Full text of First Quarter 1997 : Text File, 97-129
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Technical information: (202) 606-6378 USDL 97-129
For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact: 606-5902 Friday, April 18, 1997
USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:
FIRST QUARTER 1997
Median weekly earnings of the nation's 90.7 million full-time wage and
salary workers were $504 in the first quarter of 1997, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This was 3.1
percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 3.0 percent in
the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) over the same
period.
Data on usual earnings are collected as part of the Current Population
Survey, a nationwide sample survey of households in which respondents are
asked, among other things, how much each wage and salary worker usually
earns. (See explanatory note.) Highlights from the first-quarter data
are:
---Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $427 a
week, or 73.4 percent of the $582 median for men. The female-male earnings
ratios were higher among blacks (87.3 percent) and Hispanics (85.6
percent). (See table 1.)
---Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were $426 per
week, 71.1 percent of the median for white men ($599). The racial
variation was much less among women, as black women's median earnings
($372) were 84.5 percent of those for their white counterparts ($440).
Overall, median earnings of Hispanics who worked full time ($349) were
lower than those of blacks ($399) and whites ($519). (See table 1.)
---The highest median weekly earnings for full-time workers were $719
for men in the 45- to 54-year-age group, with the median for 55- to 64-year-
old men next, at $676. Among women, the highest-earning age group also was
45- to 54-year-olds, who had a median of $494; this was followed by 35- to
44-year-olds, with a median of $475. (See table 2.)
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| Beginning in January 1997, data are not strictly comparable |
|with figures for 1996 and earlier years because of revisions in |
|the population controls used in the household survey. For |
|additional information, see "Revisions in the Current Population |
|Survey Effective January 1997" in the February 1997 issue of |
|Employment and Earnings. |
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- 2 -
---Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time in
managerial and professional specialty occupations had the highest median
weekly earnings--$875 for men and $630 for women--while men and women in
service and farm jobs earned the least. (See table 3.)
---Full-time workers age 25 and over with less than a high school
diploma had median weekly earnings of $318, compared with $450 for high
school graduates (no college) and $776 for college graduates. Among
college graduates with advanced degrees (professional or master's degree
and above), the highest 10 percent of male workers earned more than $1,977,
compared with more than $1,393 for their female counterparts. (See
table 4.)
Explanatory Note
The estimates in this release were obtained from the Current Population
Survey (CPS), which provides the basic information on the labor force,
employment, and unemployment. The survey is conducted monthly for the
Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Bureau of the Census from a
scientifically selected national sample of about 50,000 households, with
coverage in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The earnings data
are collected from one-quarter of the CPS monthly sample and are limited to
wages and salaries. The data, therefore, exclude self-employment income.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-606-STAT; TDD phone:
202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-326-2577.
Reliability
In any sample survey, variations in the data can occur by chance because
a sample, rather than the whole of the population, is surveyed. The
standard error is a measure of such potential variation. The chances are
about 68 out of 100 that an estimate from the survey differs from a figure
that would be obtained from a complete census by less than one standard
error. The chances are about 90 out of 100 that such a difference would be
less than 1.6 standard errors. All statements of comparisons in the text
of this release are significant at 1.6 or more standard errors.
For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and
information on estimating standard errors, see the "Explanatory Notes and
Estimates of Error" section of the February 1994 and subsequent issues of
Employment and Earnings.
Definitions
The principal definitions used in connection with the earnings series are
described briefly below.
Usual weekly earnings. Data represent earnings before taxes and other
deductions and include any overtime pay, taxes, commissions, or tips
usually received (at the main job in the case of multiple jobholders.)
Prior to 1994, respondents were asked how much they usually earned per
week. Since January 1994, respondents have been asked to identify the
easiest way for them to report earnings (hourly, weekly, biweekly, twice
monthly, monthly, annually, other) and how much they usually earn in the
reported time period. Earnings reported on a basis other than weekly are
converted to a weekly equivalent. The term "usual" is as perceived by the
respondent. If the respondent asks for a definition of usual, interviewers
are instructed to define the term as more than half the weeks worked during
the past 4 or 5 months.
Medians (and other quantiles) of weekly earnings. The median (or upper
limit of the second quartile) is the amount which divides a given earnings
distribution into two equal groups, one having earnings above the median
and the other having earnings below the median. Ten percent of a given
distribution have earnings below the upper limit of the first decile (90
percent have higher earnings); 25 percent have earnings below the upper
limit of the first quartile (75 percent have higher earnings); 75 percent
have earnings below the upper limit of the third quartile (25 percent have
higher earnings); and 90 percent have earnings below the upper limit of the
ninth decile (10 percent have higher earnings).
The estimating procedure places each reported or calculated weekly
earnings value into $50-wide intervals which are centered around multiples
of $50. The actual value is estimated through the linear interpolation of
the interval in which the quantile boundary lies.
Over-the-year changes in the medians (and other quantile boundaries) for
specific groups may not necessarily be consistent with the movements
estimated for the overall quantile boundary. The most common reasons for
this possible anomaly are: (1) There could be a change in the relative
weights of the subgroups. For example, the medians of both 16-to-24 year
olds and those 25 years and over may rise; but if the lower-earning 16-to-
24 group accounts for a greatly increased share of the total, the overall
median could actually fall. (2) There could be a large change in the shape
of the distribution of reported earnings, particularly near a quantile
boundary. This could be caused by survey observations that are clustered
at rounded values, e.g., $250, $300, $400. An estimate lying in a $50-wide
centered interval containing such a cluster or "spike" tends to change more
slowly than one in other intervals.
Wage and salary workers. Workers who receive wages, salaries,
commissions, tips, payment in kind, or piece rates. The group includes
employees in both the private and public sectors but, for the purposes of
the earnings series, excludes self-employed persons whose businesses are
incorporated.
- 2 -
Full-time workers. Workers who usually work 35 hours or more per week at
their sole or principal job.
Part-time workers. Workers who usually work fewer than 35 hours per week
at their sole or principal job.
Constant dollars. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
(CPI-U) is used to convert current dollars to constant (1982) dollars.
Hispanic origin. Refers to persons who are of Mexican, Puerto Rican,
Cuban, Central or South American, or of other Hispanic origin or descent.
Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race; hence, they are included in
the numbers for the white and black populations.
Table 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages,
not seasonally adjusted
Number of workers Median weekly earnings
(in thousands)
Characteristic In current dollars In constant (1982)
dollars
I I
1996 1997
I I I I
1996 1997 1996 1997
SEX AND AGE
Total, 16 years and over.................................. 88,699 90,734 $489 $504 $304 $304
Men, 16 years and over................................. 50,388 51,604 557 582 347 352
16 to 24 years....................................... 5,448 5,409 311 319 193 193
25 years and over.................................... 44,940 46,195 597 615 372 372
Women, 16 years and over............................... 38,312 39,129 419 427 261 258
16 to 24 years....................................... 4,059 4,084 289 289 180 175
25 years and over.................................... 34,253 35,045 442 456 276 276
RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX
White.................................................. 74,423 75,743 504 519 314 314
Men.................................................. 43,177 44,009 580 599 361 362
Women................................................ 31,247 31,734 427 440 266 266
Black.................................................. 10,534 10,879 394 399 245 241
Men.................................................. 5,199 5,340 417 426 260 258
Women................................................ 5,335 5,539 372 372 232 225
Hispanic origin........................................ 8,599 9,623 330 349 205 211
Men.................................................. 5,495 6,145 344 369 214 223
Women................................................ 3,104 3,478 315 316 196 191
NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other races"
group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups. Beginning in January
1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic origin, and sex, first
quarter 1997 averages, not seasonally adjusted
Total Men Women
Age, race, and Hispanic origin Number Number Number
of Median of Median of Median
workers weekly workers weekly workers weekly
(in earnings (in earnings (in earnings
thousands) thousands) thousands)
TOTAL
16 years and over......................................... 90,734 $504 51,604 $582 39,129 $427
16 to 24 years.......................................... 9,493 307 5,409 319 4,084 289
16 to 19 years........................................ 1,499 243 893 255 606 229
20 to 24 years........................................ 7,994 321 4,516 338 3,478 304
25 years and over....................................... 81,240 536 46,195 615 35,045 456
25 to 54 years........................................ 72,173 537 41,014 612 31,159 463
25 to 34 years...................................... 25,324 477 14,712 511 10,611 423
35 to 44 years...................................... 27,061 576 15,464 650 11,598 475
45 to 54 years...................................... 19,788 609 10,838 719 8,950 494
55 years and over..................................... 9,067 524 5,182 658 3,886 411
55 to 64 years...................................... 8,046 544 4,572 676 3,474 416
65 years and over................................... 1,021 405 610 489 412 346
White
16 years and over......................................... 75,743 519 44,009 599 31,734 440
16 to 24 years.......................................... 7,836 309 4,559 323 3,277 290
25 years and over....................................... 67,907 562 39,450 635 28,457 469
25 to 54 years........................................ 60,053 563 34,912 630 25,142 476
55 years and over..................................... 7,854 558 4,538 681 3,315 421
Black
16 years and over......................................... 10,879 399 5,340 426 5,539 372
16 to 24 years.......................................... 1,190 283 566 286 624 279
25 years and over....................................... 9,689 422 4,774 467 4,916 392
25 to 54 years........................................ 8,808 425 4,339 466 4,469 397
55 years and over..................................... 881 388 435 472 447 352
Hispanic origin
16 years and over......................................... 9,623 349 6,145 369 3,478 316
16 to 24 years.......................................... 1,492 260 959 265 533 251
25 years and over....................................... 8,130 374 5,186 396 2,944 335
25 to 54 years........................................ 7,428 376 4,776 395 2,652 337
55 years and over..................................... 702 359 410 401 292 328
NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other races"
group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups. Beginning in January
1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.
Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, quarterly averages, not
seasonally adjusted
Number of workers Median weekly earnings
(in thousands)
Occupation and sex
I I I I
1996 1997 1996 1997
TOTAL
Managerial and professional specialty.................... 27,002 28,164 $713 $740
Executive, administrative, and managerial.............. 12,884 13,625 696 726
Professional specialty................................. 14,118 14,539 724 754
Technical, sales, and administrative support............. 25,453 25,841 438 453
Technicians and related support........................ 3,045 3,445 576 578
Sales occupations...................................... 8,917 8,783 481 482
Administrative support, including clerical............. 13,491 13,614 399 415
Service occupations...................................... 9,247 9,587 302 310
Private household...................................... 371 351 198 215
Protective service..................................... 1,865 1,870 522 570
Service, except private household and protective....... 7,010 7,365 282 292
Precision production, craft, and repair.................. 10,862 11,035 546 547
Mechanics and repairers................................ 3,881 3,901 573 578
Construction trades.................................... 3,390 3,675 523 532
Other precision production, craft, and repair.......... 3,591 3,460 531 524
Operators, fabricators, and laborers..................... 14,879 14,811 381 398
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors.......... 7,151 7,256 374 388
Transportation and material moving occupations......... 4,225 3,968 455 492
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.... 3,502 3,588 320 336
Farming, forestry, and fishing........................... 1,257 1,294 297 294
Men
Managerial and professional specialty.................... 13,669 14,562 846 875
Executive, administrative, and managerial.............. 6,929 7,530 843 858
Professional specialty................................. 6,740 7,032 849 889
Technical, sales, and administrative support............. 9,622 9,861 580 591
Technicians and related support........................ 1,559 1,793 659 663
Sales occupations...................................... 5,081 4,939 611 604
Administrative support, including clerical............. 2,982 3,129 469 515
Service occupations...................................... 4,554 4,691 355 363
Private household...................................... 11 10 (1) (1)
Protective service..................................... 1,605 1,585 $554 $582
Service, except private household and protective....... 2,938 3,096 300 315
Precision production, craft, and repair.................. 9,945 10,095 564 572
Mechanics and repairers................................ 3,732 3,757 575 582
Construction trades.................................... 3,344 3,621 523 535
Other precision production, craft, and repair.......... 2,869 2,717 584 602
Operators, fabricators, and laborers..................... 11,482 11,295 409 429
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors.......... 4,637 4,688 $419 $443
Transportation and material moving occupations......... 3,963 3,721 463 498
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.... 2,882 2,887 329 345
Farming, forestry, and fishing........................... 1,115 1,099 303 307
Women
Managerial and professional specialty.................... 13,333 13,602 612 630
Executive, administrative, and managerial.............. 5,955 6,095 581 597
Professional specialty................................. 7,378 7,507 641 663
Technical, sales, and administrative support............. 15,832 15,980 391 400
Technicians and related support........................ 1,487 1,652 501 496
Sales occupations...................................... 3,836 3,843 361 346
Administrative support, including clerical............. 10,509 10,485 384 398
Service occupations...................................... 4,693 4,896 269 279
Private household...................................... 361 341 198 214
Protective service..................................... 260 286 427 495
Service, except private household and protective....... 4,072 4,269 269 278
Precision production, craft, and repair.................. 916 940 393 366
Mechanics and repairers................................ 148 144 540 420
Construction trades.................................... 46 54 (1) (1)
Other precision production, craft, and repair.......... 722 742 $369 $357
Operators, fabricators, and laborers..................... 3,396 3,516 308 316
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors.......... 2,514 2,568 308 311
Transportation and material moving occupations......... 262 247 350 392
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.... 621 701 294 312
Farming, forestry, and fishing........................... 141 195 266 240
1 Data not shown where base is less than 100,000.
Beginning in January 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.
Table 4. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected
characteristics, first quarter 1997 averages, not seasonally adjusted
Number Upper limit of:
of
Characteristic workers
(in First First Second Third Ninth
thousands) decile quartile quartile quartile decile
(median)
SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC ORIGIN
Total, 16 years and over.................................. 90,734 $242 $330 $504 $762 $1,098
Men..................................................... 51,604 264 373 582 860 1,212
Women................................................... 39,129 224 299 427 634 906
White................................................... 75,743 248 343 519 786 1,131
Men................................................... 44,009 273 387 599 882 1,242
Women................................................. 31,734 228 306 440 651 925
Black................................................... 10,879 213 283 399 595 842
Men................................................... 5,340 229 298 426 642 895
Women................................................. 5,539 202 265 372 537 754
Hispanic................................................ 9,623 197 254 349 529 806
Men................................................... 6,145 206 268 369 572 852
Women................................................. 3,478 186 232 316 479 734
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Total, 25 years and over................................ 81,240 259 357 536 800 1,137
Less than a high school diploma....................... 8,157 194 242 318 458 632
High school graduates, no college..................... 26,319 243 319 450 643 864
Some college or associate degree...................... 22,600 280 373 532 755 1,002
College graduates, total.............................. 24,164 386 551 776 1,121 1,556
Bachelor's degree only.............................. 15,983 360 506 719 1,005 1,424
Advanced degree..................................... 8,181 465 648 922 1,289 1,813
Men, 25 years and over................................ 46,195 285 405 615 898 1,256
Less than a high school diploma..................... 5,430 208 265 358 508 697
High school graduates, no college................... 14,814 282 377 529 736 960
Some college or associate degree.................... 12,408 308 441 632 864 1,141
College graduates, total............................ 13,542 423 611 886 1,257 1,807
Bachelor's degree only............................ 8,907 399 576 818 1,147 1,621
Advanced degree................................... 4,635 491 732 1,027 1,445 1,977
Women, 25 years and over.............................. 35,045 234 315 456 662 934
Less than a high school diploma..................... 2,726 181 212 275 350 466
High school graduates, no college................... 11,505 216 282 375 504 672
Some college or associate degree.................... 10,192 253 329 446 608 800
College graduates, total............................ 10,621 353 497 673 935 1,249
Bachelor's degree only............................ 7,076 $326 $465 $621 $847 $1,142
Advanced degree................................... 3,546 437 598 804 1,064 1,393
NOTE: Ten percent of all full-time wage and salary workers earn less than the upper limit of the first decile; 25
percent earn less than the upper limit of the first quartile; 50 percent earn less than the upper limit of the second
quartile, or median; 75 percent earn less than the upper limit of the third quartile; and 90 percent earn less than the
upper limit of the ninth decile. Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data
for the "other races" group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.
Beginning in January 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.
Table 5. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly
averages, not seasonally adjusted
Number of workers Median weekly earnings
(in thousands)
Age, race, and Hispanic origin
I I I I
1996 1997 1996 1997
SEX AND AGE
Total, 16 years and over.................................. 21,047 21,302 $139 $143
Men, 16 years and over................................. 6,586 6,620 132 130
16 to 24 years....................................... 3,416 3,577 107 108
25 years and over.................................... 3,170 3,043 173 179
Women, 16 years and over............................... 14,461 14,682 142 148
16 to 24 years....................................... 4,225 4,456 103 107
25 years and over.................................... 10,237 10,226 165 172
RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX
White.................................................. 18,215 18,523 141 143
Men.................................................. 5,646 5,741 132 129
Women................................................ 12,569 12,782 144 149
Black.................................................. 1,995 2,023 128 138
Men.................................................. 626 586 124 132
Women................................................ 1,369 1,438 129 140
Hispanic origin........................................ 1,773 1,905 139 140
Men.................................................. 672 739 141 145
Women................................................ 1,101 1,166 138 137
NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other
races" group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups. Beginning in
January 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.