Full text of Third Quarter 1998 : Text File, 98-425
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Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information: (202) 606-6378 USDL 98-425
For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact: 606-5902 Wednesday, October 21, 1998
USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:
THIRD QUARTER 1998
Median weekly earnings of the nation's 97.4 million full-time wage and
salary workers were $520 in the third quarter of 1998, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This was
4.2 percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 1.6 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. For further information, see the explanatory note.
---Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $455 a
week, or 76.7 percent of the $593 median for men. The female-to-male
earnings ratios were higher among blacks (88.1 percent) and Hispanics
(87.4 percent) than among whites (76.1 percent). (See table 1.)
---Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were $462
per week, 75.7 percent of the median for white men ($610). The difference
was much less among women, as black women's median earnings ($407) were
87.7 percent of those for their white counterparts ($464). Overall, median
earnings of Hispanics who worked full time ($382) were lower than those of
blacks ($430) and whites ($540). (See table 1.)
---The highest median weekly earnings for full-time workers were $735
for men in the 45- to 54-year-age group; second highest was the median for
55- to 64- year-old men at $698. Among women, the highest-earning age
group also was 45- to 54-year-olds, who had a median of $523, followed by
35- to 44-year-olds, with a median of $501. (See table 2.)
---Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time in
managerial and professional specialty occupations had the highest median
weekly earnings--$910 for men and $664 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 $341, compared with $486 for high
school graduates (no college) and $822 for college graduates. Among
college graduates, the highest 10 percent of male workers earned $1,891 or
more, compared with $1,329 or more 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
Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsam-
pling error. When a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed,
there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true"
population values they represent. The exact difference, or sampling error,
varies depending on the particular sample selected and this variability is
measured by the standard error of the estimate. There is about a 90-percent
chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will
differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true" population value
because of sampling error. BLS analyses are generally conducted at the
90-percent level of confidence.
The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling error
can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of the
population, inability to obtain information for all respondents in
the sample, inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct
information, and errors made in the collection or processing of the data.
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, 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 all self-employed persons, regardless of
whether or not their 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 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
III III
1997 1998
III III III III
1997 1998 1997 1998
SEX AND AGE
Total, 16 years and over.................................. 95,837 97,437 $499 $520 $300 $307
Men, 16 years and over................................. 54,491 55,378 573 593 344 350
16 to 24 years....................................... 7,009 7,086 312 323 187 191
25 years and over.................................... 47,483 48,292 614 639 368 378
Women, 16 years and over............................... 41,346 42,059 429 455 258 269
16 to 24 years....................................... 5,129 5,346 291 299 174 177
25 years and over.................................... 36,217 36,713 463 489 278 289
RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX
White.................................................. 79,853 81,096 515 540 309 319
Men.................................................. 46,434 47,142 592 610 355 361
Women................................................ 33,419 33,954 441 464 265 274
Black.................................................. 11,691 11,880 397 430 238 254
Men.................................................. 5,640 5,727 420 462 252 273
Women................................................ 6,051 6,153 376 407 225 241
Hispanic origin........................................ 10,279 10,582 352 382 211 225
Men.................................................. 6,569 6,720 373 398 224 235
Women................................................ 3,710 3,863 319 348 191 205
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
1998, data reflect new composite estimation procedures and 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, third
quarter 1998 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......................................... 97,437 $520 55,378 $593 42,059 $455
16 to 24 years.......................................... 12,432 313 7,086 323 5,346 299
16 to 19 years........................................ 3,052 260 1,762 268 1,290 248
20 to 24 years........................................ 9,380 334 5,324 351 4,056 317
25 years and over....................................... 85,005 575 48,292 639 36,713 489
25 to 54 years........................................ 75,137 573 42,568 634 32,569 490
25 to 34 years...................................... 25,671 498 14,820 533 10,851 449
35 to 44 years...................................... 28,513 600 16,330 678 12,183 501
45 to 54 years...................................... 20,953 628 11,418 735 9,536 523
55 years and over..................................... 9,868 588 5,724 678 4,144 480
55 to 64 years...................................... 8,658 605 4,970 698 3,688 496
65 years and over................................... 1,210 393 754 433 456 350
White
16 years and over......................................... 81,096 540 47,142 610 33,954 464
16 to 24 years.......................................... 10,562 316 6,172 328 4,390 300
25 years and over....................................... 70,535 592 40,970 665 29,564 499
25 to 54 years........................................ 62,014 591 35,951 660 26,063 501
55 years and over..................................... 8,521 600 5,019 701 3,502 479
Black
16 years and over......................................... 11,880 430 5,727 462 6,153 407
16 to 24 years.......................................... 1,378 289 639 293 739 286
25 years and over....................................... 10,503 468 5,088 491 5,415 434
25 to 54 years........................................ 9,560 463 4,604 491 4,956 424
55 years and over..................................... 943 504 484 493 458 517
Hispanic origin
16 years and over......................................... 10,582 382 6,720 398 3,863 348
16 to 24 years.......................................... 1,895 297 1,234 301 661 291
25 years and over....................................... 8,687 408 5,486 424 3,201 375
25 to 54 years........................................ 7,947 410 5,009 430 2,938 375
55 years and over..................................... 740 393 477 397 263 384
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
1998, data reflect new composite estimation procedures and 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
III III III III
1997 1998 1997 1998
TOTAL
Managerial and professional specialty.................... 28,075 28,996 $732 $766
Executive, administrative, and managerial.............. 14,096 14,666 731 763
Professional specialty................................. 13,979 14,330 733 769
Technical, sales, and administrative support............. 27,477 28,258 455 477
Technicians and related support........................ 3,533 3,598 570 589
Sales occupations...................................... 9,773 9,941 474 498
Administrative support, including clerical............. 14,170 14,719 424 439
Service occupations...................................... 10,719 11,062 312 329
Private household...................................... 312 379 191 219
Protective service..................................... 2,168 2,210 539 576
Service, except private household and protective....... 8,238 8,472 295 309
Precision production, craft, and repair.................. 11,827 12,243 560 560
Mechanics and repairers................................ 4,061 4,322 590 590
Construction trades.................................... 4,045 4,228 529 528
Other precision production, craft, and repair.......... 3,721 3,693 551 546
Operators, fabricators, and laborers..................... 15,976 15,221 398 414
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors.......... 7,378 6,848 390 398
Transportation and material moving occupations......... 4,400 4,372 499 505
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.... 4,198 4,000 323 358
Farming, forestry, and fishing........................... 1,763 1,658 302 303
Men
Managerial and professional specialty.................... 14,261 14,806 852 910
Executive, administrative, and managerial.............. 7,546 7,912 864 924
Professional specialty................................. 6,715 6,894 838 894
Technical, sales, and administrative support............. 10,390 10,781 578 602
Technicians and related support........................ 1,755 1,748 640 683
Sales occupations...................................... 5,299 5,533 590 614
Administrative support, including clerical............. 3,336 3,499 520 519
Service occupations...................................... 5,326 5,459 377 381
Private household...................................... 18 12 (1) (1)
Protective service..................................... 1,849 1,889 $565 $603
Service, except private household and protective....... 3,459 3,557 317 331
Precision production, craft, and repair.................. 10,745 11,190 579 579
Mechanics and repairers................................ 3,860 4,164 593 592
Construction trades.................................... 3,956 4,136 530 533
Other precision production, craft, and repair.......... 2,928 2,890 602 607
Operators, fabricators, and laborers..................... 12,245 11,702 432 457
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors.......... 4,703 4,348 $446 $465
Transportation and material moving occupations......... 4,136 4,066 506 513
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.... 3,406 3,288 335 372
Farming, forestry, and fishing........................... 1,525 1,441 312 304
Women
Managerial and professional specialty.................... 13,815 14,190 632 664
Executive, administrative, and managerial.............. 6,550 6,754 610 631
Professional specialty................................. 7,264 7,436 658 705
Technical, sales, and administrative support............. 17,087 17,477 409 419
Technicians and related support........................ 1,778 1,849 501 507
Sales occupations...................................... 4,474 4,408 354 362
Administrative support, including clerical............. 10,835 11,220 409 421
Service occupations...................................... 5,392 5,603 278 297
Private household...................................... 294 367 185 219
Protective service..................................... 319 321 417 445
Service, except private household and protective....... 4,780 4,915 279 296
Precision production, craft, and repair.................. 1,082 1,053 391 404
Mechanics and repairers................................ 201 158 542 510
Construction trades.................................... 89 92 (1) (1)
Other precision production, craft, and repair.......... 792 803 $355 $393
Operators, fabricators, and laborers..................... 3,731 3,519 310 323
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors.......... 2,675 2,501 311 320
Transportation and material moving occupations......... 264 306 351 407
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.... 792 712 300 323
Farming, forestry, and fishing........................... 239 217 264 291
1 Data not shown where base is less than 100,000.
Beginning in January 1998, data reflect new composite estimation procedures and 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, third quarter 1998 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.................................. 97,437 $254 $345 $520 $785 $1,151
Men..................................................... 55,378 276 385 593 890 1,267
Women................................................... 42,059 236 311 455 665 945
White................................................... 81,096 258 357 540 812 1,171
Men................................................... 47,142 280 396 610 918 1,315
Women................................................. 33,954 237 317 464 673 958
Black................................................... 11,880 236 303 430 634 881
Men................................................... 5,727 244 316 462 667 905
Women................................................. 6,153 231 291 407 606 844
Hispanic................................................ 10,582 221 277 382 576 812
Men................................................... 6,720 231 288 398 605 889
Women................................................. 3,863 203 258 348 522 715
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Total, 25 years and over................................ 85,005 277 383 575 836 1,195
Less than a high school diploma....................... 8,760 207 260 341 479 655
High school graduates, no college..................... 27,207 261 345 486 679 921
Some college or associate degree...................... 23,572 291 392 555 767 1,024
College graduates, total.............................. 25,466 418 590 822 1,175 1,646
Bachelor's degree only.............................. 16,857 396 546 757 1,101 1,469
Advanced degree..................................... 8,609 507 683 954 1,363 1,907
Men, 25 years and over................................ 48,292 301 427 639 938 1,342
Less than a high school diploma..................... 5,809 225 287 389 517 725
High school graduates, no college................... 15,527 295 400 576 773 1,026
Some college or associate degree.................... 12,524 320 450 637 876 1,146
College graduates, total............................ 14,433 454 639 935 1,337 1,891
Bachelor's degree only............................ 9,547 425 600 863 1,233 1,672
Advanced degree................................... 4,886 538 747 1,108 1,553 2,204
Women, 25 years and over.............................. 36,713 251 335 489 703 977
Less than a high school diploma..................... 2,951 188 232 283 368 488
High school graduates, no college................... 11,681 236 300 400 537 697
Some college or associate degree.................... 11,048 271 349 481 653 845
College graduates, total............................ 11,033 394 539 721 978 1,329
Bachelor's degree only............................ 7,309 $377 $498 $661 $910 $1,211
Advanced degree................................... 3,724 477 626 840 1,138 1,545
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 1998, data reflect new composite estimation procedures and 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
III III III III
1997 1998 1997 1998
SEX AND AGE
Total, 16 years and over.................................. 19,482 19,588 $156 $161
Men, 16 years and over................................. 5,976 6,101 148 153
16 to 24 years....................................... 3,248 3,352 127 130
25 years and over.................................... 2,728 2,749 188 203
Women, 16 years and over............................... 13,505 13,487 159 165
16 to 24 years....................................... 4,086 4,186 121 130
25 years and over.................................... 9,419 9,301 185 189
RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX
White.................................................. 16,749 16,774 157 162
Men.................................................. 4,933 5,055 149 154
Women................................................ 11,817 11,720 161 167
Black.................................................. 1,924 2,012 146 150
Men.................................................. 726 740 150 142
Women................................................ 1,198 1,271 144 155
Hispanic origin........................................ 1,794 1,756 141 154
Men.................................................. 651 626 145 164
Women................................................ 1,143 1,130 139 149
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 1998, data reflect new composite estimation procedures and revised population controls used in the household
survey.