Full text of Second Quarter 1997 : Text File, 97-235
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Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov:80/newsrels.htm
Technical information: (202) 606-6378 USDL 97-235
For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact: 606-5902 Tuesday, July 22, 1997
USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:
SECOND QUARTER 1997
Median weekly earnings of the nation's 93.4 million full-time wage and
salary workers were $499 in the second quarter of 1997, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This was 2.7
percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 2.3 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 second-quarter data
are:
---Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $428 a
week, or 74.8 percent of the $572 median for men. The female-male earnings
ratios were higher among blacks (89.4 percent) and Hispanics (87.0 percent)
than among whites (75.2 percent). (See table 1.)
---Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were $424 per
week, 72.0 percent of the median for white men ($589). The racial
variation was much less among women, as black women's median earnings
($379) were 85.6 percent of those for their white counterparts ($443).
Overall, median earnings of Hispanics who worked full time ($352) were
lower than those of blacks ($397) and whites ($515). (See table 1.)
---The highest median weekly earnings for full-time workers were $692
for men in the 45- to 54-year-age group, with the median for 55- to 64-year-
old men next, at $660. Among women, the highest-earning age group also was
45- to 54-year-olds, who had a median of $496, followed by 35- to 44-year-
olds, with a median of $475. (See table 2.)
---Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time in
managerial and professional specialty occupations had the highest median
weekly earnings--$862 for men and $622 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 $322, compared with $463 for high
school graduates (no college) and $772 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 $2,089,
compared with more than $1,515 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
II II
1996 1997
II II II II
1996 1997 1996 1997
SEX AND AGE
Total, 16 years and over.................................. 90,956 93,387 $486 $499 $300 $301
Men, 16 years and over................................. 52,140 53,329 554 572 341 344
16 to 24 years....................................... 6,079 6,321 302 316 186 190
25 years and over.................................... 46,061 47,008 599 609 369 367
Women, 16 years and over............................... 38,817 40,058 414 428 255 258
16 to 24 years....................................... 4,337 4,511 273 289 168 174
25 years and over.................................... 34,480 35,548 439 457 271 275
RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX
White.................................................. 76,144 77,856 502 515 309 310
Men.................................................. 44,604 45,493 578 589 356 355
Women................................................ 31,540 32,363 425 443 262 267
Black.................................................. 10,864 11,338 383 397 236 239
Men.................................................. 5,314 5,490 411 424 253 255
Women................................................ 5,550 5,847 353 379 218 228
Hispanic origin........................................ 8,790 9,789 336 352 207 212
Men.................................................. 5,706 6,462 350 368 216 222
Women................................................ 3,084 3,327 313 320 193 193
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, second
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......................................... 93,387 $499 53,329 $572 40,058 $428
16 to 24 years.......................................... 10,831 305 6,321 316 4,511 289
16 to 19 years........................................ 2,031 251 1,206 264 825 239
20 to 24 years........................................ 8,800 318 5,114 333 3,686 302
25 years and over....................................... 82,556 533 47,008 609 35,548 457
25 to 54 years........................................ 73,372 533 41,718 605 31,654 462
25 to 34 years...................................... 25,851 478 14,913 514 10,939 422
35 to 44 years...................................... 27,489 567 15,804 639 11,685 475
45 to 54 years...................................... 20,032 601 11,001 692 9,031 496
55 years and over..................................... 9,184 537 5,291 646 3,893 417
55 to 64 years...................................... 8,071 560 4,623 660 3,449 426
65 years and over................................... 1,113 403 668 486 445 352
White
16 years and over......................................... 77,856 515 45,493 589 32,363 443
16 to 24 years.......................................... 9,144 309 5,480 320 3,664 295
25 years and over....................................... 68,712 560 40,013 627 28,700 472
25 to 54 years........................................ 60,826 559 35,429 622 25,397 478
55 years and over..................................... 7,886 570 4,584 677 3,302 422
Black
16 years and over......................................... 11,338 397 5,490 424 5,847 379
16 to 24 years.......................................... 1,303 271 615 288 688 252
25 years and over....................................... 10,035 418 4,876 463 5,160 397
25 to 54 years........................................ 9,102 418 4,383 460 4,718 398
55 years and over..................................... 933 423 492 482 441 382
Hispanic origin
16 years and over......................................... 9,789 352 6,462 368 3,327 320
16 to 24 years.......................................... 1,695 262 1,219 258 476 271
25 years and over....................................... 8,094 389 5,243 411 2,852 341
25 to 54 years........................................ 7,509 389 4,852 408 2,657 348
55 years and over..................................... 585 389 391 469 195 276
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
II II II II
1996 1997 1996 1997
TOTAL
Managerial and professional specialty.................... 27,282 28,160 $718 $727
Executive, administrative, and managerial.............. 13,335 13,978 705 694
Professional specialty................................. 13,947 14,183 729 748
Technical, sales, and administrative support............. 26,058 26,540 438 449
Technicians and related support........................ 3,233 3,443 566 567
Sales occupations...................................... 8,864 9,340 478 466
Administrative support, including clerical............. 13,961 13,757 404 418
Service occupations...................................... 10,085 10,039 303 311
Private household...................................... 303 338 224 214
Protective service..................................... 1,850 1,915 524 510
Service, except private household and protective....... 7,932 7,786 285 295
Precision production, craft, and repair.................. 10,832 11,671 527 545
Mechanics and repairers................................ 3,697 3,970 554 568
Construction trades.................................... 3,717 4,057 498 541
Other precision production, craft, and repair.......... 3,417 3,644 543 526
Operators, fabricators, and laborers..................... 14,984 15,230 392 402
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors.......... 7,089 7,186 380 385
Transportation and material moving occupations......... 4,163 4,522 487 502
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.... 3,732 3,521 333 340
Farming, forestry, and fishing........................... 1,716 1,748 286 291
Men
Managerial and professional specialty.................... 14,015 14,131 867 862
Executive, administrative, and managerial.............. 7,240 7,339 865 850
Professional specialty................................. 6,775 6,792 870 878
Technical, sales, and administrative support............. 10,004 10,278 575 589
Technicians and related support........................ 1,620 1,806 649 680
Sales occupations...................................... 5,099 5,167 591 592
Administrative support, including clerical............. 3,284 3,306 488 530
Service occupations...................................... 5,096 5,012 358 366
Private household...................................... 12 19 (1) (1)
Protective service..................................... 1,594 1,604 $540 $527
Service, except private household and protective....... 3,490 3,388 308 314
Precision production, craft, and repair.................. 9,970 10,675 545 562
Mechanics and repairers................................ 3,556 3,789 562 571
Construction trades.................................... 3,635 3,991 500 541
Other precision production, craft, and repair.......... 2,779 2,895 585 582
Operators, fabricators, and laborers..................... 11,538 11,674 427 438
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors.......... 4,511 4,604 $444 $437
Transportation and material moving occupations......... 3,901 4,198 495 511
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.... 3,126 2,872 352 357
Farming, forestry, and fishing........................... 1,517 1,558 293 296
Women
Managerial and professional specialty.................... 13,267 14,029 609 622
Executive, administrative, and managerial.............. 6,095 6,638 584 599
Professional specialty................................. 7,172 7,391 634 653
Technical, sales, and administrative support............. 16,054 16,261 391 398
Technicians and related support........................ 1,612 1,637 495 484
Sales occupations...................................... 3,765 4,173 336 348
Administrative support, including clerical............. 10,677 10,451 392 397
Service occupations...................................... 4,989 5,027 270 283
Private household...................................... 290 319 221 212
Protective service..................................... 257 311 429 428
Service, except private household and protective....... 4,442 4,398 269 281
Precision production, craft, and repair.................. 861 996 373 380
Mechanics and repairers................................ 141 180 431 504
Construction trades.................................... 82 66 (1) (1)
Other precision production, craft, and repair.......... 638 749 $365 $352
Operators, fabricators, and laborers..................... 3,447 3,555 301 315
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors.......... 2,579 2,582 301 315
Transportation and material moving occupations......... 261 325 372 361
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.... 607 649 282 301
Farming, forestry, and fishing........................... 199 189 224 256
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, second 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.................................. 93,387 $239 $327 $499 $749 $1,081
Men..................................................... 53,329 260 369 572 847 1,215
Women................................................... 40,058 223 298 428 623 886
White................................................... 77,856 246 340 515 772 1,129
Men................................................... 45,493 269 384 589 875 1,247
Women................................................. 32,363 228 304 443 640 905
Black................................................... 11,338 210 284 397 586 782
Men................................................... 5,490 223 297 424 621 831
Women................................................. 5,847 201 272 379 525 737
Hispanic................................................ 9,789 197 254 352 526 776
Men................................................... 6,462 201 260 368 561 839
Women................................................. 3,327 191 242 320 492 676
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Total, 25 years and over................................ 82,556 259 359 533 788 1,137
Less than a high school diploma....................... 8,780 193 246 322 472 647
High school graduates, no college..................... 27,284 245 324 463 642 864
Some college or associate degree...................... 22,202 279 372 526 741 998
College graduates, total.............................. 24,290 383 546 772 1,129 1,556
Bachelor's degree only.............................. 16,534 358 502 709 1,003 1,391
Advanced degree..................................... 7,756 475 664 928 1,334 1,888
Men, 25 years and over................................ 47,008 286 408 609 894 1,263
Less than a high school diploma..................... 5,893 205 268 369 517 702
High school graduates, no college................... 15,372 285 388 536 729 960
Some college or associate degree.................... 12,004 306 424 608 851 1,129
College graduates, total............................ 13,739 427 617 891 1,266 1,757
Bachelor's degree only............................ 9,152 400 581 817 1,158 1,551
Advanced degree................................... 4,587 509 752 1,063 1,472 2,089
Women, 25 years and over.............................. 35,548 235 315 457 652 919
Less than a high school diploma..................... 2,887 179 217 280 361 476
High school graduates, no college................... 11,911 217 286 381 510 670
Some college or associate degree.................... 10,198 253 328 454 616 816
College graduates, total............................ 10,551 349 485 657 913 1,236
Bachelor's degree only............................ 7,382 $328 $449 $612 $843 $1,138
Advanced degree................................... 3,169 434 594 786 1,052 1,515
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
II II II II
1996 1997 1996 1997
SEX AND AGE
Total, 16 years and over.................................. 20,770 20,853 $142 $147
Men, 16 years and over................................. 6,383 6,584 129 138
16 to 24 years....................................... 3,361 3,461 108 113
25 years and over.................................... 3,023 3,123 168 180
Women, 16 years and over............................... 14,387 14,268 148 151
16 to 24 years....................................... 4,390 4,365 111 111
25 years and over.................................... 9,996 9,903 171 173
RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX
White.................................................. 17,926 18,090 144 148
Men.................................................. 5,356 5,541 131 136
Women................................................ 12,570 12,549 149 153
Black.................................................. 2,025 1,883 131 138
Men.................................................. 704 677 125 143
Women................................................ 1,321 1,206 134 136
Hispanic origin........................................ 1,758 1,999 140 142
Men.................................................. 664 723 143 159
Women................................................ 1,094 1,276 138 132
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.