1

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 http://www.bls.gov/cps/

Media contact: 691-5902

USDL 06-1819

For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT

Thursday, October 19, 2006

USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:

THIRD QUARTER 2006

Median weekly earnings of the nation’s 108.2 million full-time wage and salary workers were $675 in

the third quarter of 2006, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.

This was 4.0 percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 3.3 percent in the Consumer Price

Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) over the same period.

Data on usual earnings are collected as part of the Current Population Survey, a nationwide sample survey of households in which respondents are asked, among other things, how much each wage and salary

worker usually earns. (See the Explanatory Note.) Highlights from the third-quarter data are:

• Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $599 per week, or 80.0 percent of the

$749 median for men. The female-to-male earnings ratios were higher among Hispanics or Latinos

(87.3 percent), Asians (84.9 percent), and blacks (83.8 percent) than among whites (79.6 percent).

(See table 1.)

• Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were $610 per week, 79.8 percent of the

median for white men ($764). The difference was less among women, as black women’s median

earnings ($511) were 84.0 percent of those for their white counterparts ($608). Overall, median

earnings of Hispanics or Latinos who worked full time ($485) were lower than those of blacks

($555), whites ($692), and Asians ($798). (See table 1.)

• For both men and women, median weekly earnings were highest for those age 45 to 54 ($894 and

$662, respectively) and age 55 to 64 ($886 and $661, respectively). (See table 2.)

• Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time in managerial, professional, and

related occupations had the highest median weekly earnings—$1,147 for men and $856 for women.

Men and women in service jobs earned the least. (See table 3.)

• Full-time workers age 25 and over without a high school diploma had median weekly earnings of $420

compared with $602 for high school graduates (no college) and $1,047 for college graduates holding at

least a bachelor’s degree. Among college graduates with advanced degrees (professional or master’s

degree and above), the highest earning 10 percent of male workers made $2,882 or more per week

compared with $2,089 or more for their female counterparts. (See table 4.)
Explanatory Note

The estimates in this release were obtained from the Current

Population Survey (CPS), which provides the basic information on the

labor force, employment, and unemployment. The survey is conducted

monthly for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S.Census Bureau

from a scientifically selected 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-quarter of the CPS monthly sample and are

limited to wages and salaries. The data, therefore, exclude selfemployment income.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired

individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message

referral phone number: 1-800-877-8339.

Reliability

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 exact difference, or

sampling error, varies depending on the particular sample selected, and

this variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate. There

is about a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based

on a sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true"

population value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are generally

conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.

The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling

error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a

segment of the population, inability to obtain information for all

respondents in the sample, inability or unwillingness of respondents to

provide correct information, and errors made in the collection or

processing of the data.

For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and

information on estimating standard errors, see the “Explanatory Notes

and Estimates of Error” section of Employment and Earnings.

Definitions

The principal definitions used in connection with the earnings series

are described briefly below.

Usual weekly earnings. Data represent earnings before taxes and

other deductions and include any overtime pay, commissions, or tips

usually received (at the main job in the case of multiple jobholders.) Prior

to 1994, respondents were asked how much they usually earned per

week. Since January 1994, respondents have been asked to identify the

easiest way for them to report earnings (hourly, weekly, biweekly, twice

monthly, monthly, annually, other) and how much they usually earn in

the reported time period. Earnings reported on a basis other than weekly

are converted to a weekly equivalent. The term “usual” is as perceived

by the respondent. If the respondent asks for a definition of usual,

interviewers are instructed to define the term as more than half the weeks

worked during the past 4 or 5 months.

Medians (and other quantiles) of weekly earnings. The median (or

upper limit of the second quartile) is the amount which divides a given

earnings distribution into two equal groups, one having earnings above

the median and the other having earnings below the median. Ten percent

of a given distribution have earnings below the upper limit of the first

decile (90 percent have higher earnings); 25 percent have earnings below

the upper limit of the first quartile (75 percent have higher earnings); 75

percent have earnings below the upper limit of the third quartile (25

percent have higher earnings); and 90 percent have earnings below the

upper limit of the ninth decile (10 percent have higher earnings).

The estimating procedure places each reported or calculated weekly

earnings value into $50-wide intervals which are centered around

multiples of $50. The actual value is estimated through the linear

interpolation of the interval in which the quantile boundary lies.

Over-the-year changes in the medians (and other quantile boundaries)

for specific groups may not necessarily be consistent with the movements

estimated for the overall quantile boundary. The most common reasons

for this possible anomaly are: (1) There could be a change in the relative

weights of the subgroups. For example, the medians of both 16-to-24

year olds and those 25 years and over may rise; but if the lower-earning

16-to-24 group accounts for a greatly increased share of the total, the

overall median could actually fall. (2) There could be a large change in the

shape of the distribution of reported earnings, particularly near a quantile

boundary. This could be caused by survey observations that are

clustered at rounded values, e.g., $250, $300, $400. An estimate lying

in a $50-wide centered interval containing such a cluster or “spike” tends

to change more slowly than one in other intervals.

Wage and salary workers. Workers who receive wages, salaries,

commissions, tips, payment in kind, or piece rates. The group includes

employees in both the private and public sectors but, for the purposes

of the earnings series, excludes all self-employed persons, regardless

of whether or not their businesses are incorporated.

Full-time workers. Workers who usually work 35 hours or more per

week at their sole or principal job.

Part-time workers. Workers who usually work fewer than 35 hours

per week at their sole or principal job.

Constant dollars. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers

(CPI-U) is used to convert current dollars to constant (1982) dollars.

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. This refers to persons who identified

themselves in the enumeration process as being Spanish, Hispanic, or

Latino. 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 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages,

not seasonally adjusted

Characteristic

Number of workers

(in thousands) Median weekly earnings

 III

2005

 III

2006

In current dollars In constant (1982) dollars

 III

2005

 III

2006

 III

2005

 III

2006

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over ........................................................................... 105,428 108,169 $649 $675 $318 $320

 Men, 16 years and over ......................................................................... 59,778 60,996 716 749 351 355

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 7,017 7,313 407 409 200 194

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 52,761 53,683 768 808 377 383

 Women, 16 years and over ................................................................... 45,649 47,173 585 599 287 284

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 5,022 5,273 379 393 186 187

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 40,627 41,901 615 629 301 299

RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX

 White ..................................................................................................... 85,558 87,956 667 692 327 328

 Men ...................................................................................................... 49,557 50,852 737 764 361 362

 Women ................................................................................................ 36,001 37,103 594 608 291 289

 Black or African American ..................................................................... 12,714 12,857 520 555 255 263

 Men ...................................................................................................... 6,159 6,070 533 610 261 289

 Women ................................................................................................ 6,555 6,787 509 511 250 243

 Asian ...................................................................................................... 4,674 4,873 761 798 373 378

 Men ...................................................................................................... 2,665 2,703 834 857 409 407

 Women ................................................................................................ 2,009 2,170 659 728 323 345

 Hispanic or Latino ethnicity .................................................................... 14,913 15,886 462 485 226 230

 Men ...................................................................................................... 9,581 10,096 483 504 237 239

 Women ................................................................................................ 5,332 5,790 418 440 205 209

 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. Beginning in January 2006, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey. 
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and

sex, third quarter 2006 averages, not seasonally adjusted

Age, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Total Men Women

Number

of

workers

(in

thousands)

Median

weekly

earnings

Number

of

workers

(in

thousands)

Median

weekly

earnings

Number

of

workers

(in

thousands)

Median

weekly

earnings

TOTAL

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 108,169 $675 60,996 $749 47,173 $599

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 12,586 403 7,313 409 5,273 393

 16 to 19 years ....................................................................................... 2,393 323 1,403 340 990 308

 20 to 24 years ....................................................................................... 10,193 419 5,910 422 4,283 414

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 95,584 726 53,683 808 41,901 629

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 79,768 724 45,119 800 34,649 627

 25 to 34 years ..................................................................................... 25,849 630 14,916 683 10,934 585

 35 to 44 years ..................................................................................... 27,379 758 15,717 854 11,662 651

 45 to 54 years ..................................................................................... 26,540 782 14,487 894 12,053 662

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 15,816 741 8,564 867 7,252 641

 55 to 64 years ..................................................................................... 13,644 765 7,323 886 6,320 661

 65 years and over ............................................................................... 2,172 581 1,241 649 931 516

White

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 87,956 692 50,852 764 37,103 608

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 10,389 404 6,189 411 4,201 391

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 77,566 743 44,664 830 32,903 643

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 64,216 739 37,282 820 26,934 640

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 13,350 760 7,382 889 5,969 656

Black or African American

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 12,857 555 6,070 610 6,787 511

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 1,466 380 712 373 754 386

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 11,391 588 5,358 647 6,033 528

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 9,831 588 4,664 645 5,167 523

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 1,560 592 694 678 866 576

Asian

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 4,873 798 2,703 857 2,170 728

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 336 480 177 438 159 513

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 4,536 839 2,526 893 2,010 761

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 3,892 855 2,167 905 1,725 787

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 644 727 359 831 285 590

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 15,886 485 10,096 504 5,790 440

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 2,482 374 1,658 384 823 350

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 13,405 507 8,438 534 4,967 462

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 12,115 506 7,707 533 4,408 462

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 1,290 515 731 536 559 464

 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. Beginning in January 2006, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey. 
Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, quarterly averages, 

not seasonally adjusted

Occupation and sex

Number of workers

(in thousands) Median weekly earnings

 III

2005

 III

2006

 III

2005

 III

2006

TOTAL

 Management, professional, and related occupations .............................. 37,060 37,876 $935 $974

 Management, business, and financial operations occupations ............. 14,891 15,319 992 1,046

 Professional and related occupations .................................................... 22,168 22,557 897 935

 Service occupations ................................................................................ 14,648 15,413 410 423

 Sales and office occupations ................................................................... 25,936 26,206 570 592

 Sales and related occupations .............................................................. 10,352 10,657 606 627

 Office and administrative support occupations ...................................... 15,584 15,549 550 580

 Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ............. 12,288 13,104 618 663

 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ............................................ 903 881 352 371

 Construction and extraction occupations ............................................... 7,031 7,331 604 637

 Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ................................ 4,354 4,892 705 743

 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ................. 15,496 15,571 524 569

 Production occupations ......................................................................... 8,453 8,491 516 578

 Transportation and material moving occupations .................................. 7,043 7,079 541 558

Men

 Management, professional, and related occupations .............................. 18,305 18,612 1,103 1,147

 Management, business, and financial operations occupations ............. 8,186 8,270 1,147 1,209

 Professional and related occupations .................................................... 10,120 10,342 1,057 1,104

 Service occupations ................................................................................ 7,262 7,566 464 494

 Sales and office occupations ................................................................... 10,153 10,117 682 718

 Sales and related occupations .............................................................. 5,792 5,924 748 770

 Office and administrative support occupations ...................................... 4,361 4,193 616 635

 Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ............. 11,734 12,516 622 672

 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ............................................ 719 713 361 384

 Construction and extraction occupations ............................................... 6,867 7,157 605 642

 Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ................................ 4,148 4,647 704 745

 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ................. 12,324 12,185 577 615

 Production occupations ......................................................................... 6,090 5,994 594 659

 Transportation and material moving occupations .................................. 6,234 6,191 556 587

Women

 Management, professional, and related occupations .............................. 18,754 19,264 812 856

 Management, business, and financial operations occupations ............. 6,706 7,049 860 905

 Professional and related occupations .................................................... 12,049 12,215 785 827

 Service occupations ................................................................................ 7,385 7,847 383 391

 Sales and office occupations ................................................................... 15,783 16,089 514 541

 Sales and related occupations .............................................................. 4,559 4,733 457 484

 Office and administrative support occupations ...................................... 11,223 11,355 530 563

 Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ............. 554 588 471 518

 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ............................................ 184 169 324 319

 Construction and extraction occupations ............................................... 164 174 459 527

 Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ................................ 207 245 720 725

 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ................. 3,173 3,386 418 432

 Production occupations ......................................................................... 2,363 2,498 416 441

 Transportation and material moving occupations .................................. 810 888 429 414

 NOTE: Beginning in January 2006, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey. 
Table 4. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected

characteristics, third quarter 2006 averages, not seasonally adjusted

Characteristic

Number

of

workers

(in

thousands)

Upper limit of:

First

decile

First

quartile

Second

quartile

(median)

Third

quartile

Ninth

decile

SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY

Total, 16 years and over ........................................................................... 108,169 $317 $441 $675 $1,023 $1,536

 Men ......................................................................................................... 60,996 344 487 749 1,144 1,731

 Women ................................................................................................... 47,173 296 404 599 893 1,300

 White ...................................................................................................... 87,956 321 454 692 1,048 1,555

 Men ....................................................................................................... 50,852 350 496 764 1,162 1,743

 Women ................................................................................................. 37,103 297 409 608 898 1,316

 Black or African American ...................................................................... 12,857 295 390 555 847 1,178

 Men ....................................................................................................... 6,070 313 413 610 904 1,269

 Women ................................................................................................. 6,787 286 372 511 768 1,134

 Asian ....................................................................................................... 4,873 371 514 798 1,304 1,888

 Men ....................................................................................................... 2,703 381 554 857 1,406 1,919

 Women ................................................................................................. 2,170 352 492 728 1,154 1,737

 Hispanic or Latino ethnicity ..................................................................... 15,886 280 348 485 709 1,060

 Men ....................................................................................................... 10,096 290 371 504 746 1,123

 Women ................................................................................................. 5,790 262 315 440 635 961

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

 Total, 25 years and over ......................................................................... 95,584 344 485 726 1,087 1,603

 Less than a high school diploma .......................................................... 9,295 262 320 420 588 805

 High school graduates, no college1 ...................................................... 27,792 323 423 602 856 1,150

 Some college or associate degree ....................................................... 26,256 363 493 701 971 1,330

 Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................ 32,240 511 728 1,047 1,557 2,209

 Bachelor’s degree only ....................................................................... 20,772 483 673 979 1,455 1,935

 Advanced degree ............................................................................... 11,469 605 838 1,171 1,783 2,509

 Men, 25 years and over ........................................................................ 53,683 382 534 808 1,201 1,780

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................................ 6,185 284 354 468 655 873

 High school graduates, no college1 .................................................... 16,334 368 492 694 957 1,246

 Some college or associate degree ..................................................... 13,541 417 577 808 1,102 1,467

 Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 .......................................................... 17,623 575 801 1,191 1,765 2,406

 Bachelor’s degree only ..................................................................... 11,377 528 747 1,126 1,629 2,198

 Advanced degree ............................................................................. 6,245 642 923 1,403 1,922 2,882

 Women, 25 years and over .................................................................. 41,901 310 427 629 935 1,362

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................................ 3,110 236 287 363 472 599

 High school graduates, no college1 .................................................... 11,459 290 377 501 676 920

 Some college or associate degree ..................................................... 12,715 320 430 603 833 1,104

 Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 .......................................................... 14,618 477 658 920 1,301 1,877

 Bachelor’s degree only ..................................................................... 9,394 441 616 851 1,223 1,738

 Advanced degree ............................................................................. 5,223 578 765 1,022 1,412 2,089

1 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent. 2 Includes persons with bachelor’s, master’s, professional, and doctoral

degrees. 

 NOTE: Ten percent of all full-time wage and salary workers earn less

than the upper limit of the first decile; 25 percent earn less than the upper

limit of the first quartile; 50 percent earn less than the upper limit of the

second quartile, or median; 75 percent earn less than the upper limit of the

third quartile; and 90 percent earn less than the upper limit of the ninth

decile. 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. Beginning in January 2006, data reflect revised

population controls used in the household survey. 
Table 5. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages,

not seasonally adjusted

Characteristic

Number of workers

(in thousands) Median weekly earnings

 III

2005

 III

2006

 III

2005

 III

2006

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over ........................................................................... 21,465 20,659 $206 $211

 Men, 16 years and over ......................................................................... 6,641 6,579 196 198

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 3,348 3,352 163 161

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 3,293 3,228 257 259

 Women, 16 years and over ................................................................... 14,824 14,079 210 218

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 4,800 4,365 159 160

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 10,024 9,715 246 256

RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX

 White ..................................................................................................... 18,076 17,318 207 213

 Men ...................................................................................................... 5,546 5,337 199 199

 Women ................................................................................................ 12,530 11,981 212 221

 Black or African American ..................................................................... 2,001 2,032 193 202

 Men ...................................................................................................... 651 767 185 200

 Women ................................................................................................ 1,350 1,266 197 203

 Asian ...................................................................................................... 845 796 209 216

 Men ...................................................................................................... 275 287 183 192

 Women ................................................................................................ 571 509 223 228

 Hispanic or Latino ethnicity .................................................................... 2,497 2,220 198 200

 Men ...................................................................................................... 833 733 211 202

 Women ................................................................................................ 1,664 1,487 191 200

 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. Beginning in January 2006, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.