Highlights of Women’s
Earnings in 2006
U.S. Department of Labor
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
September 2007
Report 1000
Introduction
I
n 2006, women who were full-time wage and salary
workers had median weekly earnings of $600, or about
81 percent of the $743 median for their male counterparts. (See chart 1.) This ratio has grown since 1979 (the
first year comparable earnings data were available), when
women earned about 63 percent as much as men.
This report presents earnings data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a national monthly survey
of approximately 60,000 households conducted by the U.S.
Census Bureau for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Information on earnings is collected from one-fourth of the CPS
sample each month. Readers should note that the comparisons of earnings in this report are on a broad level and do not
control for many factors that can be significant in explaining
earnings differences. For a detailed description of the source
of the data and an explanation of the concepts and definitions
used, see the Technical Note.
Highlights
•
Between 1979 and 2006, the earnings gap between
women and men narrowed for most major age
groups. The women’s-to-men’s earnings ratio
among 35- to 44-year-olds, for example, rose from
58 percent in 1979 to 77 percent in 2006, and the
ratio for 45- to 54-year-olds rose from 57 percent to
74 percent. The earnings ratios for teenagers and for
workers aged 65 and older fluctuated from 1979 to
2006, but their long-term trend has been essentially
flat. (See table 12.)
•
Earnings differences between women and men in
2006 were widest for Asians and for whites. Asian
women and white women earned around 80 percent
as much as their male counterparts. By comparison,
black women and Hispanic women had earnings
that were about 88 percent of those of their male
counterparts. (See table 1 and chart 2.)
•
Following are some highlights of women’s and men’s earnings in 2006:
Full-time workers
•
•
Median weekly earnings were highest for women
and men aged 45 to 64. Among women, 45- to
54-year-olds had median weekly earnings of $659,
essentially the same as the $658 median for 55- to
64-year-olds. Among men, median weekly earnings
for those aged 45 to 54 ($897) also were similar to
those of 55- to 64-year-olds ($902). Young women
and men aged 16 to 24 had the lowest earnings. (See
table 1.)
•
The difference between women’s and men’s earnings
was largest among those aged 45 to 64, with women
earning about 73 percent as much as men in this age
range. By comparison, women earned 88 percent as
much as men among workers 25 to 34 years old, and
the earnings ratio rose to 95 percent among 16- to
24-year-olds. (See table 1.)
Asian workers of both sexes earned more than their
white, black, and Hispanic counterparts in 2006.
Among women, whites ($609) earned 87 percent
as much as Asians ($699), while blacks ($519) and
Hispanics ($440) earned 74 and 63 percent as much,
respectively. In comparison, white men ($761)
earned 86 percent as much as Asian men ($882),
black men ($591) earned 67 percent as much, and
Hispanic men ($505), 57 percent. (See tables 1 and
13, and chart 2.)
Across the major race and Hispanic ethnicity
categories, women’s inflation-adjusted earnings
grew from 1979 to 2006 while those for men were
mostly flat or down. Among women, growth in real
earnings for white women has outpaced that of their
black and Hispanic counterparts. Between 1979 and
2006, inflation-adjusted earnings for white women
rose by 29 percent, while earnings growth among
black and Hispanic women was 19 and 9 percent,
respectively. In contrast, real earnings for white and
for black men in 2006 were about the same as they
were in 1979, while Hispanic men’s earnings fell
the high paying computer ($1,166 per week) and
engineering ($1,155 per week) fields, compared
with 43 percent of their male counterparts. Instead,
professional women were more likely to work in
education ($819 per week) and healthcare ($905 per
week) where pay was generally lower; 67 percent
worked in these fields in 2006, compared with 29
percent of male professionals. (See table 2 and
chart 4.)
by about 10 percent. Women’s long-term earnings
growth in part reflects gains in their education levels
and their movement into higher-paying occupations
over time. Although men’s educational attainment
also has improved since 1979, the relative gains
have not been as great, nor has men’s occupational
distribution changed as significantly as it has for
women. (See table 13.)
• Median weekly earnings varied significantly by
educational level. Among women, those with less
than a high school diploma earned $358 per week in
2006, compared with $905 for those with a college
degree. Among men, high school dropouts had
earnings of $469 a week, compared with $1,205 for
college graduates. (See tables 1 and 6.)
•
•
•
At all levels of education, women have fared better
than men with respect to earnings growth. Although
both women and men with less than a high school
diploma have experienced a decline in inflationadjusted earnings since 1979, the drop for women
was significantly less than that for men—8 percent
versus 28 percent. Earnings for women with college
degrees have increased by about 34 percent since
1979 on an inflation-adjusted basis, while those of
male college graduates have risen by 18 percent.
(See table 14 and chart 3.)
Women working full time in management, business,
and financial operations occupations had median
weekly earnings of $881 in 2006. This was more
than women earned in any other major occupational
category. The second highest paying job group
was professional and related occupations, in which
women earned $816 per week. In management,
business, and finance, the highest paying occupations
for women were chief executives, computer and
information systems managers, management
analysts, medical and health services managers, and
education administrators. Within professional and
related occupations, women working as pharmacists,
lawyers, physicians and surgeons, computer software
engineers, physical therapists, computer scientists,
and computer programmers had the highest median
weekly earnings. (See table 2.)
•
The ratio of female-to-male earnings varied by place
of residence, ranging from 66.3 percent in Wyoming
to 89.1 percent in California. The differences
among the States reflect, in part, variation in the
occupations and industries found in each State and
in the age composition of each State’s labor force.
In addition, sampling error for the State estimates
is considerably larger than it is for the national
estimates; thus, comparisons of State estimates
should be made with care. (See table 3.)
•
About 7 percent of women earned $1,500 or more
per week, compared with about 15 percent of men.
Not surprisingly, given their higher earnings overall,
Asian women were more likely than white, black, or
Hispanic women to earn at least $1,500 per week.
(See table 7.)
•
Median weekly earnings for married women and
men were higher than those for their unmarried
counterparts. As a group, married workers tend to
be older and so are more likely to be in their prime
earning years. Among married workers of both
sexes, there was little difference in the earnings
of those with children under age 18 and those
without children. Among unmarried workers,
women without children earned 13 percent more
than those with children. The opposite was true
among unmarried men: those with children earned
12 percent more than those with no children. (See
table 8.)
Part-time workers
The occupational distributions of male and female
full-time workers differ significantly. Relatively few
women as compared to men work in construction,
production, or transportation occupations, and they
are far more concentrated in administrative support
jobs. Although women are more likely than men to
work in professional and related occupations, they
are not well represented in the higher paying job
groups within this broad category. In 2006, only 9
percent of female professionals were employed in
•
Women are more likely than men to work part time,
that is, fewer than 35 hours per week. Women
who worked part time made up nearly one-fourth
of all female wage and salary workers in 2006. In
contrast, only about one-tenth of men in wage and
salary jobs worked part time. These proportions
have not changed much over time. (See tables 4
and 5.)
•
Median weekly earnings of female part-time workers
were $213, compared with $192 for their male
counterparts. The lower earnings for men in part
reflect that male part-time workers are more highly
•
concentrated in the youngest age groups, which
typically have low earnings. About half of the male
part-timers were 16 to 24 years old, compared with
a little less than a third of the women. (See table
4.)
Workers paid by the hour
•
About 62 percent of women and 57 percent of men
employed in wage and salary jobs were paid by the
hour in 2006. Women who were paid hourly rates
had median hourly earnings of $10.65. This was
84 percent of the median for men paid by the hour
($12.68). (See tables 5, 9, 10, 15, and 16.)
Among workers who were paid hourly rates in 2006,
2.9 percent of women and 1.5 percent of men had
hourly earnings at or below the prevailing Federal
minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. Hourly paid
workers aged 16 to 19 were the most likely to have
earnings at or below the minimum wage. About 8
percent of teenage workers earned the prevailing
Federal minimum wage or less, compared with just
1.4 percent of hourly paid workers aged 25 and
older. Among those aged 20 to 24, about 4 percent
had earnings at or below the minimum wage. (See
tables 11 and 17. Also see the Technical Note for
information about workers with earnings below the
Federal minimum wage.)
Chart 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (2006)
dollars by sex, 1979–2006 annual averages
Earnings (dollars)
Percent
800
100
95
Men’s earnings
750
90
700
85
650
Women’s earnings as a percent of men’s
80
75
600
70
550
65
500
60
Women’s earnings
450
55
400
50
1979
1982
1985
1988
1991
1994
1997
2000
2003
2006
Chart 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, race,
and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2006 annual averages
Earnings (dollars)
Earnings (dollars)
1,000
1,000
Women
882
Men
800
761
743
800
699
600
600
609
591
600
519
505
440
400
400
200
200
0
0
Total
White
Black or
African
American
Asian
Hispanic
or
Latino
Chart 3. Change in constant-dollar median usual weekly earnings from 1979 to 2006 by
educational attainment and sex
Highest educational level
Men
Bachelor’s
degree and
higher
Women
Some college or
associate degree
High school,
no college
Less than a high
school diploma
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
Note: Data relate to earnings of full-time wage and salary workers 25 years and older.
Chart 4. Distribution of full-time wage and salary employment by sex and major
occupation group, 2006 annual averages
Percent distribution of employment by sex
40
40
Men
35
35
Women
30
30
26.4
24.5
25
20.2
20.1
20
15
25
14.9 14.3
17.0
20
16.1
15
12.2
9.8
10
9.7
7.1
6.7
5
10
5
1.1
0
0
Management,
business, and
financial
operations
occupations
Professional
and related
occupations
Service
occupations
Sales and
related
occupations
Office and
administrative
support
occupations
Natural
resources,
construction, and
maintenance
occupations
Production,
transportation,
and materialmoving
occupations
Statistical Tables
Page
0
1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics,
2006 annual averages....................................................................................................................................
7
2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation
and sex, 2006 annual averages......................................................................................................................
8
3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by State and sex,
2006 annual averages....................................................................................................................................15
4. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics,
2006 annual averages....................................................................................................................................16
5. Median usual weekly earnings of wage and salary workers by hours usually worked and sex,
2006 annual averages....................................................................................................................................17
6. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by
selected characteristics, 2006 annual averages.............................................................................................18
7. Distribution of full-time wage and salary workers by usual weekly earnings and selected
characteristics, 2006 annual averages...........................................................................................................19
8. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, marital status,
and presence and age of own children under 18 years old, 2006 annual averages.......................................
20
9. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates, by selected characteristics,
2006 annual averages....................................................................................................................................
21
10. Distribution of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates, by hourly earnings and selected
characteristics, 2006 annual averages...........................................................................................................
22
11. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing Federal
minimum wage by selected characteristics, 2006 annual averages..............................................................
23
12. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (2006) dollars
by sex and age, 1979-2006 annual averages.................................................................................................
25
13. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (2006) dollars
by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 1979-2006 annual averages................................................
27
14. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers 25 years and older in
constant (2006) dollars by sex and educational attainment, 1979-2006 annual averages............................
30
15. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in constant (2006) dollars
by sex and age, 1979-2006 annual averages.................................................................................................
32
16. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in constant (2006) dollars
by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 1979-2006 annual averages................................................
34
17. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing Federal
minimum wage by sex, 1979-2006 annual averages....................................................................................
37
Table 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, 2006 annual averages
Both sexes
Women
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Total, 16 years and older...............
16 to 24 years......................................
16 to 19 years...................................
20 to 24 years...................................
25 years and older...............................
25 to 34 years...................................
35 to 44 years...................................
45 to 54 years...................................
55 to 64 years...................................
65 years and older............................
106,106
11,362
1,781
9,580
94,744
25,414
27,194
26,382
13,622
2,132
$671
409
324
423
718
621
748
773
765
583
$2
2
4
2
2
2
3
4
5
11
RACE AND HISPANIC OR
LATINO ETHNICITY
White....................................................
Black or African American....................
Asian....................................................
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity..................
86,055
12,745
4,840
15,693
690
554
784
486
27,898
60,154
18,053
12,082
4,343
1,628
Characteristic
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Men
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Women's
earnings
as
percent
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
46,358
4,802
735
4,068
41,556
10,703
11,595
12,035
6,339
884
$600
395
305
413
627
583
645
659
658
510
$2
3
4
3
2
3
5
4
6
11
59,747
6,559
1,047
5,513
53,188
14,712
15,599
14,347
7,283
1,248
$743
418
348
435
797
661
836
897
902
658
$2
2
6
5
3
4
6
6
8
28
80.8
94.6
87.7
95.0
78.7
88.2
77.2
73.5
73.0
77.5
2
5
11
2
36,405
6,720
2,123
5,686
609
519
699
440
2
3
14
5
49,650
6,025
2,717
10,007
761
591
882
505
3
5
17
3
80.1
87.9
79.2
87.1
528
757
634
678
538
591
3
2
4
5
10
9
11,881
24,110
10,367
6,998
2,112
1,257
513
642
590
618
504
560
3
3
4
5
6
15
16,017
36,044
7,686
5,083
2,231
371
547
858
711
766
587
691
5
4
6
7
8
31
93.8
74.7
83.0
80.7
86.0
81.0
13,938
15,244
90,862
833
827
642
5
5
2
5,718
6,373
39,985
758
753
579
5
5
2
8,220
8,871
50,877
887
885
717
6
5
3
85.4
85.1
80.9
94,744
9,029
28,023
26,027
31,665
718
419
595
692
1,039
2
2
2
3
5
41,556
2,945
11,711
12,439
14,461
627
358
500
602
905
2
4
2
3
5
53,188
6,084
16,313
13,588
17,204
797
469
678
796
1,205
3
4
4
5
11
78.7
76.4
73.8
75.6
75.1
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
of men's ¹
AGE
MARITAL STATUS
Never married......................................
Married, spouse present......................
Other marital status..............................
Divorced............................................
Separated.........................................
Widowed...........................................
UNION AFFILIATION
2
3
Members of unions ............................
Represented by unions 4 ......................
Not represented by a union..................
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Total, 25 years and older.....................
Less than a high school diploma......
High school, no college 5 ..................
Some college or associate degree...
Bachelor's degree and higher 6 ........
1
These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this
table.
to a union, as well as to workers who report no union affiliation but whose jobs are
covered by a union or an employee association contract.
5
2
Differences in earnings levels between workers with and without union
affiliation reflect a variety of factors in addition to coverage by a collective
bargaining agreement, including the distribution of male and female employees
by occupation, industry, firm size, or geographic region.
3
Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar
to a union.
4
6
Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
Includes persons with a bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degree.
NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American,
and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. In
addition, persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any
race and, therefore, are classified by ethnicity as well as by race.
Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar
7
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex, 2006 annual averages
Both sexes
Occupation
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Total, 16 years and older............................ 106,106
Management, professional, and related
occupations…………………………………
Management, business, and financial
operations occupations…………………
Management occupations………………
Chief executives………………………
General and operations managers…
Advertising and promotions
managers……………………………
Marketing and sales managers………
Administrative services managers…
Computer and information systems
managers……………………………
Financial managers…………………
Human resources managers…………
Industrial production managers……
Purchasing managers………………
Transportation, storage, and
distribution managers………………
Farm, ranch, and other agricultural
managers……………………………
Construction managers………………
Education administrators……………
Engineering managers………………
Food service managers………………
Lodging managers……………………
Medical and health services
managers……………………………
Property, real estate, and
community association managers…
Social and community service
managers……………………………
Business and financial operations
occupations……………………………
Wholesale and retail buyers,
except farm products………………
Purchasing agents, except
wholesale, retail, and farm
products………………………………
Claims adjusters, appraisers,
examiners, and investigators………
Compliance officers, except
agriculture, construction, health
and safety, and transportation……
Cost estimators………………………
Human resources, training, and
labor relations specialists………….
Management analysts………………
Accountants and auditors……………
Appraisers and assessors of
real estate……………………………
Budget analysts………………………
Financial analysts……………………
Personal financial advisors…………
Insurance underwriters………………
Loan counselors and officers………
Tax examiners, collectors, and
revenue agents………………………
Professional and related occupations……
Computer and mathematical
occupations……………………………
Computer scientists and systems
analysts………………………………
Computer programmers………………
Computer software engineers………
Computer support specialists………
Median
weekly
earnings
Women
Standard
error
of
median
Number
Median
of
weekly
workers
earnings
(in
thousands)
Men
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Women's
earnings
as
percent
of men's ¹
$671
$2
46,358
$600
$2
59,747
$743
$2
80.8
37,824
967
3
19,138
840
4
18,686
1,154
4
72.8
15,447
10,661
1,040
911
1,045
1,127
1,875
1,165
7
8
33
16
6,910
4,178
258
255
881
926
1,422
957
6
9
55
30
8,536
6,483
782
655
1,231
1,264
1,907
1,256
11
13
11
31
71.6
73.2
74.6
76.2
63
805
79
889
1,316
1,009
75
57
117
34
302
21
(²)
985
(²)
(²)
52
(²)
29
503
58
(²)
1,482
1,001
(²)
42
123
(³)
66.5
(³)
380
971
266
292
159
1,435
1,087
1,052
1,131
1,045
33
48
39
32
51
106
529
168
45
63
1,300
894
967
(²)
903
57
21
28
(²)
41
274
442
97
247
96
1,492
1,421
1,391
1,149
1,158
101
39
131
30
35
87.1
62.9
69.5
(³)
78.0
232
843
38
34
(²)
(²)
198
841
41
(³)
97
475
673
90
535
108
640
1,135
1,125
1,830
622
654
71
16
27
127
15
34
16
36
409
8
237
54
(²)
(²)
1,017
(²)
534
603
(²)
(²)
36
(²)
32
56
81
439
265
83
298
54
663
1,145
1,275
1,877
715
675
64
16
65
60
66
54
(³)
(³)
79.7
(³)
74.7
89.4
448
1,148
23
306
1,064
44
143
1,428
61
74.6
346
753
21
201
692
45
144
919
103
75.3
271
862
24
174
792
37
97
1,010
42
78.4
4,786
930
8
2,732
828
10
2,053
1,134
13
73.1
170
769
22
96
770
26
74
768
36
100.2
276
915
41
138
772
28
138
1,088
58
70.9
255
848
29
159
792
41
96
982
50
80.6
145
97
891
1,008
66
46
76
13
855
(²)
59
(²)
69
84
941
1,039
91
103
90.8
(³)
652
337
1,448
859
1,253
940
23
36
12
470
151
886
804
1,069
844
50
44
13
182
186
562
990
1,417
1,160
48
95
24
81.3
75.4
72.8
71
52
69
262
89
418
932
1,055
1,132
1,217
864
919
239
40
22
128
31
27
31
29
32
95
64
224
(²)
(²)
(²)
823
787
776
(²)
(²)
(²)
241
84
42
40
23
37
168
25
194
(²)
(²)
(²)
1,532
(²)
1,155
(²)
(²)
(²)
85
(²)
39
(³)
(³)
(³)
53.7
(³)
67.2
60
22,378
784
928
51
4
35
12,228
(²)
816
(²)
5
26
10,149
(²)
1,109
(²)
10
(³)
73.6
2,935
1,166
10
756
1,043
25
2,178
1,231
17
84.7
631
540
799
291
1,156
1,147
1,371
834
21
24
27
37
190
139
176
85
1,039
1,034
1,272
755
39
61
61
52
441
401
623
206
1,223
1,229
1,410
878
57
50
36
44
85.0
84.1
90.2
86.0
See footnotes at end of table.
8
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex,
2006 annual averages—Continued
Both sexes
Occupation
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Database administrators……………
Network and computer
systems administrators……………
Network systems and data
communications analysts…………
Operations research analysts………
Architecture and engineering
occupations……………………………
Architects, except naval………………
Aerospace engineers…………………
Chemical engineers…………………
Civil engineers…………………………
Computer hardware engineers………
Electrical and electronics engineers
Industrial engineers, including
health and safety……………………
Mechanical engineers………………
Drafters…………………………………
Engineering technicians, except
drafters………………………………
Surveying and mapping technicians
Life, physical, and social science
occupations……………………………
Biological scientists……………………
Medical scientists……………………
Chemists and materials scientists…
Environmental scientists and
geoscientists…………………………
Market and survey researchers……
Psychologists…………………………
Chemical technicians…………………
Community and social services
occupations……………………………
Counselors……………………………
Social workers…………………………
Miscellaneous community and
social service specialists……………
Clergy…………………………………
Legal occupations………………………
Lawyers………………………………
Judges, magistrates, and other
judicial workers………………………
Paralegals and legal assistants……
Miscellaneous legal support
workers………………………………
Education, training, and library
occupations……………………………
Postsecondary teachers……………
Preschool and kindergarten
teachers………………………………
Elementary and middle school
teachers………………………………
Secondary school teachers…………
Special education teachers…………
Other teachers and instructors………
Librarians………………………………
Teacher assistants……………………
Arts, design, entertainment, sports,
and media occupations………………
Artists and related workers…………
Designers………………………………
Producers and directors………………
Athletes, coaches, umpires, and
related workers………………………
News analysts, reporters and
correspondents………………………
Women
Number
Median
of
weekly
workers
earnings
(in
thousands)
Men
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Standard
Median
error
weekly
of
earnings
median
Women's
earnings
as
percent
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
80
$1,152
$28
27
(²)
(²)
53
$1,238
$59
(³)
172
1,122
56
30
(²)
(²)
142
1,159
40
(³)
284
84
1,099
1,258
40
51
62
30
$957
(²)
$70
(²)
222
54
1,129
1,413
32
99
84.8
(³)
2,568
161
97
65
276
76
362
1,155
1,112
1,508
1,342
1,251
1,292
1,386
10
67
155
36
34
187
33
364
38
12
10
28
15
28
972
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
31
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
2,204
123
85
55
248
61
333
1,181
1,240
1,582
1,359
1,266
1,331
1,409
17
182
155
33
47
90
31
82.3
(³)
(³)
(³)
(³)
(³)
(³)
162
316
154
1,175
1,253
823
41
33
36
38
16
35
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
125
300
119
1,171
1,254
876
41
34
48
(³)
(³)
(³)
391
80
860
699
44
24
72
8
754
(²)
26
(²)
319
72
892
704
25
29
84.6
(³)
1,220
117
149
121
984
941
953
1,131
21
47
127
43
494
51
61
39
872
928
825
(²)
21
103
48
(²)
725
66
88
82
1,121
973
1,162
1,132
39
83
33
36
77.8
95.3
71.0
(³)
90
98
100
71
1,107
961
1,021
861
53
52
63
106
21
66
67
23
(²)
824
961
(²)
(²)
38
31
(²)
69
32
33
48
1,145
(²)
(²)
(²)
34
(²)
(²)
(²)
(³)
(³)
(³)
(³)
1,816
486
620
740
733
732
9
18
14
1,068
320
500
703
716
728
14
29
15
748
167
120
792
761
749
23
31
27
88.7
94.2
97.2
256
367
1,156
603
708
782
1,144
1,728
33
27
19
77
175
31
663
221
641
(²)
901
1,333
29
(²)
17
129
81
336
493
382
929
801
1,734
1,891
39
30
94
24
69.0
(³)
52.0
70.5
61
301
1,549
740
196
29
21
267
(²)
726
(²)
24
41
34
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(³)
(³)
190
791
50
154
750
67
36
(²)
(²)
(³)
6,158
808
819
1,058
8
24
4,492
336
763
915
5
25
1,666
472
969
1,228
12
63
78.7
74.5
497
567
35
483
554
38
14
(²)
(²)
(³)
2,334
988
356
334
173
563
838
919
842
805
820
409
8
15
23
49
44
9
1,916
535
297
197
142
517
824
890
823
703
787
405
10
18
22
33
52
10
417
452
60
136
31
46
920
950
930
956
(²)
(²)
23
17
63
37
(²)
(²)
89.6
93.7
88.5
73.6
(³)
(³)
1,476
80
529
80
841
977
778
1,149
15
83
26
45
657
34
258
25
733
(²)
714
(²)
17
(²)
31
(²)
819
46
270
55
942
(²)
868
1,192
20
(²)
29
186
77.8
(³)
82.3
(³)
119
756
42
23
(²)
(²)
95
882
43
(³)
57
864
32
27
(²)
(²)
30
(²)
(²)
(³)
See footnotes at end of table.
9
of men's ¹
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex,
2006 annual averages—Continued
Both sexes
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Women
Number
Median
of
weekly
workers
earnings
(in
thousands)
Men
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Standard
Median
error
weekly
of
earnings
median
Women's
earnings
as
percent
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
105
122
51
73
$947
938
1,192
886
$31
40
112
183
68
63
22
44
$871
837
(²)
(²)
$58
56
(²)
(²)
37
59
29
29
(²)
$975
(²)
(²)
(²)
$39
(²)
(²)
(³)
85.9
(³)
(³)
63
778
70
9
(²)
(²)
54
813
41
(³)
5,048
64
189
558
65
1,898
135
72
84
905
708
1,640
1,602
1,098
978
1,103
928
952
8
54
118
123
61
13
29
37
28
3,732
57
80
188
46
1,713
72
46
78
860
699
1,564
1,329
(²)
971
1,086
(²)
950
9
49
69
202
(²)
12
46
(²)
26
1,316
6
110
370
19
185
63
26
6
1,098
(²)
1,725
1,847
(²)
1,074
1,116
(²)
(²)
25
(²)
48
138
(²)
46
36
(²)
(²)
78.3
(³)
90.6
72.0
(³)
90.3
97.3
(³)
(³)
267
62
793
925
28
56
201
60
792
920
31
61
66
2
797
(²)
55
(²)
99.4
(³)
233
843
23
157
829
25
75
892
67
92.8
139
730
35
39
(²)
(²)
99
760
34
(³)
329
542
17
255
522
14
74
612
41
85.3
424
664
19
392
659
19
33
(²)
(²)
(³)
98
524
47
87
510
25
11
(²)
(²)
(³)
Service occupations………………………… 14,749
Healthcare support occupations…………
2,231
Nursing, psychiatric, and home
health aides…………………………
1,405
Dental assistants………………………
176
Protective service occupations…………… 2,633
First-line supervisors/managers of
correctional officers…………………
51
First-line supervisors/managers of
police and detectives………………
100
Fire fighters……………………………
251
Bailiffs, correctional officers, and
jailers…………………………………
435
Detectives and criminal
investigators…………………………
147
Police and sheriff's patrol officers……
647
Private detectives and investigators
62
Security guards and gaming
surveillance officers…………………
697
Lifeguards and other protective
service workers………………………
56
Food preparation and serving related
occupations………………………………
4,212
Chefs and head cooks………………
280
First-line supervisors/managers
of food preparation and serving
workers………………………………
501
Cooks…………………………………
1,222
Food preparation workers……………
348
Bartenders……………………………
219
Combined food preparation and
serving workers, including
fast food………………………………
179
Counter attendants, cafeteria, food
concession, and coffee shop………
84
Waiters and waitresses………………
874
Food servers, nonrestaurant…………
100
422
423
2
5
7,473
1,981
390
417
2
4
7,275
251
494
502
3
12
79.0
83.1
400
489
693
4
14
13
1,238
168
547
395
488
557
4
13
15
167
8
2,086
471
(²)
737
28
(²)
11
83.9
(³)
75.6
891
171
15
(²)
(²)
36
(²)
(²)
(³)
1,131
912
63
29
16
10
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
84
241
1,162
918
63
30
(³)
(³)
613
14
123
545
23
312
655
26
83.2
1,013
866
713
87
26
92
38
79
27
(²)
758
(²)
(²)
30
(²)
110
568
35
1,109
884
(²)
109
26
(²)
(³)
85.7
(³)
487
9
166
416
9
531
498
10
83.6
445
44
26
(²)
(²)
30
(²)
(²)
(³)
371
504
3
12
2,115
58
355
443
4
34
2,096
222
389
517
5
13
91.3
85.6
447
363
330
445
15
6
8
41
286
483
186
113
412
340
326
407
12
9
9
15
215
738
162
106
507
377
336
510
21
7
15
26
81.2
90.1
97.0
79.8
340
15
128
343
16
51
330
33.0
103.9
295
363
395
14
7
14
51
590
66
302
348
390
19
8
15
34
284
33
(²)
401
(²)
(²)
14
(²)
(³)
86.7
(³)
Occupation
Public relations specialists……………
Editors…………………………………
Technical writers……………………
Writers and authors…………………
Broadcast and sound engineering
technicians and radio operators……
Healthcare practitioner and technical
occupations……………………………
Dietitians and nutritionists……………
Pharmacists……………………………
Physicians and surgeons……………
Physician assistants…………………
Registered nurses……………………
Physical therapists……………………
Respiratory therapists………………
Speech-language pathologists………
Clinical laboratory technologists
and technicians………………………
Dental hygienists………………………
Diagnostic-related technologists
and technicians………………………
Emergency medical technicians
and paramedics………………………
Health-diagnosing and -treating
practitioner support technicians……
Licensed practical and licensed
vocational nurses……………………
Medical records and health
information technicians……………
See footnotes at end of table.
10
of men's ¹
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex,
2006 annual averages—Continued
Both sexes
Occupation
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Dining room and cafeteria
attendants and bartender helpers…
Dishwashers…………………………
Hosts and hostesses, restaurant,
lounge, and coffee shop……………
Building and grounds cleaning and
maintenance occupations………………
First-line supervisors/managers of
housekeeping and janitorial
workers………………………………
First-line supervisors/managers of
landscaping, lawn service, and
groundskeeping workers……………
Janitors and building cleaners………
Maids and housekeeping cleaners…
Pest control workers…………………
Grounds maintenance workers………
Personal care and service occupations…
First-line supervisors/managers of
gaming workers………………………
First-line supervisors/managers of
personal service workers……………
Gaming services workers……………
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and
cosmetologists………………………
Baggage porters, bellhops, and
concierges……………………………
Transportation attendants……………
Childcare workers……………………
Personal and home care aides………
Recreation and fitness workers……
Median
weekly
earnings
Women
Standard
error
of
median
Number
Median
of
weekly
workers
earnings
(in
thousands)
Men
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Standard
Median
error
weekly
of
earnings
median
Women's
earnings
as
percent
of men's ¹
169
162
$318
315
$9
8
62
30
$328
(²)
$24
(²)
107
132
$314
316
$10
10
104.3
(³)
73
379
18
63
375
25
11
(²)
(²)
(³)
3,594
406
3
1,289
363
5
2,305
445
8
81.6
177
609
28
54
498
27
123
657
24
75.8
106
1,492
885
61
874
2,079
612
415
355
578
402
407
32
5
6
42
6
5
4
415
773
(²)
375
348
(²)
7
6
(²)
388
(²)
5
620
447
404
578
403
506
37
11
15
42
6
15
(³)
83.9
86.1
42
1,541
102
1,076
112
61
832
537
(³)
76.7
80
677
56
28
(²)
(²)
52
757
37
(³)
55
76
584
531
85
56
33
35
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
22
41
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(³)
(³)
307
397
11
281
391
10
26
(²)
(²)
(³)
69
84
446
398
179
493
521
349
368
458
25
33
11
8
26
9
60
425
344
113
(²)
488
345
361
448
(²)
26
11
8
25
60
24
21
54
66
498
(²)
(²)
407
490
30
(²)
(²)
20
60
(³)
(³)
(³)
88.7
91.3
Sales and office occupations………………
25,688
Sales and related occupations…………… 10,336
First-line supervisors/managers of
retail salesworkers…………………
2,296
First-line supervisors/managers of
non-retail salesworkers……………
962
Cashiers………………………………
1,419
Counter and rental clerks……………
84
Parts salespersons………………….
135
Retail salespersons…………………
2,022
Advertising sales agents……………
176
Insurance sales agents………………
385
Securities, commodities, and
financial services sales agents……
308
Travel agents…………………………
50
Sales representatives, services,
all other………………………………
471
Sales representatives, wholesale
and manufacturing…………………
1,205
Real estate brokers and sales
agents…………………………………
497
Telemarketers…………………………
65
Door-to-door salesworkers, news
and street vendors, and related
workers………………………………
54
Office and administrative support
occupations……………………………… 15,351
First-line supervisors/managers
of office and administrative
support workers……………………… 1,391
Bill and account collectors……………
195
Billing and posting clerks and
machine operators…………………
363
Bookkeeping, accounting, and
auditing clerks………………………
1,013
589
628
2
6
15,935
4,560
538
487
3
5
9,753
5,777
696
761
6
6
77.3
64.0
639
10
972
536
19
1,324
732
12
73.3
899
344
476
525
494
830
752
23
5
33
31
7
39
17
299
1,044
37
18
867
93
191
742
327
(²)
(²)
405
717
653
20
6
(²)
(²)
6
56
28
663
375
46
117
1,154
83
195
972
387
(²)
553
597
944
890
31
13
(²)
53
13
38
108
76.3
84.7
(³)
(³)
67.8
75.9
73.4
966
534
33
138
91
39
757
(²)
23
(²)
216
11
1,139
(²)
35
(²)
66.5
(³)
843
27
151
654
27
319
966
59
67.7
938
16
299
739
24
905
997
28
74.1
766
395
26
19
291
40
646
(²)
51
(²)
205
25
965
(²)
35
(²)
66.9
(³)
470
41
16
(²)
(²)
38
(²)
(²)
(³)
572
3
11,375
557
3
3,976
619
6
90.0
698
578
12
24
980
126
658
548
11
38
411
70
812
612
24
32
81.1
89.5
548
17
325
541
16
38
(²)
(²)
(³)
584
6
898
582
6
114
607
27
95.8
-
See footnotes at end of table.
11
-
-
-
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex,
2006 annual averages—Continued
Both sexes
Occupation
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Payroll and timekeeping clerks………
Tellers…………………………………
Court, municipal, and license clerks
Credit authorizers, checkers, and
clerks…………………………………
Customer service representatives…
Eligibility interviewers, government
programs……………………………
File clerks………………………………
Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks…
Interviewers, except eligibility
and loan………………………………
Loan interviewers and clerks…………
Order clerks……………………………
Human resources assistants,
except payroll and timekeeping……
Receptionists and information
clerks…………………………………
Reservation and transportation
ticket agents and travel clerks……
Couriers and messengers……………
Dispatchers…………………………..
Postal service clerks………………..
Postal service mail carriers…………
Postal service mail sorters,
processors, and processing
machine operators…………………
Production, planning, and
expediting clerks……………………
Shipping, receiving, and traffic
clerks…………………………………
Stock clerks and order fillers…………
Weighers, measurers, checkers,
and samplers, recordkeeping………
Secretaries and administrative
assistants……………………………
Computer operators…………………
Data entry keyers……………………
Word processors and typists…………
Insurance claims and policy
processing clerks……………………
Mail clerks and mail machine
operators, except postal service……
Office clerks, general…………………
Women
Number
Median
of
weekly
workers
earnings
(in
thousands)
Men
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Standard
Median
error
weekly
of
earnings
median
Women's
earnings
as
percent
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
131
308
105
$654
429
615
$27
12
30
121
268
87
$641
421
588
$28
6
33
9
41
18
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(³)
(³)
(³)
51
1,585
532
554
67
9
35
1,110
(²)
533
(²)
10
16
475
(²)
$615
(²)
$20
(³)
86.7
66
251
83
643
514
374
59
13
15
57
196
52
645
524
368
61
17
22
9
55
31
(²)
484
(²)
(²)
26
(²)
(³)
108.3
(³)
105
184
98
548
638
516
34
18
13
88
137
72
543
636
507
30
23
12
17
47
25
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(³)
(³)
(³)
51
616
24
46
(²)
(²)
5
(²)
(²)
(³)
949
472
9
882
467
9
67
562
42
83.0
128
186
262
140
306
596
663
596
835
858
27
35
22
21
23
79
25
142
63
97
574
(²)
546
835
780
29
(²)
31
63
41
49
161
120
77
208
(²)
684
661
835
896
(²)
39
35
19
20
(³)
(³)
82.5
100.1
87.0
95
832
20
44
(²)
(²)
50
854
29
(³)
259
678
35
144
616
18
115
816
52
75.6
502
1,055
513
443
10
9
143
414
480
425
15
11
359
642
531
457
18
13
90.5
92.9
67
517
22
34
(²)
(²)
34
(²)
(²)
(³)
2,683
169
389
183
583
622
524
550
5
24
12
23
2,595
74
321
170
584
573
524
546
5
28
13
23
89
96
68
13
559
654
526
(²)
48
26
27
(²)
104.4
87.7
99.6
(³)
244
560
18
214
552
17
30
(²)
(²)
(³)
100
711
523
537
29
15
52
583
529
534
28
14
48
127
(²)
564
(²)
56
(³)
94.8
653
5
524
518
11
11,989
660
5
78.5
387
8
147
342
14
569
401
9
85.3
407
541
29
72
45
(²)
(²)
-
-
24
56
(²)
541
(²)
72
(³)
-
619
4
172
533
30
6,995
621
4
85.8
860
24
9
(²)
(²)
634
866
24
(³)
583
595
21
8
2
24
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
178
1,169
583
598
21
8
(³)
(³)
557
41
3
(²)
(²)
156
559
41
(³)
540
511
79
6
1
47
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
93
1,292
549
513
78
6
(³)
(³)
743
24
5
(²)
(²)
398
739
25
(³)
Natural resources, construction, and
maintenance occupations………………… 12,512
Farming, fishing, and forestry
occupations………………………………
716
Graders and sorters, agricultural
products………………………………
69
Logging workers………………………
56
Construction and extraction
occupations………………………………
7,166
First-line supervisors/managers of
construction trades and extraction
workers ………………………………
644
Brickmasons, blockmasons, and
stonemasons…………………………
180
Carpenters……………………………
1,193
Carpet, floor, and tile installers and
finishers………………………………
159
Cement masons, concrete finishers
and terrazzo workers………………
94
Construction laborers………………… 1,339
Operating engineers and other
construction equipment operators…
403
See footnotes at end of table.
12
of men's ¹
-
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex,
2006 annual averages—Continued
Both sexes
Occupation
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Drywall installers, ceiling tile
installers, and tapers………………
Electricians……………………………
Insulation workers……………………
Painters, construction and
maintenance…………………………
Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters,
and steamfitters…………………….
Plasterers and stucco masons………
Roofers…………………………………
Sheet metal workers…………………
Structural iron and steel workers……
Helpers, construction trades…………
Construction and building
inspectors……………………………
Highway maintenance workers………
Installation, maintenance, and repair
occupations………………………………
First-line supervisors/managers of
mechanics, installers, and
repairers…………………………….
Computer, automated teller, and
office machine repairers……………
Radio and telecommunications
equipment installers and repairers…
Security and fire alarm systems
installers………………………………
Aircraft mechanics and service
technicians……………………………
Automotive body and related
repairers…………………………….
Automotive service technicians and
mechanics……………………………
Bus and truck mechanics and
diesel engine specialists……………
Heavy vehicle and mobile
equipment service technicians
and mechanics………………………
Heating, air conditioning, and
refrigeration mechanics and
installers………………………………
Industrial and refractory machinery
mechanics…………………………..
Maintenance and repair workers,
general………………………………
Maintenance workers, machinery……
Millwrights…………………………….
Electrical power-line installers and
repairers………………………………
Telecommunications line installers
and repairers…………………………
Precision instrument and
equipment repairers…………………
Women
Number
Median
of
weekly
workers
earnings
(in
thousands)
Men
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Standard
Median
error
weekly
of
earnings
median
Women's
earnings
as
percent
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
228
778
57
$522
751
530
$13
25
64
9
9
2
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
219
769
55
$524
754
546
$21
24
78
(³)
(³)
(³)
430
494
13
19
(²)
(²)
411
495
13
(³)
564
64
177
121
51
107
704
499
500
707
773
425
18
21
16
44
128
23
9
1
2
2
2
5
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
554
62
175
118
49
102
702
502
501
703
(²)
425
18
21
16
53
(²)
23
(³)
(³)
(³)
(³)
(³)
(³)
78
108
849
565
51
46
8
4
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
69
104
834
566
72
46
(³)
(³)
4,630
742
6
205
$697
$42
4,425
744
6
93.7
343
866
24
26
(²)
(²)
318
877
28
(³)
295
754
13
27
(²)
(²)
268
760
13
(³)
186
860
33
27
(²)
(²)
158
869
36
(³)
62
836
34
1
(²)
(²)
61
833
34
(³)
136
907
38
7
(²)
(²)
129
900
37
(³)
127
667
29
1
(²)
(²)
126
670
29
(³)
696
634
23
9
(²)
(²)
687
635
24
(³)
331
737
20
2
(²)
(²)
328
737
20
(³)
217
763
29
4
(²)
(²)
213
770
27
(³)
335
760
20
9
(²)
(²)
326
765
20
(³)
417
756
19
14
(²)
(²)
403
757
22
(³)
394
66
62
655
750
903
18
33
25
21
1
3
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
372
65
59
661
752
900
19
33
24
(³)
(³)
(³)
114
926
50
-
-
-
114
926
50
-
189
874
43
17
(²)
(²)
172
883
31
(³)
55
882
257
7
(²)
(²)
48
(²)
(²)
(³)
557
559
4
5
3,288
2,412
426
432
4
6
12,045
5,979
601
621
3
5
70.9
69.7
774
18
169
587
16
650
832
22
70.5
487
433
17
21
106
62
417
370
14
21
101
56
553
489
23
22
75.5
75.8
461
481
13
22
73
34
398
(²)
16
(²)
182
31
502
(²)
17
(²)
79.2
(³)
Production, transportation, and materialmoving occupations………………………… 15,332
Production occupations…………………… 8,391
First-line supervisors/managers of
production and operating workers…
819
Electrical, electronics, and
electromechanical assemblers……
207
Bakers…………………………………
118
Butchers and other meat-, poultry-,
and fish-processing workers………
255
Food batchmakers……………………
65
See footnotes at end of table.
13
of men's ¹
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex,
2006 annual averages—Continued
Both sexes
Occupation
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Cutting, punching, and press
machine setters, operators, and
tenders, metal and plastic…………
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and
buffing machine tool setters,
operators, and tenders, metal
and plastic……………………………
Machinists……………………………
Molders and molding machine
setters, operators, and tenders,
metal and plastic……………………
Tool and die makers…………………
Welding, soldering, and brazing
workers………………………………
Printing machine operators…………
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers…
Pressers, textile, garment, and
related materials………………
Sewing machine operators…………
Tailors, dressmakers, and sewers…
Cabinetmakers and bench
carpenters……………………………
Stationary engineers and boiler
operators……………………………
Water and liquid waste treatment
plant and system operators…………
Chemical-processing machine
setters, operators, and tenders……
Crushing, grinding, polishing,
mixing, and blending workers………
Cutting workers………………………
Inspectors, testers, sorters,
samplers, and weighers……………
Medical, dental, and ophthalmic
laboratory technicians………………
Packaging and filling machine
operators and tenders………………
Painting workers……………………..
Photographic process workers and
processing machine operators……
Transportation and material-moving
occupations………………………………
Supervisors, transportation and
material-moving workers……………
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers…
Busdrivers…………………………….
Driver/salesworkers and truck
drivers…………………………………
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs…………
Railroad conductors and
yardmasters…………………………
Service station attendants……………
Industrial truck and tractor
operators……………………………
Cleaners of vehicles and
equipment……………………………
Laborers and freight, stock, and
material movers, hand………………
Packers and packagers, hand………
Refuse and recyclable material
collectors……………………………
Women
Number
Median
of
weekly
workers
earnings
(in
thousands)
Men
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Standard
Median
error
weekly
of
earnings
median
Women's
earnings
as
percent
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
110
$514
$19
20
(²)
(²)
90
$524
$29
(³)
60
403
570
714
31
16
3
24
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
57
378
575
727
30
19
(³)
(³)
63
93
636
805
34
35
10
1
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
53
92
645
802
31
35
(³)
(³)
491
191
117
649
600
348
26
19
16
34
36
74
(²)
(²)
$324
(²)
(²)
$13
457
156
43
674
640
(²)
21
29
(²)
(³)
(³)
(³)
55
237
50
399
352
432
25
15
35
37
175
37
(²)
346
(²)
(²)
15
(²)
17
63
13
(²)
374
(²)
(²)
31
(²)
(³)
92.6
(³)
83
547
34
3
(²)
(²)
80
547
42
(³)
92
793
73
1
(²)
(²)
91
798
73
(³)
97
706
57
4
(²)
(²)
92
719
50
(³)
57
885
31
8
(²)
(²)
48
(²)
(²)
(³)
94
70
580
522
38
36
11
16
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
83
54
600
587
38
35
(³)
(³)
671
581
15
260
479
15
411
696
27
68.9
71
566
77
36
(²)
(²)
35
(²)
(²)
(³)
256
163
415
520
11
26
139
22
389
(²)
13
(²)
117
140
456
561
19
34
85.4
(³)
51
408
19
22
(²)
(²)
28
(²)
(²)
(³)
6,942
556
6
876
414
7
6,066
581
5
71.1
193
90
353
767
1,407
519
45
87
11
32
3
153
(²)
(²)
466
(²)
(²)
37
161
87
201
806
1,419
579
32
190
17
(³)
(³)
80.4
2,821
152
642
538
9
47
113
23
436
(²)
21
(²)
2,708
129
651
574
9
38
66.9
(³)
53
73
904
364
46
23
2
7
(²)
(²)
(²)
(²)
51
66
905
371
45
24
(³)
(³)
549
513
9
32
(²)
(²)
517
514
10
(³)
301
379
8
43
(²)
(²)
257
379
9
(³)
1,407
371
474
391
8
9
198
209
412
367
15
12
1,210
163
484
416
7
12
85.1
88.2
64
393
20
6
(²)
(²)
59
403
22
(³)
1
These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this
table.
2
Data not shown where base is less than 50,000.
3
Data not shown where base for either the numerator or the denominator
14
of men's ¹
is less than 50,000.
NOTE: Dash indicates data not available or does not meet publication
standards.
Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by State and sex, 2006 annual averages
Both sexes
Women
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
UNITED STATES.....................
106,106
$671
$2
Alabama.......................................
Alaska..........................................
Arizona.........................................
Arkansas......................................
California......................................
1,657
226
2,225
952
11,978
614
816
641
591
713
Colorado......................................
Connecticut..................................
Delaware......................................
District of Columbia......................
Florida..........................................
1,801
1,252
339
216
6,605
Georgia........................................
Hawaii..........................................
Idaho............................................
Illinois...........................................
Indiana.........................................
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Men
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
46,358
$600
$2
10
21
12
9
6
736
99
938
433
4,962
535
690
604
522
670
719
822
683
864
629
12
20
15
26
6
759
550
155
112
3,051
3,508
465
488
4,666
2,309
626
661
616
701
645
10
16
10
10
13
Iowa.............................................
Kansas.........................................
Kentucky......................................
Louisiana.....................................
Maine...........................................
1,114
997
1,440
1,415
444
646
636
616
621
655
Maryland......................................
Massachusetts.............................
Michigan......................................
Minnesota....................................
Mississippi....................................
2,241
2,224
3,343
1,872
908
Missouri........................................
Montana.......................................
Nebraska.....................................
Nevada........................................
New Hampshire...........................
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Women's
earnings
as
percent
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
of men's ¹
59,747
$743
$2
80.8
18
17
10
16
8
922
127
1,288
519
7,016
710
947
681
624
751
24
23
14
16
9
75.4
72.8
88.7
83.7
89.1
638
705
614
823
579
14
25
15
30
7
1,042
702
184
105
3,555
788
914
762
927
688
21
25
17
40
10
81.0
77.1
80.6
88.8
84.2
1,586
216
197
1,992
982
586
597
533
620
559
10
12
14
7
21
1,922
249
291
2,673
1,326
694
737
691
793
736
25
28
17
19
15
84.4
81.0
77.2
78.2
76.0
13
16
11
12
14
502
426
644
632
198
575
548
539
499
573
14
15
18
13
17
612
572
796
783
246
727
728
689
722
747
16
17
16
15
17
79.1
75.2
78.2
69.1
76.7
764
799
731
747
564
12
13
10
14
12
1,035
974
1,431
827
415
700
680
624
659
497
21
17
12
13
13
1,206
1,250
1,912
1,046
493
850
882
827
834
615
20
18
15
20
16
82.4
77.2
75.5
79.1
80.8
2,168
313
674
988
491
632
581
612
619
778
12
10
9
7
17
969
145
295
423
212
557
480
539
572
657
15
9
16
14
17
1,199
168
379
565
280
726
660
682
680
896
17
15
16
17
20
76.7
72.8
79.0
84.2
73.3
New Jersey..................................
New Mexico.................................
New York.....................................
North Carolina..............................
North Dakota................................
3,211
655
6,716
3,242
236
829
615
708
599
597
12
11
8
6
9
1,393
284
3,003
1,455
108
743
506
639
544
514
8
14
8
14
9
1,818
372
3,713
1,787
127
921
698
767
637
662
17
21
9
13
18
80.7
72.5
83.3
85.3
77.7
Ohio.............................................
Oklahoma....................................
Oregon.........................................
Pennsylvania...............................
Rhode Island................................
4,159
1,234
1,202
4,422
385
672
599
669
674
702
8
9
15
9
15
1,864
562
486
1,936
171
594
509
602
590
627
8
10
11
8
18
2,294
673
716
2,486
214
757
703
731
755
769
11
19
16
11
21
78.5
72.3
82.3
78.1
81.5
South Carolina.............................
South Dakota...............................
Tennessee...................................
Texas...........................................
Utah.............................................
1,485
271
2,165
8,331
863
602
590
582
610
627
9
9
9
6
13
670
121
965
3,515
326
525
519
512
546
509
14
9
9
13
11
815
151
1,200
4,815
537
673
650
643
667
717
20
15
18
10
12
78.0
80.0
79.6
82.0
71.1
Vermont.......................................
Virginia.........................................
Washington..................................
West Virginia................................
Wisconsin.....................................
Wyoming......................................
232
2,914
2,247
598
2,023
195
680
714
759
617
691
680
14
16
14
10
12
13
105
1,311
944
263
902
80
606
608
647
521
598
524
11
11
24
13
12
15
127
1,603
1,303
334
1,121
115
745
824
873
710
773
791
18
27
26
22
16
24
81.3
73.8
74.1
73.4
77.4
66.3
State
1
These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this table.
NOTE: Data refer to persons 16 years and older.
15
Table 4. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, 2006 annual averages
Both sexes
Characteristic
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Women
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Men
Median Standard
error
weekly
of
earnings
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median Standard
error
weekly
of
earnings
median
Women's
earnings
as
percent
of men's ¹
AGE
Total, 16 years and older...............
16 to 24 years......................................
16 to 19 years...................................
20 to 24 years...................................
25 years and older...............................
25 to 34 years...................................
35 to 44 years...................................
45 to 54 years...................................
55 to 64 years...................................
65 years and older............................
21,863
8,137
4,271
3,865
13,726
3,329
3,276
2,949
2,440
1,732
$206
150
122
189
254
252
273
274
251
196
$1
1
1
2
2
3
4
4
4
4
14,949
4,583
2,324
2,259
10,365
2,401
2,752
2,466
1,750
996
$213
148
119
184
253
248
272
272
251
184
$1
2
2
3
2
4
5
4
5
6
6,914
3,553
1,948
1,606
3,361
928
524
484
690
736
$192
153
124
196
255
264
283
287
252
211
$2
2
2
3
4
7
12
12
8
6
110.7
96.7
95.9
93.6
99.3
93.9
96.2
94.7
99.5
87.4
RACE AND HISPANIC OR
LATINO ETHNICITY
White....................................................
Black or African American...................
Asian....................................................
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity..................
18,390
2,107
852
2,413
208
191
216
202
1
3
6
3
12,700
1,363
561
1,587
216
191
224
200
2
4
8
3
5,690
744
292
826
193
190
199
206
2
5
11
6
111.8
100.5
113.0
96.9
9,917
9,126
2,820
1,545
611
663
162
264
225
244
221
194
1
2
4
5
6
6
5,529
7,190
2,230
1,198
465
566
161
263
221
239
218
193
2
3
3
6
7
6
4,388
1,936
590
347
146
97
163
267
244
264
232
199
2
5
8
11
14
19
98.6
98.5
90.5
90.3
94.1
97.4
MARITAL STATUS
Never married......................................
Married, spouse present......................
Other marital status.............................
Divorced............................................
Separated.........................................
Widowed...........................................
1
These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in
this table.
NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African
American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented
for all races. In addition, persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or
Latino may be of any race and, therefore, are classified by ethnicity as well
as by race.
16
Table 5. Median usual weekly earnings of wage and salary workers by hours usually worked and sex, 2006 annual averages
Both sexes
Women
Men
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Total, 16 years and older...............
128,237
$593
$1
61,426
$501
$1
1 to 34 hours........................................
1 to 4 hours.......................................
5 to 9 hours.......................................
10 to 14 hours...................................
15 to 19 hours...................................
20 to 24 hours...................................
25 to 29 hours...................................
30 to 34 hours...................................
19,288
458
1,077
1,689
2,553
5,900
2,538
5,073
210
53
68
102
140
198
246
312
1
3
1
2
2
2
3
3
13,260
319
735
1,147
1,718
4,022
1,752
3,568
217
50
70
105
145
207
253
319
35 hours or more.................................
35 to 39 hours...................................
40 hours............................................
41 hours or more..............................
41 to 44 hours................................
45 to 48 hours................................
49 to 59 hours................................
60 hours or more...........................
100,126
7,742
70,434
21,950
1,319
6,221
9,699
4,711
674
454
619
995
736
892
1,066
1,153
2
5
1
5
12
7
9
10
44,054
5,323
32,167
6,563
525
2,151
2,818
1,069
8,823
2,574
5,980
416
174
603
6
3
8
4,112
1,688
2,305
Hours of work
Hours vary………………………………
Usually less than 35 hours……………
Usually 35 hours or more……………
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
1
These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in
this table.
NOTE: Data refer to the sole or principal job of full- and part-time
Standard
Median
error
weekly
of
earnings median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Women's
earnings
as
percent
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
of men's ¹
66,811
$685
$3
73.1
2
4
2
2
2
2
3
3
6,028
139
342
542
835
1,878
786
1,505
196
61
63
98
129
181
231
295
2
6
2
3
4
3
5
5
111.0
81.5
110.6
107.1
112.7
114.3
109.7
108.0
604
455
585
902
697
833
985
982
2
5
2
7
17
10
13
27
56,072
2,419
38,266
15,387
794
4,070
6,881
3,642
746
453
663
1,044
759
929
1,115
1,196
2
11
3
8
14
9
12
17
81.1
100.4
88.3
86.4
91.8
89.6
88.3
82.1
295
178
459
6
4
11
4,711
886
3,675
575
167
697
13
5
11
51.4
106.4
65.8
workers. Estimates for the above "hours vary" groups do not sum to totals
because data are not presented for a small number of multiple jobholders
whose usual number of hours on the principal job is not identifiable.
17
Table 6. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected
characteristics, 2006 annual averages
Characteristic
Upper limit of:
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
First
decile
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Ninth
decile
SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY
Total, 16 years and older.......................................................…
Women..................................................................................
Men........................................................................................
106,106
46,358
59,747
$319
299
343
$445
406
488
$671
600
743
$1,027
888
1,154
$1,545
1,285
1,751
White....................................................................................……
Women..................................................................................
Men....................................................................................…
86,055
36,405
49,650
324
301
351
459
411
498
690
609
761
1,054
901
1,172
1,570
1,304
1,773
Black or African American........................................................
Women..................................................................................
Men....................................................................................…
12,745
6,720
6,025
292
287
300
388
375
405
554
519
591
823
763
892
1,186
1,128
1,260
Asian.........................................................................................
Women..................................................................................
Men....................................................................................…
4,840
2,123
2,717
350
329
375
507
481
547
784
699
882
1,301
1,109
1,444
1,892
1,562
2,003
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.......................................................
Women..................................................................................
Men....................................................................................…
15,693
5,686
10,007
279
254
291
348
317
369
486
440
505
711
655
740
1,069
972
1,136
Total, 25 years and older..........................................................
Less than a high school diploma...........................................
High school, no college 1........................................................
Some college or associate degree........................................
Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .............................................
94,744
9,029
28,023
26,027
31,665
342
262
317
363
513
483
319
419
491
725
718
419
595
692
1,039
1,089
585
843
977
1,552
1,607
793
1,162
1,347
2,223
Women, 25 years and older......................................................
Less than a high school diploma...........................................
High school, no college 1........................................................
Some college or associate degree........................................
Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .............................................
41,556
2,945
11,711
12,439
14,461
313
232
290
329
482
428
285
374
434
652
627
358
500
602
905
927
471
678
829
1,269
1,347
620
919
1,115
1,764
Men, 25 years and older...........................................................
Less than a high school diploma...........................................
High school, no college 1........................................................
Some college or associate degree........................................
Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .............................................
53,188
6,084
16,313
13,588
17,204
378
285
357
406
575
523
352
486
564
801
797
469
678
796
1,205
1,216
633
952
1,123
1,828
1,843
862
1,272
1,492
2,496
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
1
Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
third quartile; and 90 percent earn less than the upper limit of the ninth
decile. Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African
American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not
presented for all races. In addition, persons whose ethnicity is identified
as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race and, therefore, are classified by
ethnicity as well as by race.
2
Includes persons with a bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral
degree.
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
18
Table 7. Distribution of full-time wage and salary workers by usual weekly earnings and selected characteristics,
2006 annual averages
(In thousands)
Number of workers by usual weekly earnings
Characteristic
Total
employed
Under
$150.00
$150.00
to
$249.99
$250.00
to
$349.99
$350.00
to
$499.99
$500.00
to
$749.99
$750.00
to
$999.99
$1,000.00
to
$1,499.99
$1,500.00
or
more
AGE AND SEX
Total, 16 years and older.................................. 106,106
16 to 24 years.......................................................... 11,362
16 to 19 years.......................................................
1,781
9,580
20 to 24 years.......................................................
25 years and older................................................... 94,744
25 to 34 years....................................................... 25,414
35 to 44 years....................................................... 27,194
45 to 54 years....................................................... 26,382
55 to 64 years....................................................... 13,622
65 years and older................................................
2,132
931
223
92
131
708
143
197
199
114
55
2,673
847
270
576
1,826
612
458
418
249
90
9,710
2,682
620
2,062
7,028
2,396
1,864
1,669
821
278
19,723
3,819
542
3,277
15,904
5,329
4,239
3,909
1,985
442
26,362
2,586
199
2,388
23,776
7,332
6,614
6,076
3,281
472
17,787
775
42
734
17,012
4,401
4,984
4,900
2,457
269
17,093
351
14
337
16,742
3,583
5,021
5,223
2,650
265
11,827
79
2
77
11,748
1,618
3,818
3,988
2,065
260
Women, 16 years and older..............................
16 to 24 years..........................................................
16 to 19 years.......................................................
20 to 24 years.......................................................
25 years and older...................................................
25 to 34 years.......................................................
35 to 44 years.......................................................
45 to 54 years.......................................................
55 to 64 years.......................................................
65 years and older................................................
46,358
4,802
735
4,068
41,556
10,703
11,595
12,035
6,339
884
517
120
50
70
397
79
105
114
67
31
1,620
448
147
301
1,171
356
300
307
159
51
5,270
1,210
282
929
4,060
1,222
1,128
1,084
489
136
10,006
1,580
197
1,384
8,425
2,447
2,258
2,290
1,220
211
12,444
1,052
45
1,006
11,392
3,227
3,071
3,111
1,773
210
7,382
283
11
271
7,100
1,748
1,986
2,143
1,112
112
6,041
94
3
91
5,946
1,209
1,757
1,912
981
88
3,080
15
Men, 16 years and older...................................
16 to 24 years..........................................................
16 to 19 years.......................................................
20 to 24 years.......................................................
25 years and older...................................................
25 to 34 years.......................................................
35 to 44 years.......................................................
45 to 54 years.......................................................
55 to 64 years.......................................................
65 years and older................................................
59,747
6,559
1,047
5,513
53,188
14,712
15,599
14,347
7,283
1,248
414
102
42
60
311
64
92
85
47
24
1,053
398
123
275
655
256
158
111
90
39
4,440
1,472
339
1,133
2,968
1,173
736
584
332
142
9,717
2,239
346
1,893
7,479
2,882
1,981
1,619
765
231
13,919
1,535
153
1,381
12,384
4,106
3,543
2,965
1,508
262
10,405
493
31
462
9,912
2,654
2,999
2,757
1,345
158
11,052
256
11
246
10,796
2,373
3,264
3,312
1,670
177
8,747
64
2
62
8,683
1,203
2,826
2,914
1,525
215
White, 16 years and older....................................
Women....................................................................
Men..........................................................................
86,055
36,405
49,650
735
416
320
1,963
1,217
745
7,458
3,981
3,477
15,319
7,602
7,716
21,293
9,838
11,455
14,797
5,963
8,834
14,410
4,900
9,510
10,081
2,488
7,593
Black or African American, 16 years and older....
Women....................................................................
Men..........................................................................
12,745
6,720
6,025
140
69
71
506
297
209
1,622
958
665
3,149
1,779
1,370
3,380
1,775
1,605
1,839
911
928
1,446
642
803
664
290
374
Asian, 16 years and older.....................................
Women....................................................................
Men..........................................................................
4,840
2,123
2,717
37
23
15
100
50
49
328
168
159
689
348
341
1,056
538
518
799
361
438
926
376
550
904
258
646
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 16 years and older..
Women....................................................................
Men..........................................................................
15,693
5,686
10,007
158
78
80
663
388
274
2,896
1,287
1,609
4,456
1,577
2,879
3,899
1,258
2,641
1,667
543
1,124
1,285
393
892
668
161
507
15
3,065
415
991
1,074
540
45
RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO
ETHNICITY, AND SEX
NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all
races. In addition, persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race and, therefore, are classified by ethnicity as well as by
race. Dash indicates data not available or does not meet publication standards.
19
Table 8. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, marital
status, and presence and age of own children under 18 years old, 2006 annual averages
Standard
error
of
median
Number of
workers
(in thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Total, all marital statuses……………………………………………
With children under 18 years old…………………………………
With children 6 to 17 years, none younger……………………
With children under 6 years old…………………………………
With no children under 18 years old………………………………
46,358
17,202
10,645
6,558
29,156
$600
593
605
571
604
$2
3
4
6
2
Total, married, spouse present………………………………………
With children under 18 years old…………………………………
With children 6 to 17 years, none younger……………………
With children under 6 years old…………………………………
With no children under 18 years old………………………………
24,110
11,480
6,914
4,566
12,630
642
634
632
637
648
3
4
6
7
4
Total, other marital statuses 1………………………………………
With children under 18 years old…………………………………
With children 6 to 17 years, none younger……………………
With children under 6 years old…………………………………
With no children under 18 years old………………………………
22,248
5,723
3,731
1,991
16,526
547
506
549
434
570
4
3
8
8
4
Total, all marital statuses……………………………………………
With children under 18 years old…………………………………
With children 6 to 17 years, none younger……………………
With children under 6 years old…………………………………
With no children under 18 years old………………………………
59,747
22,316
11,907
10,409
37,431
743
839
889
781
691
2
5
7
7
3
Total, married, spouse present………………………………………
With children under 18 years old…………………………………
With children 6 to 17 years, none younger……………………
With children under 6 years old…………………………………
With no children under 18 years old………………………………
36,044
20,615
10,896
9,719
15,429
858
857
905
804
860
4
5
7
7
6
Total, other marital statuses 1………………………………………
With children under 18 years old…………………………………
With children 6 to 17 years, none younger……………………
With children under 6 years old…………………………………
With no children under 18 years old………………………………
23,703
1,701
1,011
690
22,002
598
664
761
551
594
3
12
15
18
3
Characteristic
WOMEN
MEN
1
Includes never-married, divorced, separated, and
widowed persons.
NOTE: Children refer to "own" children and include
sons, daughters, stepchildren, and adopted children.
Excluded are other related children such as
grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins, as well as
unrelated children.
20
Table 9. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates, by selected characteristics, 2006 annual averages
Both sexes
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Characteristic
AGE
Total, 16 years and older...............
16 to 24 years......................................
16 to 19 years...................................
20 to 24 years...................................
25 years and older...............................
25 to 34 years...................................
35 to 44 years...................................
45 to 54 years...................................
55 to 64 years...................................
65 years and older............................
Median
hourly
earnings
Women
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
hourly
earnings
Men
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
hourly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Women's
earnings
as
percent
of men's ¹
76,514
16,649
5,687
10,962
59,865
17,019
16,396
15,672
8,402
2,376
$11.76
8.24
7.23
9.16
12.94
11.95
13.49
14.03
13.33
10.15
$0.03
.03
.02
.03
.03
.03
.11
.06
.13
.05
38,321
8,065
2,890
5,175
30,256
7,928
8,233
8,248
4,569
1,278
$10.65
7.99
7.11
8.82
11.87
11.07
12.05
12.26
12.12
9.97
$0.04
.02
.03
.04
.03
.06
.05
.08
.08
.07
38,193
8,583
2,796
5,787
29,609
9,091
8,164
7,423
3,833
1,098
$12.68
8.79
7.43
9.75
14.27
12.63
15.06
16.04
15.04
10.72
$0.06
.04
.05
.07
.08
.11
.05
.08
.08
.27
84.0
90.9
95.8
90.5
83.1
87.6
80.0
76.4
80.6
92.9
61,907
9,903
2,654
13,121
11.86
10.66
12.53
10.12
.02
.09
.27
.03
30,504
5,419
1,395
5,341
10.77
10.11
11.95
9.50
.04
.04
.13
.13
31,403
4,485
1,259
7,780
12.88
11.42
13.18
10.84
.04
.18
.26
.09
83.6
88.5
90.7
87.6
27,081
36,300
13,132
8,342
3,297
1,492
9.63
13.42
12.01
12.85
10.69
10.57
.05
.07
.05
.08
.15
.23
12,499
17,818
8,004
5,083
1,730
1,191
8.95
12.04
11.04
11.84
10.01
10.22
.03
.03
.07
.08
.07
.09
14,582
18,482
5,128
3,260
1,567
301
9.98
14.98
13.74
14.89
11.88
12.64
.02
.04
.17
.08
.12
1.00
89.7
80.4
80.4
79.5
84.3
80.8
9,485
10,293
66,220
16.99
16.86
10.98
.08
.09
.03
3,491
3,894
34,427
14.72
14.52
10.22
.19
.22
.02
5,994
6,399
31,793
18.36
18.18
11.90
.20
.14
.03
80.2
79.8
85.9
59,865
8,303
22,791
18,755
10,016
12.94
9.91
12.31
13.88
17.25
.03
.03
.06
.04
.18
30,256
3,221
10,861
10,337
5,837
11.87
8.59
10.79
12.50
16.91
.03
.08
.05
.09
.14
29,609
5,082
11,930
8,418
4,180
14.27
10.78
14.32
15.39
18.07
.08
.11
.11
.17
.17
83.1
79.7
75.4
81.2
93.6
RACE AND HISPANIC OR
LATINO ETHNICITY
White....................................................
Black or African American....................
Asian....................................................
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity..................
MARITAL STATUS
Never married......................................
Married, spouse present......................
Other marital status..............................
Divorced............................................
Separated.........................................
Widowed...........................................
UNION AFFILIATION
2
3
Members of unions .............................
4
Represented by a union .....................
Not represented by a union..................
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Total, 25 years and older.....................
Less than a high school diploma......
High school, no college 5...................
Some college or associate degree...
Bachelor's degree and higher 6.........
1
These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ slightly
from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this table.
a union, as well as to workers who report no union affiliation but whose jobs are
covered by a union or an employee association contract.
5
2
Differences in earnings levels between workers with and without union
affiliation reflect a variety of factors in addition to coverage by a collective
bargaining agreement, including the distribution of male and female employees
by occupation, industry, firm size, or geographic region.
3
Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to
a union.
4
Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to
6
Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
Includes persons with a bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degree.
NOTE: Workers paid by the hour account for approximately three-fifths of all
wage and salary workers. Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or
African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented
for all races. In addition, persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino
may be of any race and, therefore, are classified by ethnicity as well as by race.
21
Table 10. Distribution of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates, by hourly earnings and selected characteristics,
2006 annual averages
(In thousands)
Number of workers by hourly earnings
Characteristic
Total
employed
Under
$4.00
$4.00
to
$4.99
$5.00
to
$5.99
$6.00
to
$7.99
$8.00
to
$9.99
$10.00
to
$11.99
$12.00
to
$14.99
$15.00
to
$19.99
$20.00
or
more
AGE AND SEX
Total, 16 years and older..................................
16 to 24 years..........................................................
16 to 19 years.......................................................
20 to 24 years.......................................................
25 years and older...................................................
25 to 34 years.......................................................
35 to 44 years.......................................................
45 to 54 years.......................................................
55 to 64 years.......................................................
65 years and older................................................
76,514
16,649
5,687
10,962
59,865
17,019
16,396
15,672
8,402
2,376
903
426
158
268
478
225
122
79
32
19
139
58
25
33
80
39
14
16
9
2
1,603
981
664
318
622
218
146
110
76
72
10,718
5,281
2,761
2,520
5,437
1,904
1,325
1,137
668
405
13,109
4,221
1,259
2,962
8,888
2,816
2,251
2,039
1,269
512
12,139
2,757
545
2,212
9,382
2,985
2,449
2,234
1,276
439
12,687
1,697
180
1,517
10,991
3,432
2,978
2,754
1,489
339
12,392
898
65
833
11,494
3,036
3,317
3,215
1,609
317
12,822
330
30
300
12,492
2,365
3,796
4,087
1,974
270
Women, 16 years and older..............................
16 to 24 years..........................................................
16 to 19 years.......................................................
20 to 24 years.......................................................
25 years and older...................................................
25 to 34 years.......................................................
35 to 44 years.......................................................
45 to 54 years.......................................................
55 to 64 years.......................................................
65 years and older................................................
38,321
8,065
2,890
5,175
30,256
7,928
8,233
8,248
4,569
1,278
639
305
124
182
334
156
84
61
18
15
102
46
19
26
56
24
9
15
6
2
929
541
347
194
388
123
94
77
45
50
6,422
2,828
1,497
1,331
3,595
1,141
940
821
464
230
7,408
2,034
609
1,426
5,374
1,499
1,419
1,364
794
298
6,436
1,201
213
988
5,234
1,416
1,364
1,385
827
243
6,216
677
50
627
5,539
1,502
1,515
1,512
839
171
5,202
309
19
290
4,893
1,132
1,364
1,468
777
153
4,968
124
13
112
4,843
936
1,444
1,546
801
117
Men, 16 years and older...................................
16 to 24 years..........................................................
16 to 19 years.......................................................
20 to 24 years.......................................................
25 years and older...................................................
25 to 34 years.......................................................
35 to 44 years.......................................................
45 to 54 years.......................................................
55 to 64 years.......................................................
65 years and older................................................
38,193
8,583
2,796
5,787
29,609
9,091
8,164
7,423
3,833
1,098
264
120
34
86
144
69
38
18
15
4
37
13
6
7
24
14
5
1
3
1
674
440
316
123
234
95
52
33
32
22
4,296
2,453
1,264
1,189
1,843
763
385
316
204
175
5,701
2,187
651
1,536
3,514
1,317
831
676
476
215
5,703
1,555
332
1,224
4,148
1,569
1,085
849
449
196
6,472
1,020
130
890
5,452
1,930
1,463
1,241
650
168
7,191
590
46
544
6,601
1,904
1,953
1,747
832
164
7,854
205
17
189
7,649
1,429
2,352
2,541
1,173
153
White, 16 years and older....................................
Women....................................................................
Men..........................................................................
61,907
30,504
31,403
789
556
233
129
100
29
1,266
743
523
8,468
5,046
3,422
10,324
5,728
4,597
9,628
5,110
4,518
10,225
4,917
5,308
10,322
4,221
6,101
10,755
4,084
6,671
Black or African American, 16 years and older....
Women....................................................................
Men..........................................................................
9,903
5,419
4,485
68
56
13
6
1
5
245
138
108
1,559
984
574
1,983
1,225
759
1,814
950
864
1,697
911
786
1,360
654
706
1,170
500
670
Asian, 16 years and older.....................................
Women....................................................................
Men..........................................................................
2,654
1,395
1,259
23
12
10
3
1
2
28
17
11
355
201
154
395
237
158
383
206
178
443
239
204
421
202
219
603
280
323
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 16 years and older..
Women....................................................................
Men..........................................................................
13,121
5,341
7,780
101
64
36
14
7
7
274
165
110
2,424
1,322
1,102
2,876
1,240
1,636
2,352
921
1,431
2,166
777
1,389
1,723
518
1,205
1,191
327
864
RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO
ETHNICITY, AND SEX
NOTE: Workers paid hourly rates represent approximately three-fifths of all wage and salary workers. Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or
African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. In addition, persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or
Latino may be of any race and, therefore, are classified by ethnicity as well as by race.
22
Table 11. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing Federal minimum
wage by selected characteristics, 2006 annual averages
(Numbers in thousands)
Workers paid hourly rates 1
Characteristic
Total
Below
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
At
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
Total at or below prevailing
Federal minimum wage
Number
Percent of
workers
paid hourly
rates
AGE AND SEX
Total, 16 years and older......................................................
16 to 24 years..............................................................................
16 to 19 years..........................................................................
20 to 24 years..........................................................................
25 years and older.......................................................................
25 to 34 years..........................................................................
35 to 44 years..........................................................................
45 to 54 years..........................................................................
55 to 64 years..........................................................................
65 years and older...................................................................
76,514
16,649
5,687
10,962
59,865
17,019
16,396
15,672
8,402
2,376
1,283
619
271
348
664
307
159
119
48
31
409
247
165
82
162
51
32
31
24
24
1,692
866
436
430
826
358
191
150
72
55
2.2
5.2
7.7
3.9
1.4
2.1
1.2
1.0
0.9
2.3
Women, 16 years and older..................................................
16 to 24 years..............................................................................
16 to 19 years..........................................................................
20 to 24 years..........................................................................
25 years and older.......................................................................
25 to 34 years..........................................................................
35 to 44 years..........................................................................
45 to 54 years..........................................................................
55 to 64 years..........................................................................
65 years and older...................................................................
38,321
8,065
2,890
5,175
30,256
7,928
8,233
8,248
4,569
1,278
861
421
185
236
440
199
104
88
26
24
263
149
94
55
114
37
21
23
15
18
1,124
570
279
291
554
236
125
111
41
42
2.9
7.1
9.7
5.6
1.8
3.0
1.5
1.3
0.9
3.3
Men, 16 years and older.......................................................
16 to 24 years..............................................................................
16 to 19 years..........................................................................
20 to 24 years..........................................................................
25 years and older.......................................................................
25 to 34 years..........................................................................
35 to 44 years..........................................................................
45 to 54 years..........................................................................
55 to 64 years..........................................................................
65 years and older...................................................................
38,193
8,583
2,796
5,787
29,609
9,091
8,164
7,423
3,833
1,098
422
198
86
112
224
108
55
31
22
8
146
98
71
27
49
15
11
9
9
6
568
296
157
139
273
123
66
40
31
14
1.5
3.4
5.6
2.4
0.9
1.4
0.8
0.5
0.8
1.3
White, 16 years and older........................................................
Women....................................................................................……
Men....................................................................................………
61,907
30,504
31,403
1,105
751
354
329
215
115
1,434
966
469
2.3
3.2
1.5
Black or African American, 16 years and older........................
Women....................................................................................……
Men....................................................................................………
9,903
5,419
4,485
111
72
40
62
34
28
173
106
68
1.7
2.0
1.5
Asian, 16 years and older........................................................
Women....................................................................................……
Men....................................................................................………
2,654
1,395
1,259
30
17
13
8
7
1
38
24
14
1.4
1.7
1.1
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 16 years and older......................
Women....................................................................................……
Men....................................................................................………
13,121
5,341
7,780
155
88
67
68
40
29
223
128
96
1.7
2.4
1.2
Full-time workers......................................................................
Women....................................................................................……
Men....................................................................................………
58,452
25,975
32,477
554
341
213
99
64
35
653
405
248
1.1
1.6
0.8
Part-time workers.....................................................................
Women....................................................................................……
Men....................................................................................………
17,930
12,278
5,652
724
519
205
310
198
112
1,034
717
317
5.8
5.8
5.6
RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO
ETHNICITY, AND SEX
FULL- AND PART-TIME STATUS AND SEX
2
See footnotes at end of table.
23
1
Detail may not sum to totals due to rounding. Percents are
based on unrounded data.
2
The distinction between full- and part-time workers is based on
hours usually worked. These data do not sum to totals because full
or part-time status on the principal job is not identifiable for a small
number of multiple jobholders.
24
NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or
African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data
are not presented for all races. In addition, persons whose
ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race
and, therefore, are classified by ethnicity as well as by race.
Table 12. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (2006) dollars by sex and age,
1979-2006 annual averages
Year and sex
Total,
16 years
and
older
16 to 24 years
Total
16 to 19
years
25 years and older
20 to 24
years
Total
25 to 34
years
35 to 44
years
45 to 54
years
55 to 64
years
65 years
and
older
BOTH SEXES
1979………………………………
$620
$443
$370
$478
$682
$657
$720
$710
$673
$509
1980………………………………
1981………………………………
1982………………………………
1983………………………………
1984………………………………
1985………………………………
1986 1……………………………
1987………………………………
1988………………………………
1989………………………………
606
601
604
601
602
614
630
634
631
626
434
424
417
405
400
400
407
411
408
407
357
342
329
314
311
311
313
315
320
320
464
452
441
427
426
429
435
438
435
433
663
654
654
659
668
676
686
683
678
671
638
628
623
616
619
624
632
633
627
618
699
690
708
709
718
724
735
738
736
741
689
679
691
704
710
715
729
727
741
741
659
654
651
664
674
680
696
687
686
676
471
471
506
500
502
530
523
526
529
524
1990 1……………………………
1991………………………………
1992………………………………
1993…………………………….
1994 1……………………………
1995………………………………
1996………………………………
1997 1……………………………
1998 1……………………………
1999 1……………………………
616
614
619
630
628
629
627
630
645
664
402
400
388
387
385
383
381
383
394
413
313
307
299
294
296
303
307
315
330
340
426
420
408
408
403
401
399
402
418
439
671
674
673
675
672
669
665
676
706
716
608
599
593
599
590
592
592
602
619
626
727
718
707
711
722
722
714
724
737
738
730
731
735
744
761
764
760
760
766
788
683
677
679
676
673
674
684
699
731
731
513
550
531
540
516
510
491
492
500
488
2000 1……………………………
2001………………………………
2002………………………………
2003 1……………………………
2004 1……………………………
2005 1……………………………
2006 1……………………………
674
678
681
679
680
672
671
422
427
426
424
416
409
409
347
347
342
341
329
328
324
448
449
447
440
432
424
423
712
717
724
725
728
718
718
642
656
661
650
644
629
621
731
748
748
753
760
754
748
782
789
790
792
792
772
773
725
725
755
775
772
766
765
542
555
562
565
597
587
583
1979………………………………
468
396
339
415
501
512
503
494
486
438
1980………………………………
1981………………………………
1982…………………………….
1983………………………………
1984………………………………
1985………………………………
1986 1……………………………
1987…………………………….
1988………………………………
1989……………………………
465
464
478
484
489
496
510
514
516
515
387
382
384
379
375
376
384
384
385
386
336
326
316
303
299
296
298
291
301
309
404
406
403
398
394
395
406
410
412
409
493
494
509
514
522
529
541
544
548
550
505
507
516
521
525
528
537
536
535
534
496
504
517
522
538
548
560
571
579
580
483
477
503
507
515
521
541
549
555
560
474
471
489
494
498
508
519
522
519
522
405
400
422
406
404
433
449
442
458
458
1990 1……………………………
1991………………………………
1992………………………………
1993…………………………….
1994 1……………………………
1995………………………………
1996………………………………
1997 1……………………………
1998 1……………………………
1999 1……………………………
517
529
534
540
536
532
535
540
563
572
379
384
375
375
370
361
363
366
376
391
296
295
288
282
284
282
285
300
307
322
402
405
394
397
389
382
382
383
394
415
552
559
562
570
566
561
568
578
599
601
532
535
537
542
534
529
531
535
557
569
583
588
588
598
602
595
592
603
614
609
564
574
586
604
605
609
615
619
636
646
520
523
529
542
535
529
538
542
588
595
448
460
462
460
452
463
427
436
432
447
2000 1……………………………
2001………………………………
2002………………………………
2003 1……………………………
2004 1……………………………
2005 1……………………………
2006 1……………………………
577
583
593
605
610
604
600
403
402
411
407
400
393
395
331
328
330
328
312
314
305
428
427
431
424
417
409
413
603
617
637
640
639
631
627
577
583
593
598
598
592
583
609
623
639
647
648
641
645
660
668
674
667
667
664
659
594
610
642
658
655
659
658
459
444
482
477
509
508
510
WOMEN
See footnotes at end of table.
25
Table 12. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (2006) dollars by sex and age,
1979-2006 annual averages—Continued
Total,
16 years
and
older
Year and sex
16 to 24 years
Total
16 to 19
years
25 years and older
20 to 24
years
Total
25 to 34
years
35 to 44
years
45 to 54
years
55 to 64
years
65 years
and
older
MEN
1979………………………………
$750
$504
$398
$542
$807
$759
$863
$868
$803
$563
1980………………………………
1981………………………………
1982…………………………….
1983………………………………
1984………………………………
1985………………………………
1986 1……………………………
1987…………………………….
1988………………………………
1989……………………………
724
720
729
727
723
726
736
735
736
734
483
463
450
428
427
430
432
436
428
426
375
356
340
322
322
326
326
332
336
329
518
503
488
464
462
461
463
466
457
455
786
787
786
781
779
791
812
809
798
785
728
720
716
712
705
703
705
698
689
681
850
841
844
849
869
869
875
865
847
851
849
840
837
852
866
873
887
881
899
893
798
799
798
799
811
835
850
840
832
818
529
564
600
591
605
656
629
644
646
618
1990 ……………………………
1991………………………………
1992………………………………
1993…………………………….
1994 1……………………………
1995………………………………
1996………………………………
1997 1……………………………
1998 1……………………………
1999 1……………………………
719
711
705
701
702
706
712
724
739
748
421
412
399
396
395
398
393
397
412
430
325
316
307
303
307
321
321
328
347
352
445
433
418
416
412
414
411
423
440
459
766
755
753
763
775
772
767
769
789
807
672
661
656
654
644
643
638
645
672
698
837
831
818
818
830
819
809
815
836
849
883
884
891
898
901
898
892
892
903
922
815
813
814
805
810
817
822
837
863
877
602
673
592
620
593
579
611
565
595
569
2000 1……………………………
2001………………………………
2002………………………………
2003 1……………………………
2004 1……………………………
2005 1……………………………
2006 1……………………………
749
763
760
761
760
745
743
438
445
438
436
427
422
418
358
363
349
351
339
341
348
462
465
459
452
444
435
435
810
819
820
815
812
795
797
699
702
703
688
681
664
661
851
858
850
849
857
848
836
902
909
904
913
914
881
897
860
865
898
906
898
883
902
611
643
653
670
683
665
658
1
WOMEN'S EARNINGS
AS PERCENT OF MEN'S
2
1979………………………………
62.5
78.5
85.2
76.5
62.1
67.4
58.3
56.9
60.5
77.8
1980………………………………
1981………………………………
1982…………………………….
1983………………………………
1984………………………………
1985………………………………
1986 1……………………………
1987…………………………….
1988………………………………
1989……………………………
64.3
64.5
65.5
66.6
67.6
68.2
69.3
69.9
70.1
70.1
80.1
82.6
85.3
88.6
87.9
87.5
88.9
88.1
90.0
90.7
89.5
91.8
92.8
94.1
92.7
90.8
91.5
87.8
89.8
94.0
78.0
80.7
82.5
85.9
85.3
85.5
87.7
88.0
90.1
89.8
62.7
62.7
64.7
65.8
67.0
66.9
66.7
67.3
68.7
70.2
69.4
70.4
72.1
73.3
74.5
75.1
76.2
76.8
77.7
78.4
58.4
59.9
61.2
61.5
61.9
63.1
64.0
66.1
68.4
68.1
56.9
56.8
60.1
59.5
59.4
59.7
61.0
62.3
61.8
62.7
59.4
58.9
61.3
61.8
61.4
60.9
61.0
62.2
62.4
63.9
76.5
70.9
70.4
68.7
66.8
66.0
71.4
68.7
70.8
74.2
1990 1……………………………
1991………………………………
1992………………………………
1993…………………………….
1994 1……………………………
1995………………………………
1996………………………………
1997 1……………………………
1998 1……………………………
1999 1……………………………
71.9
74.3
75.8
77.1
76.4
75.4
75.0
74.5
76.3
76.5
90.1
93.3
94.0
94.8
93.7
90.8
92.4
92.1
91.3
91.0
91.0
93.5
93.8
93.0
92.7
87.9
88.9
91.4
88.5
91.3
90.2
93.5
94.2
95.6
94.5
92.2
92.8
90.6
89.4
90.5
72.1
74.0
74.6
74.7
73.1
72.7
74.1
75.1
75.9
74.4
79.2
80.9
82.0
82.9
82.9
82.4
83.2
82.9
83.0
81.5
69.7
70.8
71.9
73.0
72.5
72.7
73.2
74.0
73.5
71.7
63.8
64.9
65.8
67.3
67.1
67.8
68.9
69.4
70.5
70.1
63.7
64.4
64.9
67.4
66.1
64.8
65.4
64.7
68.2
67.8
74.5
68.4
78.1
74.1
76.3
79.9
70.0
77.1
72.6
78.7
2000 1……………………………
2001………………………………
2002………………………………
2003 1……………………………
2004 1……………………………
2005 1……………………………
2006 1……………………………
77.0
76.4
77.9
79.5
80.3
81.0
80.8
92.0
90.2
93.7
93.3
93.7
93.2
94.6
92.3
90.3
94.5
93.2
92.2
92.1
87.7
92.8
91.9
93.9
94.0
93.8
94.0
95.0
74.5
75.3
77.6
78.5
78.7
79.4
78.7
82.5
83.0
84.4
87.0
87.9
89.1
88.2
71.5
72.6
75.2
76.2
75.6
75.6
77.2
73.2
73.5
74.5
73.0
73.0
75.4
73.5
69.2
70.5
71.5
72.6
73.0
74.7
73.0
75.1
69.1
73.8
71.2
74.6
76.4
77.5
1
The comparability of historical labor force data has been affected at various
times by methodological and conceptual changes in the Current Population
Survey (CPS). For an explanation, see the Explanatory Notes and Estimates of
Error section of the February 2007 and subsequent issues of Employment and
Earnings , a monthly BLS periodical.
2
These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
26
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in
this table.
NOTE: The Consumer Price Index research series using current
methods (CPI-U-RS) is used to convert current dollars to constant dollars.
See Technical Note.
Table 13. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (2006)
dollars by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 1979-2006 annual averages
Year and sex
Total,
16 years
and older
Black or
African
American
White
#
BOTH SEXES
Hispanic
or
Latino
Asian
#
$498
492
502
502
507
499
502
495
501
525
538
-
690
694
698
697
701
693
690
555
558
557
563
560
537
554
$719
727
737
759
755
777
784
467
474
475
482
487
486
486
468
473
435
470
468
484
488
495
502
516
521
521
524
429
436
434
445
445
451
463
467
472
473
1990 1………………………………………
1991………………………………………
1992………………………………………
1993………………………………………
1994 1………………………………………
1995………………………………………
1996………………………………………
1997 1………………………………………
1998 1………………………………………
1999 1………………………………………
517
529
534
540
536
532
535
540
563
572
528
538
544
551
548
544
547
556
578
585
461
466
471
478
465
465
463
469
493
494
2000 1………………………………………
2001………………………………………
2002………………………………………
2003 1………………………………………
2004 1………………………………………
2005 1………………………………………
2006 1………………………………………
-
404
465
464
478
484
489
496
510
514
516
515
577
583
593
605
610
604
600
587
593
613
621
622
615
609
502
517
530
537
539
514
519
639
640
634
655
653
686
699
429
442
445
449
446
442
440
1979………………………………………
$620
$636
$511
1980………………………………………
1981………………………………………
1982………………………………………
1983………………………………………
1984………………………………………
1985………………………………………
1986 1……………………………….........
1987………………………………………
1988………………………………………
1989………………………………………
606
601
604
601
602
614
630
634
631
626
622
616
619
614
621
635
650
651
646
642
492
498
491
501
497
495
511
510
514
501
1990 1………………………………………
1991………………………………………
1992………………………………………
1993………………………………………
1994 1………………………………………
1995………………………………………
1996………………………………………
1997 1………………………………………
1998 1………………………………………
1999 1………………………………………
616
614
619
630
628
629
627
630
645
664
633
638
644
653
650
649
646
649
673
693
2000 1………………………………………
2001………………………………………
2002………………………………………
2003 1………………………………………
2004 1………………………………………
2005 1………………………………………
2006 1………………………………………
674
678
681
679
680
672
671
1979………………………………………
1980………………………………………
1981………………………………………
1982………………………………………
1983………………………………………
1984………………………………………
1985………………………………………
1986 1………………………………………
1987………………………………………
1988………………………………………
1989………………………………………
484
472
480
479
478
482
486
483
475
468
454
451
452
454
436
431
433
440
457
465
WOMEN
See footnotes at end of table.
27
399
403
407
412
412
410
423
426
426
423
416
422
425
429
409
400
405
398
416
421
Table 13. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (2006)
dollars by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 1979-2006 annual averages—Continued
Year and sex
Total,
16 years
and older
Black or
African
American
White
#
MEN
Hispanic
or
Latino
Asian
#
$564
539
541
535
538
538
539
526
541
577
590
-
774
784
786
783
780
767
761
596
602
586
607
606
577
591
$801
833
846
846
855
852
882
487
501
505
508
512
504
505
62.5
61.7
74.3
63.5
63.1
64.4
65.7
67.0
67.4
67.9
68.2
68.5
69.2
75.8
76.7
78.0
78.9
79.6
82.8
82.7
84.4
83.0
86.5
1990 1………………………………………
1991………………………………………
1992………………………………………
1993………………………………………
1994 1………………………………………
1995………………………………………
1996………………………………………
1997 1………………………………………
1998 1………………………………………
1999 1………………………………………
71.9
74.3
75.8
77.1
76.4
75.4
75.0
74.5
76.3
76.5
71.5
73.7
75.2
76.5
74.5
73.2
73.8
74.6
76.1
75.7
85.5
86.1
88.1
88.8
86.5
86.3
88.1
86.8
85.4
83.7
2000 1………………………………………
2001………………………………………
2002………………………………………
2003 1………………………………………
2004 1………………………………………
2005 1………………………………………
2006 1………………………………………
-
71.7
64.3
64.5
65.5
66.6
67.6
68.2
69.3
69.9
70.1
70.1
77.0
76.4
77.9
79.5
80.3
81.0
80.8
75.8
75.6
78.0
79.4
79.8
80.2
80.1
84.2
85.8
90.4
88.4
88.9
89.2
87.9
79.9
76.9
74.9
77.5
76.4
80.6
79.2
88.0
88.2
88.1
88.3
87.1
87.7
87.1
1979………………………………………
$750
$767
$585
1980………………………………………
1981………………………………………
1982………………………………………
1983………………………………………
1984………………………………………
1985………………………………………
1986 1……………………………….........
1987………………………………………
1988………………………………………
1989………………………………………
724
720
729
727
723
726
736
735
736
734
740
741
751
743
739
746
760
763
761
756
566
569
557
564
559
544
559
554
569
546
1990 1………………………………………
1991………………………………………
1992………………………………………
1993………………………………………
1994 1………………………………………
1995………………………………………
1996………………………………………
1997 1………………………………………
1998 1………………………………………
1999 1………………………………………
719
711
705
701
702
706
712
724
739
748
738
730
723
720
735
743
742
745
759
772
2000 1………………………………………
2001………………………………………
2002………………………………………
2003 1………………………………………
2004 1………………………………………
2005 1………………………………………
2006 1………………………………………
749
763
760
761
760
745
743
1979………………………………………
1980………………………………………
1981………………………………………
1982………………………………………
1983………………………………………
1984………………………………………
1985………………………………………
1986 1……………………………….........
1987………………………………………
1988………………………………………
1989………………………………………
542
533
537
526
529
528
525
519
504
494
475
466
477
475
461
459
455
465
481
491
WOMEN'S EARNINGS
2
AS PERCENT OF MEN'S
See footnotes at end of table.
28
73.6
75.6
75.7
78.3
77.8
77.7
80.7
82.1
84.6
85.6
87.6
90.5
89.1
90.4
88.8
87.3
89.0
85.6
86.5
85.7
1
The comparability of historical labor force data
has been affected at various times by methodological
and conceptual changes in the Current Population
Survey (CPS). For an explanation, see the
Explanatory Notes and Estimates of Error section of
the February 2007 and subsequent issues of
Employment and Earnings, a monthly BLS periodical.
2
These figures are computed using unrounded
medians and may differ slightly from percents
computed using the rounded medians displayed in this
table.
NOTE: As of 2003, estimates for the above race
groups (white, black or African American, and Asian)
include persons who selected this race group only;
persons who selected more than one race group are
not included. Prior to 2003, persons who reported
more than one race were included in the group they
identified as the main race. Estimates for race groups
do not sum to totals because data are not presented
for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as
Hispanic or Latino may be of any race and, therefore,
are classified by ethnicity as well as by race. Data for
2000-2002 are for the category Asians and Pacific
Islanders. As of 2003, Asians constitute a separate
category. For more information, see the Explanatory
Notes and Estimates of Error section of Employment
and Earnings . Data for Asians were not tabulated
prior to 2000. Dash indicates data not available. The
Consumer Price Index research series using current
methods (CPI-U-RS) is used to convert current dollars
to constant dollars. See Technical Note.
29
Table 14. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers 25 years and older in constant (2006)
dollars by sex and educational attainment, 1979-2006 annual averages
Year and sex
Total,
25 years
and older
High
school,
no college 1
Less than a
high school
diploma
#
BOTH SEXES
Bachelor's
degree and
higher 2
Some college
or associate
degree
#
1979………………………………………………………………………
$682
$540
$639
$725
$885
1980………………………………………………………………………
1981………………………………………………………………………
1982………………………………………………………………………
1983………………………………………………………………………
1984………………………………………………………………………
1985………………………………………………………………………
1986 3 ……………………………….................................................
1987………………………………………………………………………
1988………………………………………………………………………
1989………………………………………………………………………
663
654
654
659
668
676
686
683
678
671
514
508
496
491
486
482
488
481
472
467
617
606
604
598
595
595
603
604
602
589
703
687
702
696
705
712
718
713
704
710
871
862
875
885
896
903
920
955
958
957
1990 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1991………………………………………………………………………
1992………………………………………………………………………
1993………………………………………………………………………
1994 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1995………………………………………………………………………
1996………………………………………………………………………
1997 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1998 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1999 3 ……………………………………………………………………
671
674
673
675
672
669
665
676
706
716
453
443
437
432
413
406
405
401
416
419
577
573
567
570
566
566
567
576
591
593
711
706
681
679
670
666
662
670
689
701
953
960
979
982
986
980
970
975
1,013
1,039
2000 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2001………………………………………………………………………
2002………………………………………………………………………
2003 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2004 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2005 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2006 3 ……………………………………………………………………
712
717
724
725
728
718
718
423
435
435
434
427
422
419
591
592
599
606
612
601
595
697
702
704
700
704
691
692
1,042
1,048
1,053
1,055
1,052
1,046
1,039
1979………………………………………………………………………
501
390
475
542
678
1980………………………………………………………………………
1981………………………………………………………………………
1982………………………………………………………………………
1983………………………………………………………………………
1984………………………………………………………………………
1985………………………………………………………………………
1986 3 ……………………………….................................................
1987………………………………………………………………………
1988………………………………………………………………………
1989………………………………………………………………………
493
494
509
514
522
529
541
544
548
550
379
370
368
374
368
361
364
363
361
363
464
461
472
473
477
478
486
488
488
478
535
540
549
552
562
566
578
589
589
595
671
674
693
708
720
740
765
789
794
796
1990 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1991………………………………………………………………………
1992………………………………………………………………………
1993………………………………………………………………………
1994 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1995………………………………………………………………………
1996………………………………………………………………………
1997 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1998 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1999 3 ……………………………………………………………………
552
559
562
570
566
561
568
578
599
601
359
360
360
361
345
344
343
344
349
350
470
474
473
476
472
467
467
474
489
489
590
590
573
580
568
560
565
574
588
590
800
811
835
839
852
845
840
841
873
895
2000 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2001………………………………………………………………………
2002………………………………………………………………………
2003 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2004 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2005 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2006 3 ……………………………………………………………………
603
617
637
640
639
631
627
356
359
364
360
356
352
358
492
504
513
520
520
508
500
591
592
609
614
615
606
602
884
894
906
912
916
911
905
WOMEN
See footnotes at end of table.
30
Table 14. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers 25 years and older in constant (2006)
dollars by sex and educational attainment, 1979-2006 annual averages—Continued
Year and sex
Total,
25 years
and older
Less than a
high school
diploma
High
school,
1
no college
#
MEN
Bachelor's
degree and
higher 2
Some college
or associate
degree
#
1979………………………………………………………………………
$807
$648
$793
$847
$1,018
1980………………………………………………………………………
1981………………………………………………………………………
1982………………………………………………………………………
1983………………………………………………………………………
1984………………………………………………………………………
1985………………………………………………………………………
1986 3 ……………………………….................................................
1987………………………………………………………………………
1988………………………………………………………………………
1989………………………………………………………………………
786
787
786
781
779
791
812
809
798
785
619
606
587
578
568
561
563
549
544
544
758
754
748
744
735
728
729
717
715
707
829
824
823
811
822
842
852
842
823
811
990
1,007
1,006
995
1,036
1,054
1,084
1,107
1,112
1,107
1990 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1991………………………………………………………………………
1992………………………………………………………………………
1993………………………………………………………………………
1994 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1995………………………………………………………………………
1996………………………………………………………………………
1997 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1998 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1999 3 ……………………………………………………………………
766
755
753
763
775
772
767
769
789
807
522
504
494
489
460
455
456
457
473
477
686
678
673
669
667
666
660
669
690
701
811
812
780
786
789
782
773
778
794
804
1,108
1,103
1,113
1,107
1,111
1,109
1,117
1,121
1,159
1,181
2000 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2001………………………………………………………………………
2002………………………………………………………………………
2003 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2004 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2005 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2006 3 ……………………………………………………………………
810
819
820
815
812
795
797
475
476
472
470
475
469
469
691
693
691
688
688
673
678
808
823
819
810
812
790
796
1,193
1,214
1,221
1,239
1,218
1,204
1,205
1979………………………………………………………………………
62.1
60.2
60.0
64.0
66.6
1980………………………………………………………………………
1981………………………………………………………………………
1982………………………………………………………………………
1983………………………………………………………………………
1984………………………………………………………………………
1985………………………………………………………………………
1986 3 ……………………………….................................................
1987………………………………………………………………………
1988………………………………………………………………………
1989………………………………………………………………………
62.7
62.7
64.7
65.8
67.0
66.9
66.7
67.3
68.7
70.2
61.3
61.1
62.8
64.6
64.8
64.4
64.7
66.1
66.4
66.8
61.3
61.0
63.1
63.5
64.9
65.7
66.6
68.0
68.3
67.6
64.5
65.6
66.7
68.1
68.4
67.2
67.9
69.9
71.5
73.3
67.8
66.9
68.9
71.1
69.5
70.2
70.6
71.3
71.4
71.9
1990 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1991………………………………………………………………………
1992………………………………………………………………………
1993………………………………………………………………………
1994 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1995………………………………………………………………………
1996………………………………………………………………………
1997 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1998 3 ……………………………………………………………………
1999 3 ……………………………………………………………………
72.1
74.0
74.6
74.7
73.1
72.7
74.1
75.1
75.9
74.4
68.8
71.5
72.8
73.8
74.9
75.4
75.2
75.2
73.7
73.5
68.6
69.9
70.3
71.3
70.8
70.2
70.7
70.8
70.9
69.8
72.8
72.6
73.4
73.7
72.0
71.6
73.1
73.8
74.0
73.5
72.2
73.5
75.0
75.8
76.7
76.2
75.2
75.0
75.3
75.7
2000 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2001………………………………………………………………………
2002………………………………………………………………………
2003 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2004 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2005 3 ……………………………………………………………………
2006 3 ……………………………………………………………………
74.5
75.3
77.6
78.5
78.7
79.4
78.7
74.9
75.4
77.1
76.7
74.9
75.1
76.4
71.2
72.7
74.3
75.6
75.6
75.6
73.8
73.1
71.9
74.3
75.7
75.8
76.6
75.6
74.1
73.7
74.2
73.6
75.2
75.7
75.1
WOMEN'S EARNINGS
4
AS PERCENT OF MEN'S
1
Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
issues of Employment and Earnings, a monthly BLS periodical.
2
Includes persons with a bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral
degree.
3
The comparability of historical labor force data has been affected at
various times by methodological and conceptual changes in the Current
Population Survey (CPS). For an explanation, see the Explanatory Notes
and Estimates of Error section of the February 2007 and subsequent
31
4
These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may
differ slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians
displayed in this table.
NOTE: The Consumer Price Index research series using current
methods (CPI-U-RS) is used to convert current dollars to constant
dollars. See Technical Note.
Table 15. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in constant (2006) dollars by sex and age,
1979-2006 annual averages
Total,
16 years
and
older
16 to 24 years
25 years and older
Total
16 to 19
years
20 to 24
years
Total
25 to 34
years
35 to 44
years
45 to 54
years
55 to 64
years
65 years
and
older
1979……………………………… $11.44
$8.99
$8.01
$10.37
$13.17
$13.40
$13.64
$13.29
$12.80
$8.33
1980………………………………
1981………………………………
1982…………………………….
1983………………………………
1984………………………………
1985………………………………
1986 1 ……………………………
1987…………………………….
1988………………………………
1989……………………………
11.19
10.93
10.82
10.76
10.78
10.78
10.90
10.98
11.02
11.00
8.62
8.43
8.12
7.85
7.73
7.62
7.75
7.79
7.85
7.78
7.49
7.60
7.23
6.95
6.75
6.58
6.52
6.47
6.60
6.64
9.95
9.78
9.35
9.02
8.91
8.84
8.90
8.85
8.82
8.89
12.87
12.71
12.58
12.58
12.64
12.61
12.70
12.66
12.69
12.49
13.12
12.93
12.71
12.49
12.50
12.37
12.32
12.21
12.18
12.00
13.35
13.16
13.25
13.28
13.25
13.40
13.68
13.47
13.39
13.46
13.11
12.76
12.86
12.93
13.08
13.19
13.59
13.35
13.37
13.24
12.50
12.33
12.24
12.32
12.23
12.35
12.59
12.59
12.26
12.29
8.27
8.32
8.26
8.46
8.56
8.47
8.73
8.63
8.58
8.52
1990 1 ……………………………
1991………………………………
1992………………………………
1993…………………………….
1994 1 ……………………………
1995………………………………
1996………………………………
1997 1 ……………………………
1998 1 ……………………………
1999 1 ……………………………
10.83
10.84
10.87
10.82
10.78
10.74
10.75
10.97
11.25
11.53
7.73
7.61
7.57
7.58
7.57
7.63
7.60
7.71
8.14
8.32
6.73
6.78
6.66
6.60
6.61
6.62
6.62
6.90
7.27
7.36
8.85
8.68
8.50
8.46
8.38
8.44
8.57
8.66
8.95
9.37
12.22
12.26
12.30
12.30
12.27
12.29
12.31
12.36
12.52
12.68
11.83
11.62
11.51
11.38
11.28
11.44
11.29
11.33
11.92
12.07
13.20
13.24
13.21
13.22
13.35
13.17
12.99
12.98
13.42
13.34
13.16
13.16
13.40
13.56
13.48
13.31
13.10
13.28
13.54
13.71
12.00
11.83
11.95
12.24
12.14
12.08
12.01
12.19
12.45
12.56
8.62
8.58
8.65
8.79
8.60
8.74
8.67
8.64
9.15
9.32
2000 1 ……………………………
2001………………………………
2002………………………………
2003 1 ……………………………
2004 1 ……………………………
2005 1 ……………………………
2006 1 ……………………………
11.59
11.59
11.72
11.88
11.73
11.55
11.76
8.46
8.75
8.74
8.66
8.51
8.33
8.24
7.50
7.69
7.74
7.59
7.46
7.27
7.23
9.44
9.53
9.49
9.49
9.36
9.20
9.16
12.72
12.97
13.25
13.20
13.03
12.88
12.94
11.90
12.13
12.30
12.32
12.12
12.13
11.95
13.27
13.62
13.64
13.64
13.74
13.53
13.49
13.82
13.85
13.95
14.21
14.10
13.92
14.03
12.65
12.94
13.27
13.35
13.41
13.36
13.33
9.41
9.71
10.15
10.07
10.26
10.25
10.15
1979………………………………
9.32
8.21
7.80
9.06
10.04
10.41
10.23
9.90
9.67
8.05
1980………………………………
1981………………………………
1982…………………………….
1983………………………………
1984………………………………
1985………………………………
1986 1 ……………………………
1987…………………………….
1988………………………………
1989……………………………
9.18
9.08
9.23
9.24
9.18
9.19
9.37
9.50
9.58
9.60
8.01
7.87
7.58
7.35
7.26
7.18
7.22
7.17
7.35
7.38
7.29
7.48
7.12
6.84
6.64
6.46
6.42
6.30
6.41
6.45
8.80
8.69
8.40
8.19
8.06
8.16
8.29
8.31
8.29
8.22
9.84
9.96
10.07
10.06
10.14
10.26
10.45
10.46
10.55
10.66
10.31
10.38
10.41
10.46
10.36
10.35
10.45
10.43
10.43
10.51
9.94
10.13
10.18
10.21
10.36
10.57
10.77
10.78
11.08
11.16
9.81
9.75
9.93
9.98
10.19
10.30
10.53
10.65
10.79
10.86
9.46
9.40
9.62
9.75
9.75
9.76
10.11
10.23
9.97
10.02
7.85
7.89
7.88
8.01
8.08
7.93
8.32
8.24
8.39
8.08
1990 1 ……………………………
1991………………………………
1992………………………………
1993…………………………….
1994 1 ……………………………
1995………………………………
1996………………………………
1997 1 ……………………………
1998 1 ……………………………
1999 1 ……………………………
9.64
9.75
9.80
9.79
9.76
9.80
9.90
9.95
10.17
10.46
7.41
7.35
7.28
7.25
7.17
7.21
7.28
7.46
7.71
7.99
6.52
6.71
6.60
6.51
6.51
6.49
6.53
6.79
7.14
7.24
8.34
8.25
8.13
8.20
8.05
8.01
8.02
8.21
8.57
8.74
10.58
10.61
10.78
10.82
10.83
10.74
10.80
10.97
11.29
11.53
10.49
10.39
10.49
10.47
10.48
10.41
10.32
10.28
10.87
11.02
11.03
11.17
11.25
11.22
11.36
11.34
11.38
11.46
11.94
11.90
10.71
10.99
11.18
11.25
11.38
11.46
11.44
11.61
12.08
12.05
10.07
10.05
10.14
10.40
10.52
10.43
10.33
10.41
10.93
11.29
8.16
8.32
8.41
8.51
8.40
8.47
8.26
8.56
8.91
9.08
2000 1 ……………………………
2001………………………………
2002………………………………
2003 1 ……………………………
2004 1 ……………………………
2005 1 ……………………………
2006 1 ……………………………
10.60
10.96
11.08
11.04
10.84
10.64
10.65
8.19
8.24
8.34
8.31
8.22
8.05
7.99
7.29
7.52
7.61
7.50
7.31
7.14
7.11
9.12
9.10
9.09
8.97
8.87
8.77
8.82
11.57
11.61
11.99
12.06
11.97
11.96
11.87
11.33
11.31
11.33
11.52
11.33
11.21
11.07
11.73
11.87
12.29
12.23
12.21
12.22
12.05
11.90
12.35
12.52
12.91
12.74
12.52
12.26
11.51
11.81
12.11
12.10
12.34
12.24
12.12
9.20
9.26
9.77
9.69
9.76
10.13
9.97
Year and sex
BOTH SEXES
WOMEN
See footnotes at end of table.
32
Table 15. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in constant (2006) dollars by sex and age,
1979-2006 annual averages—Continued
Total,
16 years
and
older
16 to 24 years
25 years and older
Total
16 to 19
years
20 to 24
years
Total
25 to 34
years
35 to 44
years
45 to 54
years
55 to 64
years
65 years
and
older
1979……………………………… $14.55
$10.06
$8.22
$11.96
$17.23
$16.42
$18.33
$18.28
$16.96
$9.19
1980………………………………
1981………………………………
1982…………………………….
1983………………………………
1984………………………………
1985………………………………
1986 1 ……………………………
1987…………………………….
1988………………………………
1989……………………………
14.13
13.93
13.73
13.30
13.16
13.11
13.33
13.19
12.97
12.73
9.52
9.16
8.77
8.43
8.45
8.38
8.42
8.33
8.25
8.13
7.83
7.74
7.34
7.06
6.88
6.72
6.72
6.72
6.79
6.90
11.41
10.85
10.27
9.70
9.55
9.37
9.54
9.64
9.50
9.47
16.73
16.51
16.18
15.97
15.89
15.82
15.84
15.55
15.36
15.26
16.05
15.56
15.35
14.88
14.56
14.29
14.11
14.02
13.78
13.46
18.10
17.60
17.79
17.71
17.56
17.52
17.55
17.13
16.75
16.65
18.04
18.02
17.79
17.60
17.90
17.83
17.82
17.37
17.52
17.10
16.78
16.72
16.30
16.80
16.37
16.17
16.75
16.48
15.96
15.72
8.80
8.95
8.95
9.14
9.07
8.92
9.11
9.03
9.06
9.27
1990 1 ……………………………
1991………………………………
1992………………………………
1993…………………………….
1994 1 ……………………………
1995………………………………
1996………………………………
1997 1 ……………………………
1998 1 ……………………………
1999 1 ……………………………
12.37
12.41
12.21
12.19
12.11
12.12
12.19
12.32
12.43
12.48
8.14
8.06
7.96
7.91
7.91
7.94
7.91
8.08
8.54
8.62
6.95
6.86
6.76
6.70
6.71
6.76
6.73
7.04
7.39
7.49
9.25
9.01
8.79
8.72
8.84
8.96
8.95
8.99
9.61
9.73
14.73
14.41
14.16
14.00
13.84
14.09
13.80
13.91
14.48
14.53
13.22
12.92
12.70
12.51
12.25
12.43
12.42
12.43
12.63
13.12
16.06
15.86
15.39
15.35
15.47
15.61
15.24
15.12
15.42
15.47
16.65
16.91
16.92
16.70
16.28
16.18
15.87
16.03
16.11
16.56
15.22
14.56
14.62
15.08
14.87
14.59
14.27
14.77
15.10
14.78
9.11
8.98
9.09
9.23
8.93
9.00
9.01
8.72
9.57
9.52
2000 1 ……………………………
2001………………………………
2002………………………………
2003 1 ……………………………
2004 1 ……………………………
2005 1 ……………………………
2006 1 ……………………………
12.64
12.88
13.04
13.02
12.81
12.55
12.68
8.92
9.11
9.02
8.92
8.75
8.69
8.79
7.77
7.85
7.86
7.69
7.63
7.44
7.43
9.82
10.15
9.94
9.85
9.66
9.49
9.75
14.32
14.65
14.61
14.51
14.65
14.36
14.27
12.83
13.17
13.31
13.15
12.82
12.56
12.63
15.37
15.84
15.63
15.48
15.57
15.35
15.06
16.26
16.21
16.13
16.35
16.11
15.62
16.04
14.98
14.74
14.98
15.43
15.50
15.26
15.04
9.72
10.24
10.95
10.72
10.56
10.36
10.72
Year and sex
MEN
WOMEN'S EARNINGS
AS PERCENT OF MEN'S 2
1979………………………………
64.0
81.7
94.9
75.8
58.3
63.4
55.8
54.1
57.0
87.7
1980………………………………
1981………………………………
1982…………………………….
1983………………………………
1984………………………………
1985………………………………
1986 1 ……………………………
1987…………………………….
1988………………………………
1989……………………………
64.9
65.2
67.3
69.5
69.8
70.1
70.3
72.0
73.9
75.5
84.1
86.0
86.5
87.1
86.0
85.7
85.8
86.0
89.1
90.8
93.1
96.6
97.1
96.9
96.6
96.1
95.5
93.7
94.4
93.4
77.2
80.2
81.8
84.4
84.5
87.2
86.9
86.2
87.3
86.9
58.8
60.3
62.2
63.0
63.8
64.8
66.0
67.3
68.7
69.9
64.2
66.7
67.8
70.3
71.1
72.4
74.1
74.4
75.7
78.1
54.9
57.6
57.2
57.6
59.0
60.3
61.4
62.9
66.2
67.0
54.4
54.1
55.8
56.7
56.9
57.8
59.1
61.4
61.6
63.5
56.4
56.2
59.0
58.0
59.5
60.4
60.3
62.1
62.5
63.8
89.3
88.1
88.1
87.6
89.1
88.9
91.3
91.2
92.6
87.2
1990 1 ……………………………
1991………………………………
1992………………………………
1993…………………………….
1994 1 ……………………………
1995………………………………
1996………………………………
1997 1 ……………………………
1998 1 ……………………………
1999 1 ……………………………
77.9
78.6
80.2
80.4
80.6
80.8
81.2
80.8
81.8
83.8
91.0
91.2
91.4
91.6
90.6
90.9
92.0
92.3
90.3
92.7
93.8
97.8
97.7
97.2
97.0
96.0
96.9
96.6
96.7
96.7
90.2
91.6
92.5
94.1
91.1
89.4
89.5
91.3
89.1
89.8
71.9
73.6
76.1
77.3
78.2
76.2
78.3
78.9
77.9
79.4
79.4
80.4
82.6
83.7
85.5
83.7
83.1
82.7
86.1
84.0
68.7
70.4
73.1
73.1
73.4
72.6
74.7
75.8
77.4
76.9
64.3
65.0
66.0
67.3
69.9
70.9
72.1
72.4
75.0
72.8
66.2
69.0
69.4
69.0
70.7
71.4
72.4
70.5
72.4
76.4
89.6
92.6
92.5
92.2
94.0
94.1
91.7
98.1
93.1
95.4
2000 1 ……………………………
2001………………………………
2002………………………………
2003 1 ……………………………
2004 1 ……………………………
2005 1 ……………………………
2006 1 ……………………………
83.9
85.1
85.0
84.8
84.6
84.8
84.0
91.8
90.5
92.5
93.2
93.9
92.6
90.9
93.8
95.8
96.8
97.6
95.9
96.0
95.8
92.9
89.6
91.4
91.1
91.7
92.3
90.5
80.8
79.2
82.1
83.1
81.7
83.3
83.1
88.3
85.9
85.1
87.6
88.3
89.2
87.6
76.3
75.0
78.6
79.0
78.4
79.6
80.0
73.2
76.2
77.6
79.0
79.1
80.1
76.4
76.8
80.2
80.8
78.4
79.6
80.2
80.6
94.6
90.4
89.2
90.4
92.5
97.7
92.9
1
The comparability of historical labor force data has been affected at various
times by methodological and conceptual changes in the Current Population
Survey (CPS). For an explanation, see the Explanatory Notes and Estimates of
Error section of the February 2007 and subsequent issues of Employment and
Earnings , a monthly BLS periodical.
2
These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
33
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in
this table.
NOTE: The Consumer Price Index research series using current
methods (CPI-U-RS) is used to convert current dollars to constant dollars.
See Technical Note.
Table 16. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in constant
(2006) dollars by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 1979-2006 annual averages
Year and sex
Total,
16 years
and older
Black or
African
American
White
#
BOTH SEXES
Hispanic
or
Latino
Asian
#
$10.50
10.19
10.11
9.94
9.87
9.82
10.07
9.93
10.04
10.37
10.71
-
11.65
11.67
12.00
12.01
11.86
11.85
11.86
10.93
11.13
11.12
11.12
10.86
10.50
10.66
$11.78
12.23
11.60
12.18
11.84
12.39
12.53
9.99
10.31
10.33
10.69
10.46
10.27
10.12
9.32
9.33
9.14
9.19
9.10
9.25
9.25
9.20
9.20
9.40
9.54
9.61
9.64
9.01
8.90
9.01
9.08
9.01
9.02
9.09
9.17
9.20
9.25
1990 1………………………………………
1991………………………………………
1992………………………………………
1993………………………………………
1994 1………………………………………
1995………………………………………
1996………………………………………
1997 1………………………………………
1998 1………………………………………
1999 1………………………………………
9.64
9.75
9.80
9.79
9.76
9.80
9.90
9.95
10.17
10.46
9.67
9.78
9.85
9.84
9.88
9.91
9.98
10.02
10.30
10.57
9.32
9.47
9.35
9.45
9.33
9.35
9.21
9.51
9.76
9.85
-
8.86
9.18
9.08
9.23
9.24
9.18
9.19
9.37
9.50
9.58
9.60
2000 1………………………………………
2001………………………………………
2002………………………………………
2003 1………………………………………
2004 1………………………………………
2005 1………………………………………
2006 1………………………………………
10.60
10.96
11.08
11.04
10.84
10.64
10.65
10.63
11.07
11.13
11.08
10.89
10.84
10.77
10.36
10.42
10.58
10.85
10.59
10.24
10.11
11.43
11.45
11.31
11.70
11.27
12.02
11.95
9.23
9.42
9.56
9.72
9.63
9.47
9.50
1979………………………………………
$11.44
$11.61
$10.58
1980………………………………………
1981………………………………………
1982………………………………………
1983………………………………………
1984………………………………………
1985………………………………………
1986 1……………………………….........
1987………………………………………
1988………………………………………
1989………………………………………
11.19
10.93
10.82
10.76
10.78
10.78
10.90
10.98
11.02
11.00
11.31
11.00
10.96
10.89
10.90
10.91
11.03
11.14
11.16
11.13
10.31
10.41
10.14
9.89
9.91
9.84
10.20
10.17
10.08
10.10
1990 1………………………………………
1991………………………………………
1992………………………………………
1993………………………………………
1994 1………………………………………
1995………………………………………
1996………………………………………
1997 1………………………………………
1998 1………………………………………
1999 1………………………………………
10.83
10.84
10.87
10.82
10.78
10.74
10.75
10.97
11.25
11.53
10.98
10.99
11.01
10.96
10.91
10.93
10.97
11.13
11.39
11.78
2000 1………………………………………
2001………………………………………
2002………………………………………
2003 1………………………………………
2004 1………………………………………
2005 1………………………………………
2006 1………………………………………
11.59
11.59
11.72
11.88
11.73
11.55
11.76
1979………………………………………
1980………………………………………
1981………………………………………
1982………………………………………
1983………………………………………
1984………………………………………
1985………………………………………
1986 1………………………………………
1987………………………………………
1988………………………………………
1989………………………………………
10.30
10.21
10.04
9.79
9.75
9.78
9.93
9.89
9.76
9.55
9.40
9.34
9.36
9.39
9.32
9.21
9.18
9.27
9.79
9.78
WOMEN
See footnotes at end of table.
34
8.77
8.71
8.69
8.51
8.60
8.63
8.79
8.67
8.66
8.70
8.69
8.65
8.70
8.69
8.62
8.68
8.67
8.54
8.92
9.04
Table 16. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in
constant (2006) dollars by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 1979-2006
annual averages—Continued
Year and sex
Total,
16 years
and older
Black or
African
American
White
#
MEN
Hispanic
or
Latino
Asian
#
$12.34
11.03
10.94
10.73
10.55
10.66
10.72
10.47
10.87
11.23
11.83
-
12.81
13.20
13.29
13.18
12.96
12.87
12.88
11.67
11.58
11.47
11.84
11.60
11.25
11.42
$12.62
13.47
12.34
13.03
12.69
13.15
13.18
10.57
11.00
11.11
10.99
10.69
10.52
10.84
64.0
62.6
72.6
63.6
63.9
66.1
68.1
68.6
67.8
68.8
70.8
72.8
74.1
75.0
72.2
75.3
79.3
79.2
82.0
78.8
80.2
80.9
83.2
1990 1………………………………………
1991………………………………………
1992………………………………………
1993………………………………………
1994 1………………………………………
1995………………………………………
1996………………………………………
1997 1………………………………………
1998 1………………………………………
1999 1………………………………………
77.9
78.6
80.2
80.4
80.6
80.8
81.2
80.8
81.8
83.8
75.6
76.7
78.7
78.9
79.7
78.4
79.6
80.3
81.9
82.3
84.5
86.6
87.2
89.6
87.5
87.3
88.0
87.5
86.9
83.2
-
71.8
64.9
65.2
67.3
69.5
69.8
70.1
70.3
72.0
73.9
75.5
2000 1………………………………………
2001………………………………………
2002………………………………………
2003 1………………………………………
2004 1………………………………………
2005 1………………………………………
2006 1………………………………………
83.9
85.1
85.0
84.8
84.6
84.8
84.0
83.0
83.9
83.8
84.1
84.0
84.2
83.6
88.7
89.9
92.3
91.6
91.3
91.1
88.5
90.6
85.0
91.7
89.8
88.8
91.3
90.7
87.4
85.7
86.1
88.5
90.2
90.0
87.6
1979………………………………………
$14.55
$14.92
$12.59
1980………………………………………
1981………………………………………
1982………………………………………
1983………………………………………
1984………………………………………
1985………………………………………
1986 1……………………………….........
1987………………………………………
1988………………………………………
1989………………………………………
14.13
13.93
13.73
13.30
13.16
13.11
13.33
13.19
12.97
12.73
14.43
14.24
13.99
13.59
13.41
13.56
13.67
13.46
13.20
13.02
12.01
12.32
11.97
11.45
11.38
10.99
11.54
11.44
11.37
11.12
1990 1………………………………………
1991………………………………………
1992………………………………………
1993………………………………………
1994 1………………………………………
1995………………………………………
1996………………………………………
1997 1………………………………………
1998 1………………………………………
1999 1………………………………………
12.37
12.41
12.21
12.19
12.11
12.12
12.19
12.32
12.43
12.48
12.79
12.74
12.52
12.47
12.39
12.64
12.53
12.48
12.57
12.85
2000 1………………………………………
2001………………………………………
2002………………………………………
2003 1………………………………………
2004 1………………………………………
2005 1………………………………………
2006 1………………………………………
12.64
12.88
13.04
13.02
12.81
12.55
12.68
1979………………………………………
1980………………………………………
1981………………………………………
1982………………………………………
1983………………………………………
1984………………………………………
1985………………………………………
1986 1……………………………….........
1987………………………………………
1988………………………………………
1989………………………………………
11.66
11.39
11.48
11.17
11.15
10.86
10.88
10.81
10.66
10.47
10.10
9.95
9.84
9.80
9.65
9.54
9.75
9.90
10.19
10.43
WOMEN'S EARNINGS
AS PERCENT OF MEN'S 2
See footnotes at end of table.
35
75.2
76.4
75.7
76.1
77.1
79.5
80.8
80.3
81.2
83.1
86.1
86.9
88.4
88.7
89.3
90.9
88.9
86.3
87.5
86.7
1
The comparability of historical labor force data has
been affected at various times by methodological and
conceptual changes in the Current Population Survey
(CPS). For an explanation, see the Explanatory Notes
and Estimates of Error section of the February 2007 and
subsequent issues of Employment and Earnings , a
monthly BLS periodical.
one race were included in the group they identified as the
main race. Estimates for race groups do not sum to
totals because data are not presented for all races.
Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or
Latino may be of any race and, therefore, are classified
by ethnicity as well as by race. Data for 2000-2002 are
for the category Asians and Pacific Islanders. As of
2003, Asians constitute a separate category. For more
information, see the Explanatory Notes and Estimates of
Error section of Employment and Earnings . Data for
Asians were not tabulated prior to 2000. Dash indicates
data not available. The Consumer Price Index research
series using current methods (CPI-U-RS) is used to
convert current dollars to constant dollars. See
Technical Note.
2
These figures are computed using unrounded
medians and may differ slightly from percents computed
using the rounded medians displayed in this table.
NOTE: As of 2003, estimates for the above race
groups (white, black or African American, and Asian)
include persons who selected this race group only;
persons who selected more than one race group are not
included. Prior to 2003, persons who reported more than
36
Table 17. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing Federal minimum wage by
sex, 1979-2006 annual averages
(Numbers in thousands)
Workers paid hourly rates
Year and sex
Total
wage and
salary
workers
Percent
of total
wage and
salary
workers
Total
Below
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
At
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
Total at or below prevailing
Federal minimum wage
Number
Percent of
workers
paid hourly
rates
BOTH SEXES
87,529
51,721
59.1
2,916
3,997
6,912
13.4
87,644
1980………………………………………………
1981………………………………………………
88,516
1982………………………………………………
87,368
88,290
1983………………………………………………
1984………………………………………………
92,194
1985………………………………………………
94,521
19861 ……………………………………………… 96,903
1987………………………………………………
99,303
1988……………………………………………… 101,407
1989……………………………………………… 103,480
51,335
51,869
50,846
51,820
54,143
55,762
57,529
59,552
60,878
62,389
58.6
58.6
58.2
58.7
58.7
59.0
59.4
60.0
60.0
60.3
3,087
3,513
2,348
2,077
1,838
1,639
1,599
1,468
1,319
1,372
4,686
4,311
4,148
4,261
4,125
3,899
3,461
3,229
2,608
1,790
7,773
7,824
6,496
6,338
5,963
5,538
5,060
4,698
3,927
3,162
15.1
15.1
12.8
12.2
11.0
9.9
8.8
7.9
6.5
5.1
19901 ………………………………………………
1991………………………………………………
1992………………………………………………
1993………………………………………………
19941 ………………………………………………
1995………………………………………………
1996………………………………………………
19971 ………………………………………………
19981 …………………………………………….
19991 ………………………………………………
104,876
103,723
104,668
106,101
107,989
110,038
111,960
114,533
116,730
118,963
63,172
62,627
63,610
64,274
66,549
68,354
69,255
70,735
71,440
72,306
60.2
60.4
60.8
60.6
61.6
62.1
61.9
61.8
61.2
60.8
2,132
2,377
1,939
1,707
1,995
1,699
2 1,863
2 2,990
2,834
2,194
2 1,096
2
20001 …………………………………………….
2001………………………………………………
2002………………………………………………
20031 ………………………………………………
20041 ………………………………………………
20051 ………………………………………………
20061 ………………………………………………
122,089
122,229
121,826
122,358
123,554
125,889
128,237
73,496
73,392
72,508
72,946
73,939
75,609
76,514
60.2
60.0
59.5
59.6
59.8
60.1
59.7
1,752
1,518
1,579
1,555
1,483
1,403
1,283
898
656
567
545
520
479
409
2,650
2,174
2,146
2,100
2,003
1,882
1,692
3.6
3.0
3.0
2.9
2.7
2.5
2.2
1979………………………………………………
38,129
23,329
61.2
2,070
2,644
4,714
20.2
1980………………………………………………
1981………………………………………………
1982………………………………………………
1983………………………………………………
1984………………………………………………
1985………………………………………………
19861 ………………………………………………
1987………………………………………………
1988………………………………………………
1989………………………………………………
38,944
39,672
39,777
40,433
42,172
43,506
44,961
46,365
47,495
48,691
23,626
24,294
24,365
24,989
26,003
26,869
27,863
29,078
29,820
30,702
60.7
61.2
61.3
61.8
61.7
61.8
62.0
62.7
62.8
63.1
2,104
2,394
1,651
1,492
1,348
1,198
1,192
1,105
1,008
994
2,990
2,778
2,561
2,603
2,499
2,356
2,125
1,946
1,542
1,056
5,095
5,172
4,212
4,095
3,847
3,554
3,317
3,051
2,550
2,050
21.6
21.3
17.3
16.4
14.8
13.2
11.9
10.5
8.6
6.7
19901 ………………………………………………
1991………………………………………………
1992………………………………………………
1993………………………………………………
19941 ………………………………………………
1995………………………………………………
1996………………………………………………
19971 ………………………………………………
19981 …………………………………………….
19991 ………………………………………………
49,323
49,105
49,842
50,626
51,419
52,369
53,488
54,708
55,757
57,050
31,069
30,988
31,454
31,937
33,021
33,934
34,418
35,214
35,680
36,233
63.0
63.1
63.1
63.1
64.2
64.8
64.3
64.4
64.0
63.5
2 1,420
2
1,582
1,286
1,133
1,322
1,157
2 1,244
2
1,843
1,794
1,426
2 1,792
1,751
1,534
1,241
1,161
2 1,106
2 1,092
965
700
3,374
3,036
2,667
2,563
2,318
2 2,350
2 2,935
2,760
2,126
20001 …………………………………………….
2001………………………………………………
2002………………………………………………
20031 ………………………………………………
20041 ………………………………………………
20051 ………………………………………………
20061 ………………………………………………
58,427
58,582
58,555
59,122
59,408
60,423
61,426
36,777
36,848
36,508
37,093
37,133
37,957
38,321
62.9
62.9
62.3
62.7
62.5
62.8
62.4
1,170
1,021
997
1,062
1,013
944
861
579
409
350
332
310
290
263
1,749
1,430
1,347
1,394
1,323
1,234
1,124
1979………………………………………………
2
2
2,906
2,982
2,625
2,132
1,956
2 1,861
2 1,764
1,593
1,146
2
2
3,228
5,283
4,921
4,332
4,128
3,656
2 3,724
2
4,754
4,427
3,340
2
2
5.1
8.4
7.7
6.7
6.2
5.3
2
5.4
2
6.7
6.2
4.6
WOMEN
See footnotes at end of table.
37
2
711
2 2,131
2
2 6.9
2
10.9
9.7
8.4
7.8
6.8
2 6.8
2
8.3
7.7
5.9
4.8
3.9
3.7
3.8
3.6
3.3
2.9
Table 17. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing Federal minimum wage by
sex, 1979-2006 annual averages—Continued
(Numbers in thousands)
Workers paid hourly rates
Year and sex
Total
wage and
salary
workers
Percent
of total
wage and
salary
workers
Total
Below
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
At
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
Total at or below prevailing
Federal minimum wage
Number
Percent of
workers
paid hourly
rates
MEN
1979………………………………………………
49,400
28,392
57.5
846
1,353
2,199
7.7
1980………………………………………………
1981………………………………………………
1982………………………………………………
1983………………………………………………
1984………………………………………………
1985………………………………………………
19861 ………………………………………………
1987………………………………………………
1988………………………………………………
1989………………………………………………
48,700
48,844
47,591
47,856
50,022
51,015
51,942
52,938
53,912
54,789
27,709
27,576
26,481
26,831
28,140
28,893
29,666
30,474
31,058
31,687
56.9
56.5
55.6
56.1
56.3
56.6
57.1
57.6
57.6
57.8
983
1,119
697
585
490
440
408
364
311
379
1,696
1,533
1,587
1,658
1,626
1,544
1,336
1,283
1,066
733
2,678
2,652
2,284
2,243
2,116
1,984
1,743
1,647
1,377
1,112
9.7
9.6
8.6
8.4
7.5
6.9
5.9
5.4
4.4
3.5
19901 ………………………………………………
1991………………………………………………
1992………………………………………………
1993………………………………………………
19941 ………………………………………………
1995………………………………………………
1996………………………………………………
19971 ………………………………………………
19981 …………………………………………….
19991 ………………………………………………
55,553
54,618
54,826
55,475
56,570
57,669
58,473
59,825
60,973
61,914
32,104
31,639
32,155
32,337
33,528
34,420
34,838
35,521
35,761
36,073
57.8
57.9
58.6
58.3
59.3
59.7
59.6
59.4
58.7
58.3
2
712
795
653
573
674
542
2
619
2 1,147
1,039
768
2 3.4
2
20001 …………………………………………….
2001………………………………………………
2002………………………………………………
20031 ………………………………………………
20041 ………………………………………………
20051 ………………………………………………
20061 ………………………………………………
63,662
63,647
63,272
63,236
64,145
65,466
66,811
36,720
36,544
36,000
35,853
36,806
37,652
38,193
57.7
57.4
56.9
56.7
57.4
57.5
57.2
582
497
582
493
470
459
422
1
The comparability of historical labor force data has been affected at
various times by methodological and conceptual changes in the Current
Population Survey (CPS). For an explanation, see the Explanatory Notes
and Estimates of Error section of the February 2007 and subsequent
issues of Employment and Earnings, a monthly BLS periodical.
2
2
385
2 1,097
2 1,114
2
2 1,909
1,231
1,091
891
796
2
755
2
673
628
446
1,885
1,664
1,565
1,338
2
1,374
2
1,820
1,667
1,214
6.0
5.9
5.1
4.7
3.9
2
3.9
2
5.1
4.7
3.4
319
247
217
213
210
189
146
901
744
799
706
680
648
568
2.5
2.0
2.2
2.0
1.8
1.7
1.5
that took place in those years.
NOTE: The prevailing Federal minimum wage was $2.90 in 1979, $3.10
in 1980, and $3.35 in 1981-89. The minimum wage rose to $3.80 in April
1990, to $4.25 in April 1991, to $4.75 in October 1996, and to $5.15 in
September 1997. See Technical Note for more information about minimum
wage workers.
Data for 1990-91 and 1996-97 reflect changes in the minimum wage
38
Technical Note
is estimated through the linear interpolation of the interval
in which the median lies.
Over-the-year changes in the medians (and 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:
T
he estimates in this report were obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS), which provides a wide
range of information on the labor force, employment,
and unemployment. The survey is conducted monthly for
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the U.S. Census
Bureau using a national sample of about 60,000 households,
with coverage in all 50 States and the District of Columbia.
The earnings data are collected from one-fourth of the CPS
monthly sample.
Material in this report is in the public domain and, with
appropriate credit, may be used without permission. This
information is available to sensory-impaired individuals on
upon request. Voice telephone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: 1-800-877-8339.
• 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 older may rise, but if
the lower earning 16-to-24 age group accounts for a greatly increased share of the total, the overall median could
actually fall.
• 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, for
example, $250, $300, or $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. For example, medians measure the central
tendency of a multipeaked distribution that shifts over
time. As the distribution shifts, the median does not
necessarily move at the same rate. Specifically, the median
takes relatively more time to move through a frequently
reported interval but, once above the upper limit of such
an interval, it can move relatively quickly to the next
frequently reported earnings interval. BLS procedures
for estimating medians (and other quantile boundaries)
mitigate such irregular movements of the measures;
however, users should be cautious of these effects when
evaluating short-term changes in the medians and in ratios
of the medians.
Concepts and definitions
The principal concepts and definitions used in connection
with the earnings data in this report are described below.
Usual weekly earnings. Data are collected on wages and
salaries before taxes and other deductions, and include any
overtime pay, commissions, or tips usually received (at the
principal job in the case of multiple jobholders). Self-employed workers are excluded, regardless of whether their
businesses are incorporated. 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 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.
Constant dollars. The Consumer Price Index research
series using current methods (CPI-U-RS) is used to convert current dollars to constant dollars. BLS has made
numerous improvements to the Consumer Price Index
(CPI) over the past quarter-century. While these improvements make the present and future CPI more accurate,
historical price index series are not adjusted to reflect the
improvements. Because many researchers need a historical series that measures price change consistently over
the entire period, the CPI-U-RS provides an estimate of
the CPI that incorporates most of the methodological improvements made since 1978 into the entire series. For
further information, see “CPI research series using current
methods, 1978-98” by Kenneth J. Stewart and Stephen B.
Reed, Monthly Labor Review, June 1999, pp. 29-38; and
“Questions and Answers: Consumer Price Index Research
Series Using Current Methods” on the Internet at www.
bls.gov/cpi/cpirsdc.htm.
Medians (and quantiles) of weekly earnings. Most of the
earnings estimates shown in this report are medians. The median (or upper limit of the second quartile) is the amount that
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 workers in 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 BLS estimating procedure for determining the median of an earnings distribution places each reported or calculated weekly earnings value into a $50-wide interval that is
centered on a multiple of $50. The actual value of the median
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This report uses the most recent version of the CPI-URS available at the time of production. Users should note,
however, that the CPI-U-RS is subject to periodic revision. As a result, the rate of inflation incorporated into
the constant-dollar earnings estimates in this report may
differ from that in previous reports in this series or in other
publications.
The prevailing Federal minimum wage was: $2.90 effective January 1979; $3.10 effective January 1980; $3.35
effective January 1981; $3.80 effective April 1990; $4.25
effective April 1991; $4.75 effective October 1996; and $5.15
effective September 1997. Data for 1990-91 and 1996-97 in
table 17 reflect changes in the minimum wage that took place
during those years. It should be noted that some States have
established minimum wage standards that exceed the Federal
level.
The presence of workers with hourly earnings below the
minimum wage does not necessarily indicate violations of
the Fair Labor Standards Act, as there are exemptions to the
minimum wage provisions of the law. In addition, some
workers might have rounded their hourly earnings to the
nearest dollar in response to survey questions. As a result,
some might have been reported with hourly earnings below
the minimum wage when, in fact, they earned the minimum
wage or higher.
Wage and salary workers. These are 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 purposes of the earnings series, excludes all self-employed persons, whether or not their businesses are incorporated.
Full-time workers. Workers who usually work 35 hours or
more per week at their sole or principal job are defined as
working full time for estimates of earnings.
Reliability
Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and
nonsampling error. When a sample, rather than an 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 generally are conducted at the
90-percent level of confidence. Estimates of earnings and
their standard errors can be used to construct approximate
confidence intervals, or ranges of values that include the true
population value with known probabilities.
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 data collection or processing.
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 Employment and Earnings, on the BLS Web site at www.bls.
gov/cps/eetech_methods.pdf.
Part-time workers. Workers who usually work fewer than
35 hours per week at their sole or principal job are defined as
working part time for estimates of earnings.
Workers paid by the hour. Workers who are paid an hourly
wage make up approximately three-fifths of all wage and
salary workers. Workers paid by the hour are, therefore, included in the full- and part-time worker tables in this report,
along with salaried workers and other workers not paid by
the hour. (Data for workers paid at hourly rates are presented
separately in tables 9 to 11 and 15 to 17.)
Workers paid at or below the Federal minimum wage. The
estimates of the numbers of workers with reported earnings
at or below the Federal minimum wage in tables 11 and 17
pertain only to workers who are paid hourly rates. Salaried
workers and other workers who are not paid by the hour are
not included, even though some have earnings that, when
converted to hourly rates, are at or below the minimum wage.
Consequently, the estimates presented in this report likely understate the actual number of workers with hourly earnings at
or below the minimum wage. Research has shown, however,
that the degree of understatement is small. BLS does not routinely estimate hourly earnings for workers not paid by the
hour because of data quality concerns associated with such an
estimation process.
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