For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Wednesday, August 13, 2014 USDL-14-1498 

Technical information: (202) 691-6378 • cpsinfo@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/cps 

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov 

EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUTH — SUMMER 2014

From April to July 2014, the number of employed youth 16 to 24 years old increased by 2.1 million to 

20.1 million, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This year, 51.9 percent of young people 

were employed in July, up from 50.7 percent a year earlier. (The month of July typically is the 

summertime peak in youth employment.) Unemployment among youth rose by 913,000 from April to 

July 2014, compared with an increase of 692,000 for the same period in 2013. (Because this analysis 

focuses on the seasonal changes in youth employment and unemployment that occur each spring and 

summer, the data are not seasonally adjusted.) 

Labor force 

The youth labor force—16- to 24-year-olds working or actively looking for work—grows sharply 

between April and July each year. During these months, large numbers of high school and college 

students search for or take summer jobs, and many graduates enter the labor market to look for or begin 

permanent employment. This summer, the youth labor force grew by 3.0 million, or 14.5 percent, to a 

total of 23.4 million in July. (See table 1.) 

The labor force participation rate for all youth was 60.5 percent in July, the same as the July value in 

the prior two summers, but above the July low of 59.5 percent in 2011. (The labor force participation 

rate is the proportion of the population that is working or looking for work.) The summer labor force 

participation rate of youth had been declining for many years. The July 2014 participation rate was 

17.0 percentage points below the peak rate for that month in 1989 (77.5 percent). (See table 2.) 

The July 2014 labor force participation rate for 16- to 24-year-old men was 63.2 percent, higher than the 

rate for young women at 57.8 percent. Both rates were about the same as a year earlier. For several 

decades prior to 1989, the July labor force participation rate for young men showed no clear trend, 

ranging from 81 to 86 percent. Since 1989, however, their July participation rate has declined, falling by 

nearly 20 percentage points. The July labor force participation rate for young women peaked in 1989 at 

72.4 percent, following a long-term upward trend; their rate has since fallen by about 15 percentage 

points. 

The youth labor force participation rate was highest for whites, at 63.2 percent in July 2014. By contrast, 

the rate was 52.9 percent for blacks, 45.8 percent for Asians, and 56.2 percent for Hispanics. For all four 

groups, labor force participation rates were little different from last July. 
- 2 - 

Employment 

In July 2014, there were 20.1 million employed 16- to 24-year-olds, not much different from the 

summer before. Between April and July 2014, the number of employed youth rose by 2.1 million. This 

11.5 percent increase is typical for this time of year. The employment-population ratio for youth in 

July 2014—the proportion of the 16- to 24-year-old civilian noninstitutional population with a job—was 

51.9 percent, up from 50.7 percent the year before. (See tables 1 and 2.) 

The employment-population ratios for young men (53.6 percent) and whites (55.4 percent) were higher 

in July 2014 than a year earlier. The ratios for young women (50.1 percent), blacks (39.8 percent), 

Asians (40.8 percent), and Hispanics (47.0 percent) showed little change from last July. 

In July 2014, 25 percent of employed youth worked in the leisure and hospitality industry (which 

includes food services), and 19 percent worked in the retail trade industry. These two industries typically 

account for large shares of summer youth employment. (See table 3.) 

Unemployment 

The number of unemployed youth was 3.4 million in July 2014, down from 3.8 million a year earlier. 

The youth unemployment rate was 14.3 percent in July 2014, 2.0 percentage points less than a year 

before. Among the major demographic groups, July unemployment rates were lower than the prior 

year for young men (15.1 percent), young women (13.4 percent), whites (12.2 percent), and blacks 

(24.8 percent), while youth jobless rates changed little for Asians (10.9 percent), and Hispanics 

(16.5 percent). (See table 2.) 
Technical Note 

The estimates in this release were obtained from the 

Current Population Survey (CPS), a national sample survey 

of about 60,000 eligible households conducted monthly for 

the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the U.S. Census 

Bureau. The data in this release relate to the employment 

status of youth (16- to 24-year-olds) during the months of 

April-July. This period was selected as being the most 

representative time frame in which to measure the full 

summertime transition from school to work. July is the peak 

summer month of youth employment. 

Beginning in January of each year, data reflect revised 

population controls used in the CPS. Additional information 

about population controls is available on the BLS website at 

www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#pop. 

Information in this release will be made available to 

sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 

(202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339. 

Reliability of the estimates 

Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both 

sampling and nonsampling error. When a sample, rather than 

the entire population, is surveyed, there is a chance that the 

sample estimates may differ from the true population values 

they represent. The component of this difference that occurs 

because samples differ by chance is known as sampling 

error, and its variability is measured by the standard error of 

the estimate. There is about a 90-percent chance, or level of 

confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will differ by 

no more than 1.6 standard errors from the true population 

value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are generally 

conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence. 

The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. 

Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, including 

the failure to sample a segment of the population, inability to 

obtain information for all respondents in the sample, 

inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct 

information, and errors made in the collection or processing 

of the data. 

More information on the reliability of data from the 

CPS and estimating standard errors is available online at 

www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#reliability. 

Definitions 

The principal definitions used in this release are 

described briefly below. 

Employed. Employed persons are all those who, during 

the survey reference week (which is generally the week 

including the 12th day of the month), (a) did any work at all 

as paid employees; (b) worked in their own business, 

profession, or on their own farm; (c) worked 15 hours or 

more as unpaid workers in a family member’s business. 

Persons who were temporarily absent from their jobs 

because of illness, bad weather, vacation, labor dispute, or 

another reason also are counted as employed. 

Unemployed. The unemployed are those who had no 

employment during the reference week, were available for 

work at that time, and had made specific efforts to find 

employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with 

the reference week. Persons who were waiting to be recalled 

to a job from which they had been laid off need not have 

been looking for work to be classified as unemployed. 

Looking for full-time work refers to 35 hours or more per 

week; part-time work refers to fewer than 35 hours per 

week. 

Civilian labor force. This group comprises all persons 

classified as employed or unemployed. 

Unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the 

number of unemployed persons as a percent of the civilian 

labor force. 

Labor force participation rate. The labor force 

participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the 

population. 

Employment-population ratio. The employmentpopulation ratio is the employed as a percent of the 

population. 

Not in the labor force. Included in this group are all 

persons in the civilian noninstitutional population who are 

neither employed nor unemployed. 

Industry and class of worker. This information applies 

to the job held during the reference week. Persons with two 

or more jobs are classified in the job at which they worked 

the greatest number of hours. Persons are classified using the 

2012 Census industry classification system. The class-ofworker breakdown assigns workers to the following 

categories: Private and government wage and salary workers, 

unincorporated self-employed workers, and unpaid family 

workers. 

Wage and salary workers. Included in this group are 

persons who receive wages, salary, commissions, tips, or 

pay in kind from a private employer or from a government 

entity. 

Self-employed workers. Included in this group are those 

who work for profit or fees in their own unincorporated 

business, profession, trade, or farm. Only unincorporated 

self-employed are included in the self-employed category. 

Self-employed persons whose businesses are incorporated 

are included with private wage and salary workers. 

Unpaid family workers. Included in this group are 

persons working without pay for 15 hours a week or more on 

a farm or in a business operated by a family member in their 

household. 
Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, April-July 2014

[Numbers in thousands. Data are not seasonally adjusted.]

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity April May June July

April-July changes

Number Percent

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 38,759 38,749 38,740 38,735 -24 -0.1

Civilian labor force.................................................. 20,461 21,160 22,851 23,437 2,976 14.5

Participation rate.................................................. 52.8 54.6 59.0 60.5 7.7 14.6

Employed.......................................................... 18,021 18,329 19,421 20,085 2,064 11.5

Employment-population ratio................................. 46.5 47.3 50.1 51.9 5.4 11.6

Unemployed....................................................... 2,440 2,831 3,429 3,353 913 37.4

Looking for full-time work..................................... 1,736 2,084 2,558 2,460 724 41.7

Looking for part-time work.................................... 704 747 871 893 189 26.8

Unemployment rate.............................................. 11.9 13.4 15.0 14.3 2.4 20.2

Not in labor force.................................................... 18,298 17,589 15,890 15,298 -3,000 -16.4

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 19,539 19,534 19,529 19,527 -12 -0.1

Civilian labor force.................................................. 10,532 10,850 11,915 12,335 1,803 17.1

Participation rate.................................................. 53.9 55.5 61.0 63.2 9.3 17.3

Employed.......................................................... 9,127 9,316 9,983 10,470 1,343 14.7

Employment-population ratio................................. 46.7 47.7 51.1 53.6 6.9 14.8

Unemployed....................................................... 1,406 1,534 1,932 1,865 459 32.6

Looking for full-time work..................................... 1,058 1,173 1,487 1,437 379 35.8

Looking for part-time work.................................... 348 361 445 428 80 23.0

Unemployment rate.............................................. 13.3 14.1 16.2 15.1 1.8 13.5

Not in labor force.................................................... 9,007 8,684 7,615 7,191 -1,816 -20.2

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 19,220 19,215 19,211 19,208 -12 -0.1

Civilian labor force.................................................. 9,929 10,310 10,936 11,102 1,173 11.8

Participation rate.................................................. 51.7 53.7 56.9 57.8 6.1 11.8

Employed.......................................................... 8,894 9,013 9,439 9,614 720 8.1

Employment-population ratio................................. 46.3 46.9 49.1 50.1 3.8 8.2

Unemployed....................................................... 1,034 1,296 1,497 1,488 454 43.9

Looking for full-time work..................................... 678 911 1,071 1,023 345 50.9

Looking for part-time work.................................... 357 385 426 465 108 30.3

Unemployment rate.............................................. 10.4 12.6 13.7 13.4 3.0 28.8

Not in labor force.................................................... 9,291 8,906 8,275 8,106 -1,185 -12.8

White

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 28,747 28,736 28,726 28,718 -29 -0.1

Civilian labor force.................................................. 15,754 16,233 17,666 18,137 2,383 15.1

Participation rate.................................................. 54.8 56.5 61.5 63.2 8.4 15.3

Employed.......................................................... 14,223 14,384 15,358 15,917 1,694 11.9

Employment-population ratio................................. 49.5 50.1 53.5 55.4 5.9 11.9

Unemployed....................................................... 1,531 1,849 2,308 2,220 689 45.0

Looking for full-time work..................................... 1,067 1,324 1,675 1,612 545 51.1

Looking for part-time work.................................... 464 525 633 607 143 30.8

Unemployment rate.............................................. 9.7 11.4 13.1 12.2 2.5 25.8

Not in labor force.................................................... 12,993 12,502 11,060 10,581 -2,412 -18.6

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 5,983 5,979 5,976 5,973 -10 -0.2

Civilian labor force.................................................. 2,903 3,015 3,068 3,160 257 8.9

Participation rate.................................................. 48.5 50.4 51.3 52.9 4.4 9.1

Employed.......................................................... 2,281 2,299 2,352 2,376 95 4.2

Employment-population ratio................................. 38.1 38.4 39.4 39.8 1.7 4.5

Unemployed....................................................... 622 717 716 784 162 26.0

Looking for full-time work..................................... 474 580 579 591 117 24.7

Looking for part-time work.................................... 148 137 137 192 44 29.7

Unemployment rate.............................................. 21.4 23.8 23.3 24.8 3.4 15.9

Not in labor force.................................................... 3,080 2,964 2,908 2,813 -267 -8.7
Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, April-July 2014 — Continued

[Numbers in thousands. Data are not seasonally adjusted.]

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity April May June July

April-July changes

Number Percent

Asian

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 2,095 2,062 2,065 2,044 -51 -2.4

Civilian labor force.................................................. 799 856 948 936 137 17.1

Participation rate.................................................. 38.2 41.5 45.9 45.8 7.6 19.9

Employed.......................................................... 701 778 805 834 133 19.0

Employment-population ratio................................. 33.5 37.7 39.0 40.8 7.3 21.8

Unemployed....................................................... 98 78 143 102 4 4.1

Looking for full-time work..................................... 62 45 108 70 8 12.9

Looking for part-time work.................................... 36 33 35 32 -4 -11.1

Unemployment rate.............................................. 12.3 9.1 15.1 10.9 -1.4 -11.4

Not in labor force.................................................... 1,295 1,206 1,118 1,109 -186 -14.4

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 8,286 8,294 8,303 8,313 27 0.3

Civilian labor force.................................................. 4,209 4,302 4,627 4,675 466 11.1

Participation rate.................................................. 50.8 51.9 55.7 56.2 5.4 10.6

Employed.......................................................... 3,721 3,774 3,841 3,903 182 4.9

Employment-population ratio................................. 44.9 45.5 46.3 47.0 2.1 4.7

Unemployed....................................................... 488 528 786 772 284 58.2

Looking for full-time work..................................... 334 379 612 560 226 67.7

Looking for part-time work.................................... 155 149 174 212 57 36.8

Unemployment rate.............................................. 11.6 12.3 17.0 16.5 4.9 42.2

Not in labor force.................................................... 4,077 3,992 3,676 3,637 -440 -10.8

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. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the

release of January data.
Table 2. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, July 2011-2014

[Numbers in thousands. Data are not seasonally adjusted.]

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

July

2011

July

2012

July

2013

July

2014

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 38,196 38,799 38,861 38,735

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 22,742 23,472 23,506 23,437

Participation rate..................................................................... 59.5 60.5 60.5 60.5

Employed............................................................................. 18,632 19,461 19,684 20,085

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 48.8 50.2 50.7 51.9

Unemployed.......................................................................... 4,110 4,011 3,821 3,353

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 3,238 3,074 2,819 2,460

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 872 937 1,002 893

Unemployment rate................................................................. 18.1 17.1 16.3 14.3

Not in labor force....................................................................... 15,454 15,327 15,355 15,298

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 19,425 19,554 19,587 19,527

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 11,930 12,355 12,283 12,335

Participation rate..................................................................... 61.4 63.2 62.7 63.2

Employed............................................................................. 9,746 10,140 10,127 10,470

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 50.2 51.9 51.7 53.6

Unemployed.......................................................................... 2,184 2,215 2,156 1,865

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 1,809 1,785 1,665 1,437

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 375 430 491 428

Unemployment rate................................................................. 18.3 17.9 17.6 15.1

Not in labor force....................................................................... 7,494 7,199 7,303 7,191

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 18,772 19,245 19,274 19,208

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 10,812 11,117 11,223 11,102

Participation rate..................................................................... 57.6 57.8 58.2 57.8

Employed............................................................................. 8,886 9,321 9,557 9,614

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 47.3 48.4 49.6 50.1

Unemployed.......................................................................... 1,926 1,796 1,665 1,488

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 1,428 1,289 1,154 1,023

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 497 507 511 465

Unemployment rate................................................................. 17.8 16.2 14.8 13.4

Not in labor force....................................................................... 7,960 8,128 8,052 8,106

White

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 29,377 28,956 28,866 28,718

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 18,266 18,213 18,205 18,137

Participation rate..................................................................... 62.2 62.9 63.1 63.2

Employed............................................................................. 15,367 15,498 15,679 15,917

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 52.3 53.5 54.3 55.4

Unemployed.......................................................................... 2,899 2,715 2,525 2,220

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 2,203 2,019 1,814 1,612

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 696 696 711 607

Unemployment rate................................................................. 15.9 14.9 13.9 12.2

Not in labor force....................................................................... 11,111 10,743 10,661 10,581

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 5,763 5,971 5,997 5,973

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 2,893 3,256 3,225 3,160

Participation rate..................................................................... 50.2 54.5 53.8 52.9

Employed............................................................................. 1,996 2,323 2,315 2,376

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 34.6 38.9 38.6 39.8

Unemployed.......................................................................... 897 933 910 784

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 778 783 771 591

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 118 150 139 192

Unemployment rate................................................................. 31.0 28.6 28.2 24.8

Not in labor force....................................................................... 2,870 2,715 2,772 2,813
Table 2. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, July 2011-2014 — Continued

[Numbers in thousands. Data are not seasonally adjusted.]

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

July

2011

July

2012

July

2013

July

2014

Asian

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 1,573 1,922 2,028 2,044

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 753 839 934 936

Participation rate..................................................................... 47.9 43.7 46.1 45.8

Employed............................................................................. 638 718 794 834

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 40.5 37.4 39.2 40.8

Unemployed.......................................................................... 115 121 140 102

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 97 83 81 70

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 18 38 59 32

Unemployment rate................................................................. 15.3 14.4 15.0 10.9

Not in labor force....................................................................... 820 1,083 1,094 1,109

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 7,605 8,164 8,229 8,313

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 4,080 4,658 4,756 4,675

Participation rate..................................................................... 53.6 57.1 57.8 56.2

Employed............................................................................. 3,260 3,799 3,897 3,903

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 42.9 46.5 47.4 47.0

Unemployed.......................................................................... 820 860 859 772

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 646 698 622 560

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 174 162 238 212

Unemployment rate................................................................. 20.1 18.5 18.1 16.5

Not in labor force....................................................................... 3,525 3,506 3,473 3,637

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. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the

release of January data.
Table 3. Employed persons 16 to 24 years of age by industry, class of worker, race, and Hispanic or Latino

ethnicity, July 2013-2014

[Numbers in thousands. Data are not seasonally adjusted.]

Industry and class of worker

Total White Black or African

American Asian Hispanic or Latinoethnicity

July

2013

July

2014

July

2013

July

2014

July

2013

July

2014

July

2013

July

2014

July

2013

July

2014

Total employed.................................. 19,684 20,085 15,679 15,917 2,315 2,376 794 834 3,897 3,903

Agriculture and related industries.......... 355 353 331 340 8 7 1 0 77 86

Nonagricultural industries................... 19,330 19,732 15,348 15,577 2,307 2,369 793 834 3,820 3,817

Private wage and salary workers1

....... 17,740 18,052 14,062 14,207 2,134 2,175 742 774 3,580 3,551

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas

extraction.............................. 137 126 130 118 0 4 1 4 39 28

Construction............................. 868 879 799 768 36 39 7 19 268 269

Manufacturing........................... 1,306 1,328 1,033 1,094 138 120 92 69 240 277

Durable goods........................ 826 813 643 692 88 51 60 42 127 140

Nondurable goods.................... 480 516 390 402 50 69 32 27 113 137

Wholesale trade......................... 339 338 279 287 34 22 9 20 85 82

Retail trade.............................. 3,756 3,843 2,853 2,872 558 577 155 175 765 763

Transportation and utilities............. 486 516 336 376 90 100 11 11 125 120

Information............................... 317 341 257 278 38 25 18 16 44 74

Financial activities...................... 649 760 513 617 80 73 33 35 130 134

Professional and business services... 1,566 1,632 1,281 1,329 148 151 75 97 295 347

Education and health services........ 2,235 2,142 1,705 1,611 328 312 117 142 419 383

Leisure and hospitality................. 5,078 5,078 4,032 3,976 599 635 194 161 967 902

Other services........................... 1,003 1,068 844 883 84 116 29 26 204 174

Government wage and salary

workers................................... 1,254 1,310 1,005 1,056 149 165 43 42 154 185

Federal................................... 151 131 107 78 22 43 8 6 9 21

State...................................... 473 535 371 447 55 42 23 23 50 76

Local...................................... 630 644 527 532 72 80 11 13 95 88

Self-employed, unincorporated, and

unpaid family workers.................. 336 369 281 314 24 30 8 18 86 81

1

Includes self-employed workers whose businesses are incorporated.

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. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the

release of January data.