this
occupation has high hourly wage rates, but is subject to great seasonal
and cyclical fluctuations.
8 See table 4, p. 26.
4 From Comparative Occupation Statistics for the United States, 1870 to 1940.
11
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
SELECTED EMPLOYMENT DATA ON
BRICKMASONS. STONEMASONS,
AND TILE SETTERS
EXPER IENC ED
WORKERS
EXPERIENCED
WORKERS
THOUSANDS
THOUSANDS
180
180
160
160
140
140
120
UNEMPLOYED
120
100
100
EMPLOYERS a
OW N-ACCOUNT
W ORKERS*
80
GOVERNMENT ’
WORKERS*
80
60
60-
PRIVATE WAGE
OR SALARY
WORKERS*
40
20
40
20
1910
1920
1930
1940
* NUMBER OF STONECUTTERS AND STONECARVERS
EXCLUDED FROM CLASS OF WORKER IS ESTIM ATED
12
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
4.— Telephone Operators 5
Experienced workers:
1910___________________________________________________ 97,731
1920___________________________________________________ 190,006
1930___________________________________________________ 248,817
1940: Number_________________________________________ 208,319
Percent unemployed______________________________
4.1
Employed workers, 1940:
Men:
Total number______________________________________ 10,697
Percent of all employed workers____________________
5.4
Class of worker:
Private wage or salary workers_________________
9,180
Government workers___________________________
1,060
Employers and own-account workers____________
80
Women:
Total number______________________________________ 189,002
Class of worker :
Private wage or salary workers_________________ 184,200
Government workers___________________________
4,680
Employers and own-account workers____________
140
Table 4
col. 2
col. 3
col. 4
col. 5
col. 6
col. 7
col. 8
col. 9
col. 10
col. 11
col. 12
Table 5
col. 2
col. 3
col. 4
For the Nation as a whole telephone operators nearly doubled in
numbers from 1910 to 1920, and the gain from 1920 to 1930 was 31
percent or nearly twice the rate of increase in population. In 1940,
however, there was a loss of 16.3 percent in the number of operators,
even though the population increased by 7.2 percent and there were
more telephones in use than ever before. The downward trend in
the number of operators may be interpreted in the light of the change
from the system which required operators to make connections each
time the telephone receiver was lifted, to the automatic dial system
now installed in the larger cities. On the other hand, private ex
changes in business houses, hotels, and other establishments have
increased in number, and employed about a quarter of the telephone
operators in 1940. The occupation is largely a woman’s field as indi
cated by the low proportion of men employed. Employment is rela
tively stable as shown by the low unemployment rate.
The local situation may be checked by visiting the offices of the
telephone company. Local girls who have had a high-school educa
tion are often preferred and many are given 2 to 4 weeks training on
the job with pay. Well-managed personnel departments are usually
maintained in good sized cities where complete information about
local employment may be obtained.
5 See table 4, p. 29.
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
13
5.— Teachers 6
Experienced workers:
595,285
1910______
1920_________________________________________________
752,055
1930_________________________________________________ 1,044,016
1940: Number________________________________________ 1,065,280
Percent unemployed____________________________
4.3
Employed workers, 1940:
Men:
Total number____________________________________
247,716
Percent of all employed workers___________________
24.3
Class of worker (includes county agents and farm
demonstrators):
Private wage or salary workers_______________
23,380
Government workers_________________________
233,400
Employers and own-account workers__________
3,580
Women:
Total number___________________________________
772,044
Class of worker (includes county agents and farm
demonstrators):
Private wage or salary workers_______________
91,960
Government workers_________________________
669,900
Employers and own-account workers__________
7,400
Tabu 4
col.
col.
col.
col.
col.
2
3
4
5
6
col. 7
col. 8
col. 9
col.10
col.11
col.12
Tabu s
col. 2
col. 3
col. 4
The census term “ teachers, n. e. c.” means teachers, not elsewhere
classified, and does not include college teachers or teachers of music,
dancing, or art. Teaching is the largest profession in terms of num
bers employed, and the most important profession for women. Al
though three-fourths of all teachers in 1940 were women, teaching is
also one of the larger occupations for men. Since 1910, the occupa
tion has expanded 79 percent, but it is believed unlikely that the
number of teachers will increase in the future as it has in the past
3 decades. Population is not increasing as rapidly, and the number
of children of school age is not likely to increase much over the next
half century, and may decline. High birth rates of the war period
will produce a rise in the number of pupils in schools a few years hence,
but this may only be temporary. On the other hand, the need for
teachers may increase out of proportion to any rise in the school age
population, especially if educational standards are raised, if vocational
schools, nursery schools, and adult-education facilities are expanded,
or if a higher proportion of the young people go to college or profes
sional schools. Teaching has lost many persons during the war be
cause of the attraction of higher paying jobs in industries or Govern
ment, an many of the vacancies have been filled with less well-quali
fied teacl rs issued emergency certificates. There will probably be
a good demand for well-trained teachers immediately after the war.
Local information about the teaching situation in and near your
community may be gained from the superintendent of schools, from
school board members, from your State Department of Education or
Public Instruction, and from the colleges. There are 1,685 institu
tions of higher education in the United States; a m ajority of them
train teachers and 204 are teachers colleges or normal schools. Re
gional teachers employment agencies will also give information and
accept applications from those qualified to teach.
6 See table 4, p. 25.
14
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
SELECTED EMPLOYMENT DATA
ON TEACHERS, N.E.C.
EXPERIENCED
WORKERS
E XPER IENCED
WORKERS
HUNDRED
THOUSANDS
HUNDREO
THOUSANDS
12
I2—
UNEMPLOYED
EMPLOYERS 8
OWN-ACCOUNT
WORKERS*
10
to
GOVERNMENT
WORKERS*
PRIVATE WAGE
,0R SALARY
WORKERS *
EMPLOYERS 8
OWN-ACCOUNT
WORKERS *
GOVERNMENT
WORKERS'*
PRIVATE WAGE
OR SALARY
W ORKERS*
1910
1920
1930
1940
* NUMBER OF COUNTY AGENTS AND FARM DEMONSTRATORS
EXCLUDED FROM CLASS OF WORKER IS ESTIMATED.
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
15
6.— Chemists 7
Experienced workers:
1910________________
1920___________________________________________________
1930_______________________
1940: Number______________________________________
Percent unemployed______________________________
Employed workers, 1940:
Men:
Total number___________________________
Percent of all employed workers____________________
Class of worker:
Private wage or salary workers_________________
Government workers___________________________
Employers and own-account workers____________
Women: Total number_________________________________
Table 4
16,598
33,600
48,009
60,005
5.0
col. 2
col. 3
col. 4
col. 5
col. 6
55,371
97.1
col. 7
col. 8
46,960
4,400
2,080
1,654
col. 9
col. 10
col. 11
col. 12
Census figures for chemists also include assayers and metallurgists,
both relatively small professions. The spectacular growth of the field
of chemistry is shown by the nearly fourfold increase in the number of
chemists between 1910 and 1940. Opportunities for chemists have
increased greatly during the war,, and after the war there may be a
temporary drop in employment from wartime levels. As chemical
research and its industrial applications expand, however, there is
every reason to believe that there will continue to be a demand for
chemists in research, teaching, and analysis and control operations
in industry. Unemployment among chemists in 1940 was relatively
low. The large m ajority of chemists held jobs in private industry,
although a few worked for government, either Federal, State, or local,
and still fewer acted as employers.
Local information for your community concerning employment of
chemists may be obtained from several sources, including the State
college or university, industrial plants in your State, offices of the
United States Employment Service, and chamber of commerce. In
practically every State there are one or more colleges approved in
chemistry. The following professional associations will also answer
vocational questions: American Chemical Society, 1155 Sixteenth
Street N W ., Washington 6, D . C .; and the American Institute of
Chemists, 60 East Forty-second Street, New York 17, N. Y .
7.— W elders 8
Experienced workers:
1910______________ _______________________ ______ - _ i ___No data
1920_______________________________ ___________________ No data
1930______________________________________________ ____ No data
1940: Number........................ ........................... ....................... 139,281
Percent unemployed_________________________
10.4
Employed workers, 1940:
Men:
Total number---------- --------- ------------------------------------- 122,688
Percent of all employed workers..................................
98.4
Class of worker:
Private wage or salary workers.......................... .
111,360
Government workers_________
4,760
Employers and own-account workers____________
5,220
Women: Total number---------------- . . . . . ----------------- . . . . .
2,053
7 See table 4, p. 24.
8 See table 4, p. 27.
Table 4
col. 5
col. 6
col. 7
col. 8
col. 9
col.10
col.11
col, 12
16
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERPRETING CENSUS DATA
Figures for welders and flame-cutters are not available from the
census before 1940. Welding is a good example of an occupation which
has expanded greatly during the war, and which will probably contract
shortly after the war. In 1940, before the wartime expansion, there
were about 125,000 employed of whom about 11,000 were in the ship
building and aircraft industries. It is estimated that the number of
welders tripled during the war, until more than 350,000 were em
ployed. When munitions employment hit its peak in 1943 about
half of these were in shipyards and aircraft plants. After the war,
perhaps half of all the welders now employed will be unable to find
jobs in that occupation, and those trained during the war to do ma
chine welding and the simpler types of welding will be at a disadvan
tage when they try to compete with workers who have all-round
welding experience.
Local conditions in your community may be determined by making
contacts with whatever local metalworking industries, machine shops,
shipbuilding and aircraft plants, and vocational schools are nearby.
In this work, it will be found that skilled hands and steady nerves are
more important assets for employment than any prescribed number
of years in school.
PA R T III.— Definitions and Explanations
While census material represents the only comprehensive data in
the field of occupations, users of these data should realize their limi
tations, as indicated in the text and footnotes of the various Census
publications.
Census information is obtained by enumerators who go from house
to house. Information is frequently obtained, not from the worker
directly, but from the housewife or another member of the household
who may be unable to describe accurately the worker’s occupation
and industry. The census enumerator himself may also lack the
technical knowledge needed to distinguish closely related occupations
and industries, and to select information most essential for accurate
classification.
Other factors affecting the interpretation of census data—particu
larly in comparing statistics of different census years—are the chang
ing practices of the Bureau of the Census in defining and classifying
information for tabulation.
Some of the problems in analyzing the data which arise from these
limitations are suggested in the following paragraphs.
"E xperien ced W orkers”
In general there are two important considerations which complicate
the use of the statistics on “ experienced workers” (table 4, columns 2,
3, 4, and 5), especially for purposes of comparison of various census
years. These major factors are: (1) Differences between the “ gainful
worker” concept of 1930 and previous censuses, and the “ labor force”
concept of 1940, and (2) differences in classification of occupations.
1.— Concept o f Labor Force
The data presented on “ experienced workers” are not fully com
parable from year to year for each occupation. This arises because
of the introduction in the 1940 census of a new concept o f the working
population. The figures presented in columns 2, 3, and 4 of table 4
include persons designated as “ gainful workers” in the censuses of
1910, 1920, and 1930; but those in column 5 represent persons classi
fied as in the “ experienced labor force” in the 1940 census. The
principal difference between the two concepts is that “ gainful workers”
include all persons who were reported as usually following a gainful
occupation, regardless of whether working or seeking work at the
time of the census, whereas “ labor force” includes only persons work
ing or seeking work as of a particular week to which the census refers.
The “ total labor force” was defined in the 1940 census on the basis
of the person’s activity during the week of March 24 to 30, 1940, and
includes all men and women who were—
(1) Employed either (a) at work on private or nonemergency govern
ment work or (b) not actually at work and not seeking work but with
a job from which they were temporarily absent;
17
18
DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS
(2) On public emergency work—at work on, or assigned to, a public
emergency work project (W PA, N YA, CCC, and State and local work
relief); and
(3) Seeking work—without work of any sort and actively seeking
work, subdivided into (a) experienced workers and (b) new workers,
the latter being persons who had not previously worked full time for
1 month or more.
The “ experienced labor force” includes all these groups except
“ new workers” (3b).
This change in concept leads to a considerable difference in the
classification of seasonal workers, retired workers, new workers, and
institutionalized persons. The net effect of these differences is that
the “ gainful worker” figures of 1910, 1920, and 1930 must be reduced
by a relatively small amount and the “ labor ,force” figures o f 1940
raised slightly to make them comparable in concept. The Bureau of
the Census has done this for the 1930 male and female labor force as
a whole, but not by occupation. (For detailed discussion, see Six
teenth Census of the United States: 1940, Population, Comparative
Occupation Statistics for the United States, 1870 to 1940, pp. 11-16.)
2.— Classification o f Occupations
The occupational classifications used for the earlier censuses, in
cluding 1910, 1920, and 1930, differed in relatively minor respects
only, so that the occupational statistics for these censuses are reason
ably comparable. On the other hand, the classification adopted for
the 1940 census differs considerably from that used for these earlier
censuses with respect to both arrangement and content of occupa
tional titles. Differences in classification of occupations are dis
cussed further in the above-mentioned reference. Although adjust
ments have been made by the Bureau of the Census in the statistics
herein presented to take care of differences in classification insofar as
possible, certain limitations nevertheless exist. Some of these limi
tations arise from changes in the work content of occupations and in
occupational terminology, others from changes in the Census schedule
and in instructions to enumerators, and still others from changes in
method of presentation.
A brief discussion of technical engineers may serve to illustrate some
of the difficulties encountered in classifying occupations and making
statistics over a number of years comparable. A considerable num
ber of men who are trained professional engineers are not included
in this classification because they are reported as executives, builders,
contractors, and other workers. On the other hand, in each census
there are probably men working below the professional level as helpers,
assistants, stationary, engineers, or other engine operators who were
reported as technical engineers. In the 1940 census, but not in pre
vious years, persons under 35 years of age reported as technical engi
neers were not coded as such unless they had at least 4 years o f college
education; this procedure probably reduced considerably the number
o f engineers reported by the census in 1940.
Obviously statistics for some occupations are less accurate than for
others. In general, definite occupations such as physician, brick
layer, or plumber are more likely to be reported properly than such
DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS
19
occupations as pharmacist and drug-store proprietor both of which are
sometimes reported as “ druggist,” or registered nurse and practical
nurse, which are sometimes reported merely as “ nurse.” It is also
likely that there is always more or less up-grading in enumerated
occupational returns.
Unemployed, 1940
Unemployment data are shown by major occupation groups (table 2,
column 10), by industries (table 3, columns 5 and 6), and by occupation
(table 4, column 6).
The unemployed group, as shown in the tables, includes both persons
reported to the Census as on public emergency work (W PA, N YA,
CCC, local work relief and similar projects established to provide work
for the unemployed), and experienced workers seeking work (see
“ Concept of Labor Force,” p. 17). The occupation shown for an
unemployed person refers to the one which he regarded as his usual
occupation and at which he was still physically able to work at the
time of the census. It should be noted that these figures, when
shown for individual occupations, may reflect some seasonal unem
ployment because of the time of year when the enumeration was made.
Also in a few occupations, for example “ attendants and assistants,
library,” and some construction occupations, the data reflect the type
of emergency work program in effect in 1940 in that emergency work
ers who never had other regular employment may have reported their
assigned emergency occupations as their usual occupations. This not
only affects the labor force figure for such an occupation but also gives
a distorted unemployment figure for the particular occupation.
The statistics on the usual occupations of unemployed workers were
obtained from a 5-percent sample of all persons enumerated by the
Census. A discussion of sampling reliability is given in the introduc
tory text of the 1940 Census publication, The Labor Force (Sample
Statistics), Occupational Characteristics.
Class o f W orker, 1940
Class-of-worker figures (table 4, columns 9 ,1 0 , and 11; and table 5)
are taken from a 5-percent sample tabulation rather than a complete
count. The wage or salary worker class consists of persons who worked
as employees for wages or salary (in cash or kind). The group is di
vided into private wage or salary workers (column 9) and government
workers, including all employees of Federal, State, or local govern
ments (column 10). Employers and own-account workers (column 11)
are persons who operated their own business enterprises. Unpaid
fam ily workers, a fourth class, are not shown (except in the case of farm
laborers), because they are not numerous in most occupations listed.
This group consists of persons who assisted without pay in enterprises
operated by other members of their families.
Data on class of worker for women in occupations employing large
numbers of women (those marked with a dagger “ f ” in column 12 in
table 4) are detailed in table 5.
20
DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS
M ajor Occupation Groups, 1940
The 451 occupations of the Census classification are arranged into
11 major occupation groups (table 2, column 1). The content of
each group is shown in detail in the Census pamphlet, All Experienced
Persons in the Labor Force by Occupation and Industry, for United
States, 1940 (Series P -14, N o. 13).
The major occupation groups are described as follows:
1. Professional and semiprofessional workers.— A professional worker is (1) one
who “ performs advisory, administrative, or research work which is based upon the
established principles of a profession or science, and which requires professional,
scientific, or technical training equivalent to that represented by graduation from a
college or university of recognized standing” ; or (2) one who performs work which is
‘based upon the established facts, or principles, or methods in a restricted field of
science or art, and which work requires for its performance an acquaintance with
these established facts, or principles, or methods gained through academic study or
through extensive practical experience, one or both.
Semiprofessional workers are typically confined to relatively restricted fields of
activity: Designers, draftsmen, surveyors, aviators, chiropractors, funeral directors
and embalmers, optometrists, photographers, radio and wireless operators, labora
tory technicians, healers, dancers, athletes, showmen, and others.
2. Clerical, sales, and kindred workers.— Clerical workers, under supervision,
perform one or more office activities. A sales person is one who, usually under
supervision, sells commodities, insurance, real estate, securities, or services.
3. Proprietors, managers, and officials, except farm.— A proprietor is one who owns
and operates his own business. A manager carries on all or a part of the business of
another person or agency. An official (company, corporation, or agency) has large
responsibilities concerning policies, planning, and supervision.
4. Craftsmen, foremen, and kindred workers.— A craftsman is one engaged in a
manual pursuit usually calling for a high degree of dexterity and judgment and a
long period of training or apprenticeship. A foreman directs other workers, under
the supervision of a proprietor or a manager.
5. Operatives and kindred workers.— One engaged in a routine manual pursuit
requiring a relatively short period of training, if any, and usually calling for the
exercise of only a moderate degree of judgment or of manual dexterity, or of muscular
force.
6. Domestic service workers.— One engaged in a personal service pursuit in a
private home—housekeepers, laundresses, and servants.
7. Protective service workers.— Those engaged in protecting life or property— city
firemen, guards, watchmen, detectives, soldiers, and law-enforcing officers.
8. Service workers, except domestic and protective.— Those engaged in cleaning and
janitor services in buildings other than private homes— charwomen, janitors, or
those performing services for other persons—barbers, cooks, waitresses, practical
nurses, or ushers.
9. Laborers, except farm and mine.— Workers engaged in manual pursuits, usually
routine, and requiring no special training, judgment or manual dexterity, and in
which the worker usually supplies mainly muscular strength for the performance
of coarse, heavy work.
10. Farmers and farm managers.—A farmer, as owner or tenant, operates a farmv
for the production of crops, rearing of animals and care of their products, or other
production. A farm manager performs the same work as a paid employee.
11. Farm laborers and foremen.— A farm laborer is a hired worker, or an unpaid
member of a farm family who works on the farm. A farm foreman directs farm
laborers, under the supervision of «a farmer or a farm manager.
PART IV .— Summaries o f Occupational Data from
the Census
T able 1.— Em ploym ent Status o f the Population , b y S ex, fo r the
,
United States 1940
Population
Total
persons
Males
Total population_______________ _______ ___________________
131,669,275
66,061,592
Under 14 years of age_____________________________________
30,566,351
15,507,844
15,058,507
N ot in the labor force______________________ ______________
Engaged in own home housework______________________
In school.____________________________________________
Unable to work_______________________________________
In institutions______ __________________________________
Other and not reported________________________________
48,313,425
28,931,869
9,013,342
5,268,727
1,176,993
3,922,494
10,609,508
267,125
4,593,630
2,966,225
767,474
2,015,054
37,703,917
28,664,744
4,419,712
2,302,502
409,519
1,907,440
In the labor force____________________________________ _____
Employed__________________________ _____ ______ ______
Public emergency work (W PA, N YA, CCC, etc.).......... ..
Seeking work:
Experienced_________________ ______ _____________
New workers ____________________________________
52,789,499
45,166,083
2,529,606
39,944,240
34,027,905
2,072,094
12,845,259
11,138,178
457,512
4,326,469
767,341
3,381,881
462,360
944,588
304,981
Source: Sixteenth Census of Population: 1940.
Introduction, table 1, p. 3.
Females
65,607,683
The Labor Force, Part I, U. S. Summary, Vol. I ll,
21
IS
T a b l e 2.— M A J O R O C C U P A T IO N G R O U P S (Experienced Labor Force, b y Sex9 Including Em ployed and Unem ployed W orkers, 1940)
M ajor occupation group 1
1
T otal2
2
M en2
3
Women 2
4
Total
Men
Women
Men
Women
Unem
ployed as
a percent
of each
occupation
group
5
6
7
8
9
10
Men and women as
a percent of each
occupation group
Percent distribution by
occupation group
S
52,020,023
39,445,945
12,574,078
100.0
100.0
100.0
75.8
24.2
13.2
Professional and semiprofessional workers____________
Professional workers___________________________
Semiprofessional workers_______________________
3,558,428
3,048,472
509,956
2,012,587
1,609,298
403,289
1,545,841
1,439,174
106,667
6.8
5.8
1.0
5.1
4.1
1.0
12.3
11.5
.8
56.6
52.8
79.1
43.4
47.2
20.9
6.0
5.5
9.1
Farmers and farm managers________________________
Proprietors, managers, and officials, except farm_____
Clerical, sales, and kindred workers__________________
Craftsmen, foremen, and kindred workers____________
Operatives and kindred workers_____________________
5,802,774
3,854,187
8,270,270
5,952,482
9,476,597
5,148,695
3,423,107
4,791,588
5,830,832
7,125,098
154,079
431,080
3,478,682
121,650
2,351,499
10.2
7.4
15.9
11.4
18.2
13.1
8.7
12.1
14.7
18.1
1.2
3.4
27.7
1.0
18.7
97.1
88.8
57.9
98.0
75.2
2.9
11.2
42.1
2.0
24.8
3.0
2.7
9.1
15.1
12.9
Domestic service workers___________________________
Protective service workers__________________________
Service workers, except domestic and protective______
Farm laborers and foremen-------------------------------------Laborers, except farm and mine----------------- --------- —
Occupation not reported-------------------------------------------
2,349,394
714,594
3,115,740
3,530,550
4,612,268
1,282,739
161,411
709,873
1,719,702
3,190,885
4,490,673
841,494
2,187,983
4,721
1,396,038
339,665
121,595
441,245
4.5
1.4
6.0
6.8
8.9
2.5
.4
1.8
4.4
8.1
11.4
2.1
17.4
(3)
11.1
2.7
1.0
3.5
6.9
99.3
55.2
90.4
97.4
65.6
93.1
.7
44.8
9.6
2.6
34.4
10.1
4.6
10.9
12.5
33.6
70.5
1 For Census definitions of these groups, see Part III, p. 20.
2 Includes employed persons, public emergency workers, and experienced persons seeking work. Figures for other than employed are from a 5-percent sample, and, there
fore, totals do not exactly correspond to figures in table I on labor force minus new workers.
3 Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
Source: Sixteenth Census of Population: 1940. Columns 2, 3, and 4 from series P-14, N o. 13, All Experienced Persons in the Labor Force by Occupation and Industry, for
the United States: 1940, Table 1, pp. 8-8. Columns 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 computed by Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Unemployed, column 10, is a combination of figures
for persons on public emergency work and for experienced persons seeking work, taken as a percent of the total experienced labor force for each occupation group).
OP CENSUS OCCUPATIONAL DATA
Total, all occupations_______________________________
23
SUMMARIES OF CENSUS OCCUPATIONAL DATA
T able 3.— IN D U S T R IE S
,
( Experienced Labor Force Including Em ployed and
Unemployed W orkers 1940)
,
Employed
Industry
Number 12
Number
1
\
Men as a
percent
of total
4
Unemployed2
Number
Percent of
column 2
5
6
2
3
Total, all industries_______________
52,020,023
45,166,083
75.3
6,853,940
13.2
Agriculture, forestry, and fishery___
Mining__________________'-------------Construction______________________
9,141,112
1,109,860
3,508,434
8,475,432
913,000
2,056,274
94.3
98.8
98.3
665,680
196,860
1,452,160
7.3
17.7
41.4
Manufacturing_________ __________
Food and kindred products____
Tobacco manufactures_________
Textile-mill products__________
Apparel and other fabricated
textile products_____________
Lumber, furniture, and lumber
products------------ ----------------Paper and allied products--------Printing, publishing, and allied
industries___________________
Chemicals and allied products __
Petroleum and coal products___
Rubber products______________
Leather and leather products ___
Stone, clay, and glass products. _
Iron and steel and their products.
Nonferrous metals and their
products________________ i._
Machinery__________ _________
Transportation equipment_____
Other manufacturing industries.
11,756,382
1,212,428
124,645
1,293,104
10,572,842
1,093,628
107,965
1,170,024
78.0
81.8
45.8
59.2
1,183,540
118,800
16,680
123,080
10.1
9.8
13.4
9.5
958,784
780,664
34.0
178,120
18.6
1,069,617
350,481
938,577
328,241
94.4
78.1
131,040
22,240
12.3
6.3
683,237
466,685
212,020
173,481
407,183
372,905
1,411,715
630,677
439,845
201,180
159,021
364,443
336,745
1,263,215
79.5
82.4
92.9
76.9
61.9
87.2
92.6
52,560
26,840
10,840
14,460
42,740
36,160
148,500
7.7
5.8
5.1
8.3
10.5
9.7
10.5
303,074
1,148,010
962,403
606,610
279,454
1,072,250
880,803
526,110
85.7
84.8
93.2
71.3
23,620
75,760
81,600
80,500
7.8
6.6
8.5
13.3
Transportation, communication, and
other public utilities-------------------Transportation________________
Communication_______________
Utilities______________________
3,410,553
2,429,451
410,480
570,622
3,113,353
2,177,671
393,300
542,382
88.9
96.4
46.5
89.5
297,200
251,780
17,180
28,240
8.7
10.4
4.2
4.9
Trade, wholesale and retail------------Wholesale trade_______________
Retail trade__________________
8,201,728
1,294,001
6,907,727
7,538,768
1,206,761
6,332,007
73.1
84.9
70.8
662,960
87,240
575,720
8.1
6.7
8.3
Finance, insurance, and real estate—
Business and repair services-----------Personal services---------------------------Amusement, recreation, and related
services-------------------------------------Professional and related services------Government______________________
Industry not reported--------- -----------
1,548,557
983,614
4,439,257
1,467,597
864,254
4,009,317
69.0
91.1
28.3
80,960
119,360
429,940
5.2
12.1
9.7
481,482
3,519,281
1,867,507
2,052,256
395,342
3,317,581
1,753,487
688,836
*79.9
44.4
80.6
65.4
86,140
201,700
114,020
1,363,420
17.9
5.7
6.1
66.4
1 Includes employed persons, public emergency workers, and experienced persons seeking work. Fig
ures for other than employed are from a 5-percent sample, and, therefore, totals do not exactly correspond
to figures in table 1 on labor force minus new workers.
2 Includes public emergency workers and experienced persons seeking work.
Source: Sixteenth Census of Population: 1940. Columns 2, 3, and 5 from Series P -14, No. 13, All
Experienced Persons in the Labor Force by Occupation and Industry for the United States: 1940,
table 2, pp. 9-10. Columns 4 and 6 computed by Bureau of Labor Statistics.
’ T a b l e 4 . — Employment Information fo r Selected Occupations
£
[For explanation of items marked with an asterisk (*) see Part I I I ; n. e. c.— “ not elsewhere classified” ]
Employed workers, 1940
Experienced workers *
Women
Men
1940
Class of worker
Selected occupations
1910
2
3
Number
Percent
unem
ployed *
Total
number
Percent
of all
em
ployed
persons
5
6
7
8
1930
4
Private
wage or
salary
workers *
Govern
ment
workers *
Em
ployers
and ownaccount
workers *
Total
number
9
10
11
12
2,420
1,140
65,480
120
17,600
39,580
4,700
860
20
14,420
2,780
2,740
1,880
5,400
124,460
35,940
880
8,000
33,060
4,500
47,780
43,440
7,960
4,760
4,880
1,180
1,420
68,600
7,040
5,080
Professional and semiprofessional
M edical and related fields:
Chiropractors____________________________
Healers and medical service workers, n. e. c_ _
Dentists________________________ _______ _
Optometrists_____________________________
Osteopaths_______________________________
Physicians and surgeons__________________
Pharmacists_____________________________
Trained nurses and student nurses________
V eterinarians_____________ _______________
Engineering and technical fields:
Chemical engineers_______________
Mining and metallurgical engineers.
Civil engineers___________________
Surveyors________________________
Electrical engineers_______________
Industrial engineers______________
Mechanical engineers_____________
Architects__________________________
Aviators__ _________________________
Chemists, assayers, and metallurgists.
Designers__________________ _____ ___
Draftsmen__________________________
Radio and wireless operators________
Technicians and assistants, laboratory.
Technicians, encept laboratory_______
6,971
39,597
15,069
55,590
30,147 /\
70,344
5,030
151,132 /\ 144,977
6,117
153,803
82,327
11,652
149,128
13,494
294,189
11,863
\
6,930
6,695
11,970 |
}
52,031
15,125
15,385
64,660
26,806
39,950
102,086 |
57,259 1
57,617 |
17,444
19,094
1,417
33,600
15,410
51,279
|
16,598
11,788
32,315
23,100
6,585
48,009
20,508
77,524
10,869
20,575
70,601
10,357
6,067
165,629
83,167
371,066
10,957
2.2
5.0
0.7
1.2
1.0
0.6
4.6
4.1
2.2
8,758
10,045
69,074
9,762
4,905
157,041
76,131
7,509
10,638
82.4
51.4
98.4
95.4
81.7
95.4
95.9
2.1
99.3
11,600
9,773
89,042
16,444
55,667
9,803
85,543
4.1
9.8
9.7
18.9
4.3
5.3
3.6
11,081
8,739
80,171
13,243
53,103
9,209
82,255
99.6
99.2
99.8
99.2
99.7
99.2
99.8
21,976
6,299
60,005
23,614
88,191
11,573
67,158
8,088
7.3
6.7
5.0
9.7
9.8
10.2
6.2
9.1
19,899
5,828
55,371
13,643
78,177
10,296
41,487
6,567
97.7
99.1
97.1
63.9 \
98.2
99.1
65.9
89.4
6,700
3,020
9,920
46,960
76,360
4,400
12,680
2,080
2,960'
1,871
9,510
1,047
475
1,102
7,608
3,216
t 348,277
79
39
74
191
101
164
74
188
477
51
1,654
7,691
1,414
97
21,511
781
OF CENSUS OCCUPATIONAL DATA
1
1920
Educational and related fields:
College presidents, professors, and instruc
tors___________________________________
Librarians______________ I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
County agents and farm demonstrators____
Teachers, n. e. c _________________________
Other professional and semiprofessional occu
pations:
Actors and actresses______________________
Dancers, dancing teachers, and chorus girls.
Athletes_________________________________
Showmen_________________________
Sports instructors and officials____I I I I I I I I
15,825
7,349
33:741
15,144
595,285
752,055
75,847
38,607
10,721
1,065,280
62,524
29,317
4,590
1,044,016
19,232
13,773
9,162
6,773
24,546
Authors_______________________
Editors and reporters___________
Clergymen_____________________
Funeral directors and embalmers.
Lawyers and judges____________
Artists and art teachers_________
4,324
6,600
115,658
20,734
114,704
34,094
124,725
24,469
122,519
35,390
140,503
16,497
131,467
42,444
5,706
12,739
491,517
37,207
742,035
39,396
36,097
31,036
6,132,368
52,811
2,658,771
|2,637,549
6,387,358
96,940
2,217,265
1,548,182
Musicians and music teachers__
Social and welfare workers_____
Religious workers______________
Photographers________________
Professional workers, n. e. c ____
Semiprofessional workers, n. e. c.
14,126
63,493
140,077
39,590
180,483
62,485
12,325
61,694
145,871
34,132
160,605
57,253
166,694
64,797
32,805
{
161,536
75,197
35,172
37,641
90,492
80,131
Clerical and related occupations (not assigned
to specific industry, groups)
Agents, n. e. c_
__________ ________________
Attendants, physicians* and dentists’ offices___
Attendants and assistants, library_____________
Bookkeepers, accountants, and cashiers________
Ticket, station, and express agents____________
Collectors, bill and account__________
Office machine operators_____________
Shipping and receiving clerks________
Stenographers, typists, and secretaries.
Clerical and kindred workers, n. e. c__
82,256
25,799
2,010
939,954
41,194
92,341
31,209
20,203
931,308
40,377
43,764
36,182
43,990
64,178
229,737
1,174,886
1,973,604
Agriculture
Farmers (owners and tenants)________
Farm managers______________________
Farm forem en_____________________ ~
Farm laborers (wage workers)________
Farm laborers (unpaid fam ily workers).
}
5,265,271
70,583 /V 37,503
25,275
2,606,004 2,312,035
1,472,613 1,193,240
6 ,012,012
55,123
3,801
5,845
247,716
39.2
18.6
21.6
21.3
13.0
6,931
2,180
6,990
4,493
17,484
16.4
8.3
2.5
4.1
1.6
16.8
8,020
43,503
133,449
35,856
173,456
34,478
20.0
7.3
1.4
10.5
7.2
11.7
69,800
24,868
8,798
29,078
59,002
61,584
4.0
6.1
55.5
8.0
2.1
80,040
1,387
1,955
410,243
37,363
5.2
6.9
8.9
10.0
10.5
38,374
8,284
200,669
68,805
1,134,933
92.0
13.9
95.9
6.5
64.3
3.0
1.6
3.2
17.8
2.4
4,955,624
36,091
24,240
1,803,924
941,841
97.0
97.8 \ 36,160
99.0
94.9 j l , 796,720
80.8
73.5
10.5
57.1
24.3 }
59.3
19.4
97.3
84.2
81.9
j
27,520
27,500
100
23,380
233,400
3.580
6,120
140
560
17,780
8,340
5.580
1,200
480
10,000
800
20,600
1,440
128,400
11,600
7,780
17,500
19,540
120
67.9
74.7 } 39,880
97.7
133,440
94.4
97.6
27,400
66.3
20,740
54.0
35.7
25.4 j
86.3
70.2
87.1
41,760
9,040
90.3
4.7
21.8
47.9
94.5 | 388,160
5,260
199,060
53,360
38,440
19,540
2,340
1,080
15,260
100
1,360
9,000
600
4,959,260 1
19,884
t 32,546
1 4,396
t 772,044
t 4,761
9,033
192
840
3,862
3,786
14,750
3,148
2,114
4,187
f 17,507
t 59,456
t 44,809
25,874
4,623
25,010
9,147
8,601
27,922
7,028
t 446,205
t 2,154
3,316
t 51,454
8,668
t 988,081
630,471
151,087
812
235
96,491
223,279
SUMMARIES OP CENSUS OCCUPATIONAL DATA
1.1
5.9
4.5
4.3
K>
Ol
N>
o
T a b l e 4.— Employment Information fo r Selected Occupations— Continued
[For explanation of items marked with an asterisk (*) see Part I I I ; n. e. c.— "n o t elsewhere classified"]
Experienced workers *
Employed workers, 1940
1940
Women
Men
Class of worker
Selected occupations
Mining
Foremen, n. e. c __ _
Inspectors, n. e. c_
M ine operatives and laborers_________________
Proprietors, managers, and officials, n. e. c
2
1920
3
882,587
982,470
169,402
32,515
808,949
131,264
20,110
878,505
1930
4
Number
5
Percent
unem
ployed *
6
Total
number
Percent
of all
em
ployed
persons
Private
wage or
salary
workers *
Govern
ment
workers *
Em
ployers
and ownaccount
workers *
Total
number
7
8
9
10
11
12
30,073
6,995
887,434
31,241
28,244
7,313
824,093
32,001
6.2
4.6
21.0
3.6
26,443
6,954
649,226
30,447
99.8
99.7
99.7
98.7
621,380
14,420
1,440
440
170,903
20,828
920,132
3,889
6,399
141,690
14,286
766,213
7,428
13.4
34.1
36.3
27.1
25.6
5,464
93,024
9,065
556,918
5,485
98.6
99.7
99.5 } 81,540
99.8 J 403,420
99.2
3,020
16,800
125,696
74,663
5,190
442,659
29,994
7,648
8.5
39.0
14.3
27.2
15.3
13.1
113,898
45,394
4,336
319,948
23,877
6,547
99.0
99.7
23,640
97.4
99.3 )
94.0 | 196,480
98.5
52,878
26,682
210,815
5,311
32,720
26.3
50.6
17.5
12.8
25.1
38,792
13,134
173,385
4,518
24,432
91,595
38,631
13.1
27.6
79,283
27,769
99.6
99.6 | 38,260
99.7
118,320
97.6
99.6 )
j- 80,420
99.6
99.3
24,180
41
19
1,787
394
19,540
16,460
Occupations principally employed in
construction
Asbestos and insulation wnrlcprs
Brickmasons, stonemasons, and tile setters_____
Stonecutters and stone carvers
Carpenters___________________________________
Carpenters’ apprentices
Proprietors, managers, and officials, n. e. c.,
construction______
__
______
Foremen, n. e. c., construction_________________
Inspectors, n. e. c., construction
Painters, construction and maintenance
Paperhangers
„
......
Claviers
._
_
_ _
Plasterers____________________________________
Cement and concrete finishers
_______ - _____
Plnmhers, and gas and steam fitters
Plumbers’ apprentices
Roofers and slaters___________________________
Tinsmiths, coppersmiths, and sheet-metal work
ers________________________________ - _______
Structural and ornamental metalworkers______
191,064
45,326
25,577
18,746
47,682
38,255
7,773
204,651
441,390
28,328
14,078
11,378
70,053
15,736
235,436
5,689
23,636
60,431
75,718
84,261
146,82i
20,260 /
l
131,320
25,100
9,900
f
141,900 {
l
1,520
8,700
12,520 )f
46,220
5,940
17,880
2,040
860
r
1
75
306
41
1,395
43
1,095
129
114
2,211
1,537
101
166
48
530
113
88
332
182
Ul
OP CENSUS OCCUPATIONAL DATA
1
1910
Occupations principally employed in
manufacturing
Food and kindred products:
Bakers___________________________________
Foremen, n. e. c________
I I I I I I I .I
Millers, grain, dour, feed, etc_____________
Textile-m ill products:
Dyers___________________________________
Foremen, n. e. c __________________IIIIIIH
Loom fixers______ ______ __________
Lumber, furniture, and lumber products:
Cabinetmakers__ ______ _________ ________
Pattern and model makers, except paper__
Foremen, n. e. c....................................... .......
Inspectors, scalers, and graders, log and
lumber________________ _________ ______
Sawyers_________________________________
Upholsterers_____________________ I I I I I I I I
Printing, publishing, and allied industries:'........
Apprentices, printing trades______________
Compositors and typesetters_________ _____
Electrotypers and stereotypers____________
Engravers, except photoengravers_________
Photoengravers and lithographers_________
Pressmen and plate printers......... .................
Foremen, n. e. c__________________________
Metalworking and related industries:
Blacksmiths, forgemen, and hammermen__
Boilermakers_____________________________
Buffers and polishers, metal__________
Filers, m etal_____________________________
Foremen, n. e. c_____________ I ___
Furnacemen, smeltermen, and pourers_____
Grinders, m etal__________________________
Heat treaters, annealers, and temperers___
Heaters, metal______________________ _____
Jewelers, watchmakers, goldsmiths, and sil
versmiths______________________________
M achinists____________________________
Millwrights______________________: : : : : : : :
T ool makers, and die makers and setters__
Machinists’ apprentices___________________
M olders, m etal___________________________
Rollers and roll hands, m etal_____________
Welders and flame-cutters________________
83,2f>8
91,084
22,919'
23",039
130,944
144,296
30,355
15,608
19,489
43,570
18,639
24,898
49,073
24,694
42,811
24,973
45,966
29,383
58,476
31,535
25,521
58,837
33,033
23,473
44,992
35,161
37,507
42,191
16,558
46,915
42,585
125,033
4,324
21,884
21,088
137,362
5,439
23,042
19,617
9,912
179,959
7,746
28,022
32,776
19,027
10,020
174,312
8,251
8,571
22,541
35,777
19,469
30,492
30,503
42,435
35,202
8,441
17,582
109,868
20,855
25,729
87,166
32,982
45,035
10,952
112,939
" 9~,6ll
"15,640
14,195
30,945
37,612
36,729
17,442
37,669
42,012
17,487
23,808
10,848
94,442
29,227
34,417
37,002
34,914 [
45,902
10,877
11,081
36,332
521,093
43,595
96,885
14,198
87,624
30,447
139,281
Occupations principally employed in or related
to transportation, communication, and other
public utilities
Baggagemen, transportation..... ....................
Express messengers and railway mail clerks.
6,099
22,337
10.6
3.9
5.5
119,039
25,919
14,667
92.2
88.8
99.5
11.7
10.8
9.2
21,334
31,298
22,318
97.1
71.5
99.6
14.0
5.3
4.2
50,236
31,027
22,015
99.3
99.2 |
97.9
12.6
10.2
10.7
14,116
41,864
36,191
97.5
99.4
95.1
6.6
9.3
3.4
8.2
6.9
8.0
3.4
9,140
150,647
7,893
7,242
20,548
32,389
16,741
97.6
95.3
99.0
92.0
97.9
98.5
89.0
17.1
16.1
12.0
13.5
2.2
10.2
7.5
6.3
16.8
72,034
27,589
37,609
9,027
107,924
30,225
41,846
10,122
9,085
99.7
99.7
94.9
95.3
97.7
99.2
98.5
99.3
98.5
8.5
8.4
9.0
4.3
4.4
13.4
12.8
10.4
31,957
472,769
39,566
92,371
13,505
75,559
26,439
122,688
96.1
99.0
99.8 | 566,660
99.6
99.5
99.5
74,300
99.6
26,360
98.4
111,360
2.3
1.9
5,959
21,800
1,340
21,120
10,017
3,256
81
644
12,455
96
67,960
4,120
10,500
361
246
478
362
271
1,854
129,100
2,580
17,400
41,780
25,460
3,040
1,340
25,440
640
30,500
6,920
10,140
220
7,425
78
629
433
508
2,068
212
73
2,026
445
2,575
247
616
75
136
*560
320
4,760
5,220
1,295
4,604
89
374
73
345
108
2,053
17,040
40
—-
117
,IES OP CENSUS OCCUPATIONAL DATA
100.0 }
99.5
98,160
to
<1
to
T a b l e 4. — Employment Information fo r Selected Occupations— Continued
00
[For explanation of items marked with an asterisk (*) see Part I I I ; n. e. c.— "n o t elsewhere classified"
Employed workers, 1940
Experienced workers *
1940
Women
Men
Class of worker
Selected occupations
1910
1920
1930
Number
Percent
unem
ployed *
Total
number
Private
wage or
salary
workers *
Govern
ment
workers *
Em
ployers
and ownaccount
workers *
Total
number
9
10
11
12
Occupations principally employed in or related
to transportation, communication, and other
public utilities— Continued
Brakemen and switchmen, railroad____________
Chauffeurs and drivers, bus, taxi, truck, and
tractor___ __________ ______________________
Deliverym en_________________________________
Conductors, bus and street railway____________
Conductors, railroad__________________________
Foremen, n. e. c.:
Communication__________________________
Miscellaneous transportation_____________
Railroads (including railroad repair shops) _.
Street railways and bus lines______________
U tilities__________________________________
Inspectors, n. e. c.:
Communication and utilities______________
Railroads (including railroad repair shops) _.
Transportation, except railroad___________
Linemen and servicemen, telegraph, telephone,
and power__________________________________
Locom otive engineers_________________________
Locom otive firemen_______ . __________________
Mechanics and repairmen:
Airplane-------------------------------------------------Railroad and car shop____________________
M otorm en, street, subway, and elevated railway.
116,732
8.0
107,432
1,339,888
428,153
17,785
47,465
16.3
9.5
4.9
2.7
1,115,157
384,815
16,751
46,185
10,407
11,566
80,394
6,177
8,474
11,498
49,573
4,203
21,931
1.2
3.3
3.1
1.0
2.4
8,153
11,038
47,912
4,143
21,120
97.4
99.3
99.8
99.5
98.6
221
80
101
20
291
2.4
3.9
2.7
7,234
28,261
5,005
89.9
99.7
98.4
815
75
81
279,604
463,633
1,173,796
56,932
65,604
63,760
74,539
36,699
73,332
3,574
6,344
4,953
6,623
106,860
360
99.5 } l ,209,420
99.4
99.1
14.780
100.0
46.780
104,920
1,440
60
100.0
27,938
43,148
39,470
5,616
8,249
29,496
5,226
108,588
76,381
124,805
91,345
107,591
114,351
67,096
110,816
72,396
48,851
5.7
4.0
10.2
103,501
69,496
43,851
99.0
100.0
100.0
57,969
28,384
43,998
38,380
5.8
8.6
4.2
26,607
40,218
36,572
99.6
100.0
99.5
56,218 l
62,959
101,100
68,480
43,520
4,740
240
60
175,180 /1
5,951
2,498
154
995
117
188
OF CENSUS OCCUPATIONAL DATA
Percent
of all
em
ployed
persons
Officers, pilots, pursers, and engineers, ship___
Proprietors, managers, and officials, n. e. c .:
Communication_________________________
Miscellaneous transportation____________
Railroads (including railroad repair shops)
Street railways and bus lines____________
Taxicab service_____________________ _
Trucking service_____ __________________
U tilities_______________________________
Warehousing and storage_______________
43,563
47,065
46,834
35,155
9,786
11,255
20,153
10,559
34,132
17,490
26,143
43,352
"7,980
23,361
13,303
32,242
5,827
2,892
27,163
29,747
7,599
Sailors and deck hands, except U . S. N avy.
Telegraph operators___________ __________
Telephone operators_________ ____________
*4,156
52,066
61,457
53,579
248,817
46,078
42,562
208,319
97,781” "190,666
Occupations principally employed in trade,
service, and related industries
Advertising agents__________________ ________ _
Attendants, filling station, parking lot, garage,
and airport................ ............... ......... ...............
Auctioneers-------------------------------------------------Automobile mechanics and repairmen_________
Barbers, beauticians, and manicurists................
Buyers and department heads, store__________
Canvassers and solicitors_____________________
“ Clerks” in stores___________________________
Country buyers and shippers of livestock and
other farm products________________________
Credit men___________________________________
Decorators and window dressers_______________
Demonstrators______________________ _____ ____
Dressmakers and seamstresses (not in factory) _.
Floormen and floor managers, store........ .............
Foremen, n. e. c.:
Business and repair services______________
Personal services_________________________
Wholesale and retail trade________________
Fruit and vegetable graders and packers, except
cannery____________________________________
Inspectors, n. e. c., wholesale and retail trade----Insurance agents and brokers___________ ______
M eatcutters, except slaughter and packing
houses--------------------------------------------- ------Milliners (not in factory)_____________________
M otion picture projectionists_________________
Photographic process workers_________________
Piano and organ timers_______________________
Proprietors, managers, and officials, n. e. c.:
Business and repair services____________ _
Eating and drinking places----------------------Finance, insurance, and real estate-----------Personal services____________ ________ ___
35,692
3,767
195,124
216,095
374,215
393,558
4,511
87,578
4,968
118,719
234,095
3,537
441,845
440,111
72,436
96,394
525,591
45,307
22,490
24,582
7,759
194,807
40,416
31,110
29,818
10,521
165,031
7,173
8,925
7,514
6,164
7,400
31,951
10,904
254,358
25,965
5,300
249,322
156,892
12,375
23,875
15,102
5,219
6,633
7,047
6,823
139,371
114,288
178,638
88,231
273,163
190,608
126,387
30,978
99.7
0.4
2.7
1.2
2.1
2.1
1.8
1.0
2.4
20,030
12,451
31,561
5,543
2,699
25,864
28,850
7,234
86.1
96.2
99.1
97.1
95.3
96.9
98.0
97.5
23.3
6.5
4.1
35,221
31,554
10,697
99.6
79.3
5.4
5.5
30,110
89.3
8.9
7.4
14.7
5.5
4.0
6.5
10.0
209,449
3,134
375,796
209,439
51,935
72,995
271,890
98.2
95.6
99.7
50.3
74.7
81.0
57.5
4.7
3.7
8.6
14.8
17.6
4.2
38,007
26,307
21,106
1,558
2,324
4,672
98.7
87.8
77.4
17.4
1.7
68.0
1.0
5,4
3.2
5,892
4,314
28,422
96.5
61.6
91.9
14.8
9.1
4.1
9,333
3,162
226,061
42.2
65.6
94.5
10.1
9.9
6.4
4.6
7.3
140,088
650
22,099
8,951
4,794
99.3
5.8
98.9
62.1
99.1
1.9
2.8
1.9
2.5
82,288
200,519
174,668
91,572
95.0
75.5
93.4
74.3 1
31,000
32,080
9,180
2,900
360
1,060
260
205,440
540
620
78,740
660
131,220
54,200
340
17,660
80
137
8,228
1 189,002
3,602
1,380
1,300
3,866
143
1,189
1 206,592
17,581
17,099
201,281
509
3,643
6,152
7,403
1 133,627
2,201
212
2,686
2,509
177,960
240
52,220
12,792
1,658
13,081
984
10,505
256
5,471
45
25,860~
137,840
25,140
120“ “ 171,766“
2,580
35,500
100
64,980
4,303
t 65,064
12,300
1 31,655
JES OF CENSUS OCCUPATIONAL DATA
11.6
tO
SO
CO
T a b l e 4. — Employment Information fo r Selected Occupations— Continued
O
[For explanation of items marked with an asterisk (*) see Part I I I ; n. e. c.— "n o t elsewhere classified"]
Employed workers, 1940
Experienced workers *
Class of worker
Selected occupations
1910
2
1
1920
1930
3
4
1,423,018
1,800,181
Number
Percent
unem
ployed *
5
6
Total
number
Percent
of all
em
ployed
persons
Private
wage or
salary
workers *
Govern
ment
workers *
Em
ployers
and ownaccount
workers *
Total
number
7
8
9
10
11
12
Occupations principally employed in trade,
service, and related industries— Continued
Proprietors, managers, officials, n. e. c.— Con.
Wholesale and retail trade, except eating
and drinking places:
240,686
2.6
227,334
97.0
(1,686,196
3.0
1,459,192
89.2
28,124
1,433,762
33,359
116,990
2.1
5.4
5.0
1,242,323
28,966
100,856
88.5
91.8
90.8
7.9
11.0
8.3
9.4
18.9
6.4
18,327
747,881
59,609
92,880
12,142
579,423
9.4
1.3
1.7
2.4
1.4
9,411
77,782
119,246
126,977
22,239
W h olesa le trad e
Retail trade (including pharmacists;
milliners, not in factory; and meat- j l , 278,071
cutters, except slaughter and pack
ing house)
Retail trade (excluding above occupa
tions)
P u rch a sin g agents a n d bu yers, n. e. e
Real estate agents and brokers
_ __________
Salesmen, finance, brokerage and commission
."Snlegmen and salesw om en n . e. p
S h oem ak ers and repairers (n o t in fa c to r y ) _
_ _
Tailors and tailoresses________________________
Furriers _ _
68,856
202,562
78,002
190,310
75,602
167,590
20,307
1,420,100
65,675
118,797
17,155
632,667
34,894
79,852
49,756
90,509
71,548
120,106
27:849
31,935
34,421
10,829
78,822
122,910
130,958
39,160
''T r a v e l in g s a le s m e n a n d s a le s a g e n ts
87,280
140,400
t 6,992
t 161,999
2,593
10,254
176,704
98.0
59.2
99.0
86.3 }
87.3
97.8
252,020
1,540
989,680
38,260
60
61,580
14,980
66,460
200
260
42,940
/
40,200 \
380
515,539
586
14,697
1,773
12,904
Government occupations
F orem en , n. e. o.
F irem en, fire d ep a rtm en t
M ail carriers
P o lic e m e n a n d d e t e c t iv e s g o v e r n m e n t
Postmasters__________________________________
Miscellaneous government officials, except post
masters______________________ ______________
80,486
108,074
138,638
200,653
3.5
176,138
95.9
100.0
98.7
99.3
57.6
91.0
398
77,360
119,700
>•______
1
197,440
{
1,524
881
16,381
i(
17.515
SUMMARIES OF CENSUS OCCUPATIONAL DATA
Women
Men
1940
Occupations not principally found in any single
industry
Blasters and powdermen________ ________________
Firemen, except locom otive and fire department.
116,782
Motormen (vehicle), mine, factory, logging camp,
etc___________________________________________
Oilers, machinery_______________________________
Painters, except construction and maintenance____
Cranemen, hoistmen, and construction machin
ery operators_______________________________ •_
Stationary engineers__________________________
Electricians___________________________________1
Power station operators_______________________ j 119,039
Electricians’ apprentices_________________________
151,069
133,659
6,938
127,455
35.2
11.8
4,485
112,612
99.7
99.7
99,700
14,100
“ 84,643'
90,557
17,988
39,498
100,726
6.9
9.3
11.6
16,709
35,643
82,768
99.8
99.5
93.0
77,380
§56
120,190
200,095
227,102
22,345
3,430
15.2
7.9
13.2
2.0
10.5
101,613
183,739
196,526
21,285
3,046
99.7 \ 246,040
99.7 J
99.6
152,720
97.2
18,520
99.2
38,500
302,469
210,834
277,514
4,370
17,040
1,740
13
383
2,580
1,180 f
\
27,160
39
195
6,258
257
516
696
620
24
Column 6 computed by Bureau of Labor
Statistics from Series P -14, N o. 13, All Experienced Persons in the Labor Force by Occupation and Industry for the United States: 1940, table 1, pp. 3-8. Columns 7, 8,
and 12 from The Labor Force, Part I, U. S. Summary, VoL III, table 58, pp. 75-80. Columns 9, 10, and 11 from The Labor Force (Sample Statistics), Occupational Char
acteristics, table 6, pp. 119-120.
OP CENSUS OCCUPATIONAL DATA
t See table 5.
Source: Columns 2, 3, 4, and 5 from Comparative Occupation Statistics for the United States, 1870 to 1940, tables 2 and 3, pp. 49-62.
CO
00
32
SUMMARIES OF CENSUS OCCUPATIONAL DATA
T able 5.— Class
,
o f W orker o f Em ployed Women fo r Selected Occupations 1940
[n. e. c.— “ not elsewhere classified"]
Class of worker 1
Selected occupations
Private
wage or
salary
workers
Govern
ment
workers
Employers
and ownaccount
workers
Trained nurses and student nurses___________________________
Librarians__________________________________________________
Teachers, n. e. c. (including county agents)___________________
Actresses___________________________________________________
Artists and art teachers_____________________________________
243,460
7,260
91.960
4,140
9,500
70,640
25,000
669,900
120
3,160
25,600
120
7,400
700
5,440
Musicians and music teachers________________________________
Social and welfare workers___________________________________
Bookkeepers, accountants, cashiers, and ticket agents__________
Office machine operators_____________________________________
Stenographers, typists, and secretaries________________________
19,320
15,380
414,840
46,720
827,720
9,240
28,580
17,980
6,600
164,400
31,900
200
1,700
120
3,000
Telephone operators_________________________________________
Barbers, beauticians, and manicurists_________________________
Dressmakers and seamstresses (not in factory)_________ _____
Proprietors, managers, and officials, n. e. c .:
Eating and drinking places_______________ __________ ____
Other wholesale and retail trade_________________________
Personal services............... ..................— ------------------------
184,200
116,560
61,740
4,680
220
1,400
140
90,100
70,400
7,600
23,900
7,860
120
40
20
53,620
140,380
21,760
1See Part III.
Source: Sixteenth Census of Population: 1940. From The Labor Force (Sample Statistics), Occupational
Characteristics, table 6, pp. 121-122.
Selected References
Selected publications from the Sixteenth Decennial Census of Population, 19^0
Releases
Single copies of releases are obtainable free of charge from the Bureau o f the
Census, Washington 25, D . C., as long as the supply lasts.'
All Experienced Persons in the Labor Force by Occupation and Industry, for the
United States: 1940. Series P-14, No. 13. 10 pp.
Occupations of Employed Persons in Each Industry, for the United States: March
1940. Series P -14, N o. 11. 37 pp.
Comparative Occupation and Industry Statistics for the United States: 1940 and
1930. Series P-44, No. 1. 16 pp.
Occupation Statistics for States. Series P-11, available for each State.
Industrial Classification of Persons 14 Years Old and Over in the Labor Force:
1940. Series P -13, available for each State.
Reports
Copies of reports are obtainable from the Superintendent of Documents, Govern
ment Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C., at the price shown.
Comparative Occupation Statistics for the United States, 1870 to 1940. A com
parison of the 1930 and 1940 Census occupation and industry classifications and
statistics; a comparable series of occupation statistics, 1870 to 1930; and a socialeconomic grouping of the labor force, 1910 to 1940. 206 pp. $1.50.
The Labor Force (Sample Statistics), Occupational Characteristics. 256 pp.
50 cents.
The Labor Force (Sample Statistics), Usual Occupation. 63 pp. 15 cents.
The Labor Force (Sample Statistics), Industrial Characteristics. 174 pp. 40 cents.
Bulletins
Published for each State and for the United States, and obtainable from the
Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C „
at prices from 10 to 75 cents.
Second Series Population Bulletins: Characteristics of the Population. M ajor
occupation group and, industry group statistics for small areas. (The individual
State bulletins have been bound and comprise Volume II of the 1940 Census
Reports on Population.)
Third Series Population Bulletins: The Labor Force. Detailed occupation and
industry statistics for States, cities of 100,000 or more, and urban-rural areas.
(The individual State bulletins have been bound and comprise Volume III of
the 1940 Census Reports on Population.)
Indexes
Copies are obtainable from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Print
ing Office, Washington 25, D. C., at the price shown.
Classified Index of Occupations: 1940. 199 pp. 60 cents.
Alphabetical Index of Occupations and Industries: 1940. 607 pp.
$1.25.
33
Index o f Occupations
(T able 4)
Page
Accountants........................ ...............
Actors and actresses______________
Advertising agents_________ ______
Agents_________________ . . . . . _____
Agents and brokers, real estate____
Annealers___________ ____________
Apprentices:
Carpenters*_____________ _____
Electricians*_________________
Machinists* ___ .___________ _
Plumbers*____________________
Printing trades_______________
A rchitects.. ______________________
Art teachers__________ _______ ____
Artists and art teachers___________
Asbestos and insulation workers___
Assayers_________________________
Athletes__________________________
Attendants and assistants, library. _
Attendants, filling station, e t c ..___
Attendants, physicians* and dentists*
offices__________________________
Auctioneers______________________
Authors__________________________
Aviators_________________________
Baggagemen, transportation_______
Bakers. _________________ ________
Barbers, beauticians, and manicur
is ts .___ _______________________
Blacksmiths, forgemen, and ham
mermen________________________
Blasters and powdermen__________
Boilerm akers.____________________
B ookk eepers, accou n tan ts, and
cashiers._______________________
Brakemen and switchmen, railroad.
Brickmasons, stonemasons, and tile
setters_________________________
Buffers and polishers, metal_______
Bus drivers_______________________
Buyers and department heads, store.
25
25
29
25
30
27
Page
Clerks, in stores__________________
Collectors, bill and account________
College presidents, professors, and
instructors______ . ______________
Compositors and typesetters_______
Conductors:
Bus and street railway________
Railroad_____________________
Coppersmiths_____________________
County agents, farm demonstrators.
Country buyers and shippers o f live
stock and other farm products. _ _
Cranemen, hoistmen, and construc
tion machinery operators________
Credit men______________________
25
27
28
28
26
26
31
25
27
26
29
27
24
31
25
29
25
26
24 Dancers, dancing teachers, and
chorus girls___________ „ ________ 25
25
25 Decorators and window dressers___ 29
28
29 Deliverymen_____________________
Demonstrators____________________ 29
24
25 Dentists_________________
24
29 Designers________________________
25 Detectives, government*__________ 30
24 Diemakers________________________ 27
Die setters_______________________
27
24
27 Draftsmen_______________________
27 Dressmakers and seamstresses (not
in factory)_____________________
29
29 Dyers____________________________ 27
27 Editors and reporters_____________
31 Electrical engineers_______________
27 Electricians_______________________
Electricians* apprentices___________
25 Electrotypers and stereotypers_____
28 Embalmers_______________________
Engineers:
Chem ical.. ___________________
26
Civil_____ ___________________
27
Electrical____________________
28
Industrial____________________
29
Locom otive_______________ ...
Mechanical___________________
Cabinetmakers___________________
27
Metallurgical______________. . .
Canvassers and solicitors__________ 29
Mining______________________
Carpenters_______________________ 26
Stationary___________________
Carpenters* apprentices___________ 26
Cashiers__________________________ 25 Engravers, except photoengravers. .
Cement and concrete finishers_____ 26 Express agents____________________
Express messengers and railway mail
Chauffeurs and drivers, bus, taxi,
clerks. ______
truck, and tractor______________ 28
Chemical engineers................ ........... 24
Farm demonstrators______________
Chemists, assayers, and metallurg is t s .-i______. . _ _______________ 24 Farm foremen____________________
Chiropractors_____________________ 24 Farm laborers:
Wage workers___________
Chorus girls______________________ 25
Unpaid family workers________
Civil engineers_____________ _____ _ 24
Clergymen_______________________
25 Farm managers___________________
Clerical and kindred workers______
25 Farmers (owners and tenants)_____
34
29
25
25
24
31
31
27
25
24
24
24
24
28
24
24
24
31
27
25
27
25
25
25
25
25
25
35
INDEX OF OCCUPATIONS
Page
Page
Filers, metal____ _________________
Firemen:
Except locom otive and fire de
partment______________
Fire department_____ _______
Floor managers, store_____________
Floormen and floor managers, store.
Foremen:
Agriculture__________________
Business and repair services__
Communication______________
Construction____ r ___________
Food and kindred p ro d u cts....
Government_________________
Lumber, furniture, and lumber
products___________________
Metalworking industries______
Mining______________________
Miscellaneous transportation. __
Personal services_____________
Printing, publishing, etc______
Railroads (including railroad
repair shops)_______________
Street railways and bus lines__
Textile-mill products_________
Utilities. _ _ _________________
Wholesale and retail trade____
Forgemen________________________
Fruit and vegetable graders and
packers, except cannery_________
Funeral directors and embalmers. _.
Furnacemen, smeltermen, and pourers____________________________
Furriers__________________________
Glaziers__________________________
Government detectives____________
Government officials, except post
masters_________ ______________
Grinders, metal_________ _______ s. .
Hammermen_____________________
Healers and medical service workers.
Heat treaters, annealers, and temperers__________________________
Heaters, metal__________ _________
Hoistmen____________________ ____
Industrial engineers_____ _________
Inspectors:
Communication and u tilities...
Construction_________________
Railroads (including railroad re
pair shops)________ __
Mining______________________
Transportation, except railroad.
Wholesale and retail trade___
Inspectors, scalers, and graders, log
and lumber_____________________
Insulation workers........................... .
Insurance agents and brokers______
Jewelers, watchmakers, goldsmiths,
and silversmiths________________
Judges.................. ................. ......... ..
27 Laborers, mine_________________
Laborers, agriculture:
Unpaid family workers________
Wage workers________________
31
30 Lawyers and judges_______________
29 Librarians________________________
29 Library attendants and assistants..
Linemen and servicemen, telegraph,
25
telephone, and power___________
29 Lithographers____________________
28 Locomotive engineers___________
26 Locomotive firemen.. . . . __________
27 Loom fixers_______________________
30
Machine operators, office__________
27 Machinists_______________________
27 Machinists’ apprentices_____________
26 Mail carriers_____________________
28 Managers:
29
Agriculture__________________
Business and repair services__
27
Eating and drinking places___
28
Finance, insurance, and real es
28
tate_______________________
27
Mining______________________
28
Personal services_____________
29
Retail trade, except eating and
27
drinking places_____________
Wholesale trade______________
29 Manicurists______________________
25 Masons, brick and stone__________
Meatcutters, except slaughter and
27
packing house__________________
30 Mechanical engineers_____________
Mechanics and repairmen:
Airplane_______________
26
Automobile__________
30
Railroad and car shop________
30 Metallurgical engineers____________
27 Metallurgists_________ _ _ ^ _______
Millers, grain, flour, feed, etc______
27 Milliners (not in factory)__________
24 Millwrights_______________________
Mine operatives and laborers______
27 Mining and metallurgical engineers.
27 Model makers, except paper---------31 Molders, metal________________ . . .
M otion picture projectionists______
Motormen, street, subway, etc_____
24 Motormen (vehicle), factory, etc__
Musicians and music teachers_____
28
26 Nurses (student)_________________
Nurses (trained)___________
28
26
28 Office machine operators__________
Officers, pilots, pursers, and engi
29
neers, ship_____________
27 Oilers, machinery_________________
Optometrists_____________________
26
Organ tuners_____ ._______________
29
Osteopaths_______________________
27
25
Painters:
Construction and maintenance.
Except construction__________
26
25
25
25
25
25
28
27
28
28
27
25
27
27
30
25
29
29
29
26
29
30
30
29
26
29
24
28
29
28
24
24
27
29
27
26
24
27
27
29
28
31
25
24
24
25
29
31
24
29
24
26
31
36
INDEX OF OCCUPATIONS
Page
Page
26 Sales agents________ _____ ________
Salesmen and saleswomen_________
27 Salesmen:
24
Finance, brokerage, and com
mission firms_______________
27
Traveling____________
25
29 Saleswomen______________________
24 Sawyers________
29 Semiprofessional workers (n. e. c .)-26 Sheet-metal workers______________
26 Shipping and receiving clerks______
26 Shoemakers and repairers (not in
factory)________________________
30 Show m en..:______________________
27 Silversmiths______________________
30 Slaters___________________________
31 Smeltermen______________________
31 Social and welfare workers________
Sports instructors and officials_____
27 Steam fitters_____________________
27 Stenographers, typists, and secre
taries__________________________
25
25 Stereotypers______________________
29 Stonecutters and stone carvers_____
Stonemasons______________________
29 Structural and ornamental metal
workers________________________
29
26 Surgeons_________________________
29 Surveyors________________________
Switchmen, railroad________
29
26 Tailors and tailoresses_____________
29 Teachers_________________________
29 Technicians and assistants, labor
atory__________________________
29 Technicians, except laboratory_____
Telegraph operators_______________
30 Telephone operators______________
29 Ticket, station, and express agents. _
29 Tinsmiths, coppersmiths, and sheet29
metal workers__________________
29 Tool makers, and die makers and
29
setters_________________________
30 Trained nurses and student nurses. _
30 Traveling salesmen and sales agents.
Truck drivers.____________________
24
Radio and wireless operators______
T y p is ts ..________
Railway mail clerks_______________ 27
Real estate agents and brokers____
30
Upholsterers_________
Receiving clerks__________________ 25
25
Religious workers_____ ___________
Reporters_______ _________________ 25 Veterinarians..............
Rollers and roll hands, metal______ 27
Roofers and slaters_______________
26 Watchmakers________
Welders and flame-cutters_________
Window dressers__________________
Sailors and deck hands, except U. S.
N a v y ................................. ............ 29 Wireless operators____________
Paperhangers.................... .................
Pattern and model makers, except
paper.................. ............... .............
Pharmacists______________________
Photoengravers and lithographers..
Photographers____________________
Photographic process workers______
Physicians and surgeons___________
Piano and organ tuners___________
Plasterers------------------------------------Plumbers, and gas and steam fitters.
Plumbers* apprentices_____________
Policemen and detectives, govern
ment----------------- ---------------------Polishers, metal__________________
Postmasters______________________
Powdermen______________________
Power station operators___________
Pressmen and plate printers, print
ing—
Printers, plate____________________
Professional workers (n. e. c.)_____
Professors, college________________
Projectionists, motion picture______
Proprietors, managers, and officials:
Business and repair services__
Communication______________
Construction_________________
Eating and drinking places____
Finance, insurance, and real es
tate_____ _______ __________
Mining______________________
Miscellaneous transportation __
Personal sendees_____________
Railroads (including railroad re
pair shops)_______ _____ ____
Retail trade, except eating and
drinking places_____________
Street railways and bus lin es..
Taxicab service_______________
Trucking service_____________
Utilities______________________
Warehousing and storage______
Wholesale trade______________
Purchasing agents and buyers______
'frU. S. GOVERNMENT POINTING OFFICE: 1945— 638947
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@FedFRASER