HOUSEHOLD DATA HOUSEHOLD DATA

ANNUAL AVERAGES ANNUAL AVERAGES

44. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing Federal minimum wage by selected

characteristics

(Numbers in thousands)

Characteristic

2008

Workers paid hourly rates

Total

Below

prevailing

Federal

minimum

wage

At

prevailing

Federal

minimum

wage

Total at or below prevailing

Federal minimum

wage

Number

Percent of

hourly-paid

workers

AGE AND SEX

Total, 16 years and over ....................................................... 75,305 1,940 286 2,226 3.0

 16 to 24 years ..................................................................... 15,680 961 161 1,122 7.2

 25 years and over ............................................................... 59,626 979 125 1,104 1.9

 Men, 16 years and over ...................................................... 37,334 638 90 728 2.0

 16 to 24 years ................................................................... 7,978 326 58 384 4.8

 25 years and over ............................................................. 29,356 313 32 345 1.2

 Women, 16 years and over ................................................ 37,972 1,302 196 1,497 3.9

 16 to 24 years ................................................................... 7,701 635 103 738 9.6

 25 years and over ............................................................. 30,270 666 93 759 2.5

RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX

 White, 16 years and over .................................................... 60,464 1,568 215 1,783 2.9

 Men ................................................................................... 30,533 495 65 560 1.8

 Women ............................................................................. 29,931 1,073 151 1,223 4.1

 Black or African American, 16 years and over ................... 9,866 259 49 308 3.1

 Men ................................................................................... 4,408 105 17 123 2.8

 Women ............................................................................. 5,457 154 32 186 3.4

 Asian, 16 years and over .................................................... 2,844 58 11 69 2.4

 Men ................................................................................... 1,301 24 3 27 2.1

 Women ............................................................................. 1,543 34 8 41 2.7

 Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 16 years and over .................. 13,070 285 39 324 2.5

 Men ................................................................................... 7,756 117 15 132 1.7

 Women ............................................................................. 5,313 168 23 191 3.6

FULL- AND PART-TIME STATUS AND SEX 1

 Full-time workers ................................................................ 56,837 778 95 873 1.5

 Men ................................................................................... 31,363 313 27 341 1.1

 Women ............................................................................. 25,474 464 68 532 2.1

 Part-time workers ............................................................... 18,334 1,162 191 1,353 7.4

 Men ................................................................................... 5,903 325 63 388 6.6

 Women ............................................................................. 12,431 837 128 965 7.8

1 The distinction between full- and part-time workers is based on

hours usually worked. These data will not sum to totals because full- or

part-time status on the principal job is not identifiable for a small number

of multiple jobholders.

NOTE: The prevailing Federal minimum wage was $5.85 per hour

from January 2008 to July 23, 2008. Beginning July 24, 2008, the

prevailing Federal minimum wage increased to $6.55 per hour. Data

are for wage and salary workers. All self-employed persons are

excluded regardless of whether or not their businesses are

incorporated. The data refer to a person’s earnings on the sole or

principal job, and pertain only to workers who are paid hourly rates. 

Salaried workers and other nonhourly workers are not included. The

presence of workers with hourly earnings below the minimum wage

does not necessarily indicate violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act,

as there are exceptions to the minimum wage provisions of the law. In

addition, some survey respondents reported hourly earnings below the

minimum wage even though they earned the minimum wage or higher. 

Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of

January data. 

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