For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, August 22, 2023 USDL-23-1854 

Technical information: (202) 691-7410 • nls_info@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/nls 

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

 

 

NUMBER OF JOBS, LABOR MARKET EXPERIENCE, MARITAL STATUS, AND HEALTH

FOR THOSE BORN 1957-1964

Individuals born in the latter years of the baby boom (1957-64) held an average of 12.7 jobs from ages 

18 to 56, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nearly half of these jobs were held from ages 

18 to 24. 

These findings are from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, a survey of 9,964 men and 

women who were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979 and ages 55 to 64 when interviewed 

most recently in 2020-21. These respondents were born in the years 1957 to 1964, the latter years of the 

baby boom that occurred in the United States from 1946 to 1964. The survey spans 41 years and 

provides information on work and nonwork experiences, education, training, income and assets, health, 

and other characteristics. The information provided by respondents, who were interviewed annually 

from 1979 to 1994 and biennially since 1994, can be considered representative of all men and women 

born in the late 1950s and early 1960s and living in the United States when the survey began in 1979. 

This release of the latest data from the longitudinal survey focuses on the number of jobs held, job 

duration, labor force participation, earnings growth, marital status, and health. Highlights from the 

survey include: 

• Individuals born from 1957 to 1964 held an average of 12.7 jobs from ages 18 to 56. These baby 

boomers held an average of 5.6 jobs while ages 18 to 24. The average fell to 4.5 jobs from ages 25 to 

34; to 2.9 jobs from ages 35 to 44; and to 2.3 jobs from ages 45 to 56. Jobs that span more than one 

age group were counted once in each age group, so the overall average number of jobs held from 

ages 18 to 56 is less than the sum of the number of jobs across the individual age groups. (See table 

1.) 

• Although job duration tended to be longer the older a worker was when starting the job, these baby 

boomers continued to have short-duration jobs. Among individuals who started jobs between the 

ages of 35 to 44, the average individual had 25 percent of their jobs end in less than a year, and 61 

percent end in fewer than 5 years. (See table 2.)

• On average, individuals in this cohort were employed during 78 percent of the weeks from ages 18 

to 56. Generally, men spent a larger percent of weeks employed than did women (83 percent versus 

72 percent). Women spent twice as much time out of the labor force (24 percent of weeks) as men 

(12 percent of weeks). (See table 3.)
-2- 

• The average annual percent growth in inflation-adjusted hourly earnings was highest during a 

worker’s late teens and early twenties. Growth rates in earnings generally were higher for workers 

with a bachelor’s degree or higher than for workers with less education. (See table 5.) 

• At the time of their 56th birthday, 65 percent of individuals were married and 35 percent were not 

married. The percent of individuals who were married varied by education: those with a bachelor’s

degree or higher were more likely to be married than those with less education. (See table 6.) 

 

• At age 56, men who were not married were employed 75 percent of the weeks from ages 35 to 56, 

compared with 91 percent for those who were married. The percentage of weeks employed was 

similar for women who were not married and married at 56 years of age (73 percent and 75 percent, 

respectively). (See table 7.)

• The percent of individuals reporting that their health limits the kind or amount of work they can do 

increased as the cohort aged. At 24 years of age, 4 percent of individuals reported that their health 

limits the kind or amount of work they can do; at 34 years of age, 5 percent were limited; at 44 years 

of age, 10 percent were limited; and at 56 years of age, 21 percent were limited. The percent of 

individuals whose health limited the kind or amount of work they can do was generally higher for 

those with less education. (See table 8.)

Number of Jobs Held 

Individuals in the 1957-1964 birth cohort held an average of 12.7 jobs from ages 18 to 56, with nearly 

half of these jobs held before age 25. In this news release, a job is defined as an uninterrupted period of 

work with a particular employer. (See the Technical Note for additional information on the definition of 

a job.) On average, men held 12.8 jobs and women held 12.5 jobs from ages 18 to 56. Men held 5.8 jobs 

from ages 18 to 24, compared with 2.3 jobs from ages 45 to 56. The reduction in the average number of 

jobs held in successive age groups was similar for women. (See table 1.) Chart 1 shows the cumulative 

number of jobs held from ages 18 to 56, by sex and age. The decline in the slope of these curves 

indicates a decrease in the rate at which workers change jobs as they age.

On average, men without a high school diploma held 14.1 jobs from ages 18 to 56, while men with a 

bachelor’s degree and higher held 12.1 jobs between these ages. In contrast, women without a high 

school diploma held 10.4 jobs from ages 18 to 56, while women with a bachelor’s degree and higher 

held 13.4 jobs between these ages.

At younger ages, White persons held more jobs than Black persons and Hispanic or Latino persons. This 

gap decreased over time. On average, White persons held 5.8 jobs between the ages of 18 and 24, while 

Black persons held 4.8 jobs and Hispanic or Latino persons held 5.1 jobs. Each of these groups held 

between 4.3 and 4.7 jobs from ages 25 to 34; between 2.8 and 3.2 jobs from ages 35 to 44; and between 

2.3 and 2.4 jobs from ages 45 to 56. 

Duration of Employment Relationships 

 

The length of time a worker remains with an employer increased with the age at which the worker began 

the job. Of the jobs that workers began when they were 18 to 24 years of age, the average worker had 61 

percent of those jobs end in less than a year and 87 percent of jobs end in fewer than 5 years. Among 
-3- 

jobs started by 35- to 44-year-olds, the average worker had 25 percent of jobs end in less than a year, 

and 61 percent end in fewer than 5 years. (See table 2.) 

Percent of Weeks Employed, Unemployed, and Not in the Labor Force 

 

On average, the youngest baby boomers (born 1957-64) were employed during 78 percent of all the 

weeks from ages 18 to 56. They were unemployed—that is, without jobs but seeking work—4 percent of 

the weeks. They were not in the labor force—that is, neither working nor seeking work—18 percent of 

the weeks. (See table 3.)

The amount of time spent employed differed substantially between those without a high school diploma 

and those who had graduated from high school or attained higher levels of education. Individuals with 

less than a high school diploma (as of the 2020-21 survey) spent 59 percent of weeks employed and 34 

percent of weeks out of the labor force from ages 18 to 56. By comparison, high school graduates spent 

76 percent of weeks employed and 19 percent of weeks out of the labor force, while those with a 

bachelor’s degree and higher spent 85 percent of weeks employed and 13 percent of weeks out of the 

labor force.

White high school graduates with no college were employed a higher percentage of weeks and out of the 

labor force a smaller percentage of weeks than Black, and Hispanic or Latino high school graduates with 

no college. Between the ages of 18 and 56, White high school graduates with no college spent 78 

percent of weeks employed and 17 percent of weeks out of the labor force, while Black high school 

graduates with no college spent 64 percent of weeks employed and 27 percent of weeks out of the labor 

force and Hispanic or Latino high school graduates with no college spent 73 percent of weeks employed 

and 21 percent of weeks out of the labor force. Among those with a bachelor’s degree and higher, 

however, there was little difference among racial and ethnic groups in labor market attachment; each 

group spent between 83 percent and 85 percent of weeks employed. (See chart 2.)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

18 22 26 30 34 38 42 46 50 54

Number of jobs held

Age

Chart 1. Cumulative number of jobs held from age 18 to age 56 in 

1978-2020, by sex and age

Men Women
-4- 

The amount of time spent in the labor force differed by sex, with women at every educational level 

spending fewer weeks in the labor force than men. Overall, men were out of the labor force 12 percent 

of weeks from ages 18 to 56; at these same ages, women were out of the labor force 24 percent of 

weeks. Both women’s and men’s labor force participation increased with their education level. Women 

without a high school diploma spent nearly half (49 percent) of all weeks between ages 18 to 56 out of 

the labor force, while those with a high school diploma and no college were out of the labor force 27 

percent of weeks, those with some college were out of the labor force 23 percent of weeks, and women 

with a bachelor’s degree and higher were out of the labor force only 17 percent of weeks. Among men, 

those without a high school diploma were out of the labor force about 24 percent of weeks, while men in 

the remaining three education categories were out of the labor force only 9 percent to 13 percent of 

weeks. (See table 3.) 

While women spent fewer weeks in the labor force than men on average, the labor force participation 

patterns of men and women across ages were fairly similar. For both men and women, time spent out of 

the labor force was greatest between the ages of 18 and 24, reflecting the transition from education and 

training to the work force. For women, time spent out of the labor force decreased from 30 percent of 

weeks between the ages of 18 and 24; to 25 percent of weeks between the ages of 25 and 34; to 21 

percent of weeks between the ages of 35 and 44; and then increased to 24 percent of weeks between the 

ages of 45 and 56. Men were out of the labor force 18 percent of weeks between the ages of 18 to 24, 

and then fewer than 8 percent of weeks from ages 25 to 44; from ages 45 to 56, they increased their time 

out of the labor force to 13 percent of weeks. (See table 4 and chart 3.)

The percentage of weeks in which women were employed increased from 64 percent in the 18 to 24 age 

group to a peak of 76 percent in the 35 to 44 age group and then decreased to 73 percent in the 45 to 56 

age group. Following a similar pattern, the percentage of weeks in which men were employed increased 

from 73 percent in the 18 to 24 age group to a peak of 89 percent in both the 25 to 34 and the 35 to 44 

age categories. The percent of weeks employed then dipped to 83 percent in the 45 to 56 age group. (See 

table 4.) 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Less than a high school

diploma

High school graduates, no

college

Some college or associate

degree

Bachelor's degree and

higher

Percent of weeks

Chart 2. Percent of weeks employed from age 18 to age 56 in 

1978-2020, by educational attainment, race, and Hispanic or 

Latino ethnicity

White non-Hispanic Black non-Hispanic Hispanic or Latino
-5- 

Percent Growth in Real Earnings

The inflation-adjusted earnings of workers born in the latter years of the baby boom (1957-64) increased 

most rapidly while they were young. Hourly earnings grew by an average of 6.5 percent per year from 

ages 18 to 24. The earnings growth rate slowed to 3.3 percent annually from ages 25 to 34 and then to 

1.8 percent annually from ages 35 to 44. From ages 45 to 56, inflation-adjusted earnings were stagnant 

(0.0 percent). 

In every age category, growth rates of inflation-adjusted hourly earnings generally were higher for 

workers with more education. Earnings growth for 18- to 24-year-olds with less than a high school 

diploma was 2.3 percent, while those with a bachelor’s degree and higher saw their earnings grow by 9.3 

percent at the same ages. Among 45- to 56-year-olds, those individuals with less than a high school 

diploma experienced negative earnings growth (-0.8 percent) on average, while earnings among those 

with a bachelor’s degree and higher increased by 0.6 percent. This pattern in earnings growth reflects, in 

part, the state of the U.S. economy during the years in which survey participants were in each age group. 

(See table 5.) 

Marital Status and Employment Experiences

At 24 years of age, 43 percent of Americans born during 1957-64 were married and 57 percent were not 

married. At 34 years of age, 68 percent were married and 32 percent were not married; at 44 years of 

age, 70 percent were married and 30 percent were not married; and at 56 years of age, 65 percent were 

married and 35 percent were not married. (See table 6.) 

At age 24, those with lower levels of education were more likely to be married than those with higher 

levels of education. The opposite was true at older ages. At ages 34, 44, and 56, those with higher levels 

of education were more likely to be married than those with lower levels of education. At the time of 

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Age 18 to 24 Age 25 to 34 Age 35 to 44 Age 45 to 56

Percent of weeks

Chart 3. Percent of weeks not in the labor force from age 18 to age 56 

in 1978-2020, by sex and age

Men Women
-6- 

their 44th birthday, 55 percent of high school dropouts, 67 percent of high school graduates with no 

college, 69 percent of individuals with some college or an associate degree, and 79 percent of college 

graduates were married. (See chart 4.)

At age 24, women were significantly more likely to be married than men (50 percent and 37 percent, 

respectively). Women at age 24 were also more likely to be married than men at each level of 

educational attainment. At ages 34, 44, and 56, the percentages of women and men who were married 

were very similar, ranging between 67 and 70 percent for men and 64 and 70 percent for women. 

Marital status varied by race and ethnicity. Black persons were more likely to be not married than either 

White persons or Hispanic or Latino persons. At 44 years of age, 50 percent of Black persons were not 

married, compared with 26 percent of White persons and 35 percent of Hispanic or Latino persons. 

Compared with individuals who were not married at age 34, those who were married had worked more 

weeks from ages 18 to 34 than individuals who were not married (78 percent versus 72 percent), spent 

fewer weeks unemployed (4 percent versus 7 percent), and spent fewer weeks not in the labor force (18 

percent versus 20 percent). Similar relationships were observed at older ages. At age 56, those who were 

married had worked more weeks from ages 35 to 56 than individuals who were not married (84 percent 

versus 74 percent); they also spent fewer weeks unemployed (2 percent versus 5 percent) and fewer 

weeks not in the labor force (14 percent versus 21 percent). (See table 7.)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Less than a high school diploma

High school graduates, no college

Some college or associate degree

Bachelor's degree and higher

Less than a high school diploma

High school graduates, no college

Some college or associate degree

Bachelor's degree and higher

Less than a high school diploma

High school graduates, no college

Some college or associate degree

Bachelor's degree and higher

Less than a high school diploma

High school graduates, no college

Some college or associate degree

Bachelor's degree and higher

Age 24

(1980-1989)

Age 34

(1990-1998)

Age 44

(2000-2009)

Age 56

(2012-2021)

Chart 4. Marital status at age 24, age 34, age 44, and age 56, by 

educational attainment

Not Married Married
-7- 

At age 56, men had accumulated different employment experiences by marital status. From ages 35 to 

56, men who were married at 56 had worked more weeks, been unemployed fewer weeks, and been less 

likely to be not in the labor force than not married men. Married men had spent 91 percent of weeks 

employed, compared with 75 percent for not married men. They had spent 2 percent of weeks 

unemployed, compared with 6 percent for not married men. Married men had spent 7 percent of weeks 

out of the labor force, compared with 19 percent for not married men. In contrast, there were limited 

differences in women’s employment experiences by marital status from ages 35 to 56 with both married 

and not married women spending about the same percentage of weeks employed (75 percent and 73 

percent, respectively). (See chart 5.)

At age 56, married individuals also had worked more weeks than not married individuals within racial 

and ethnic groups. Among White persons, those who were married had spent a higher percentage of 

weeks employed from ages 35 to 56 than those who were not married (84 percent versus 77 percent). 

Among Black persons, those who were married also had spent a higher percentage of weeks employed 

than those who were not married (79 percent versus 66 percent). Among Hispanic or Latino persons, 

those who were married had spent a higher percentage of weeks employed than those who were not 

married (80 percent versus 69 percent).

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Hispanic or Latino

Black non-Hispanic

White non-Hispanic

Women

Men

Total

Hispanic or Latino

Black non-Hispanic

White non-Hispanic

Women

Men

Total

Not Married at age 56 Married at age 56

Chart 5. Percent of total weeks individuals were employed, 

unemployed, or not in the labor force from age 34 through age 56 in 

1992-2020 

Employed Unemployed Not in labor foce
-8- 

Health Limits and Work

Individuals in this cohort report whether their health limits the kind or amount of work they can do; the 

percent of individuals reporting such limitations increased as they aged. At 24 years of age, 4 percent of 

Americans born in the years 1957-64 were limited in the kind or amount of work they can do; at 34 

years of age, 5 percent were limited; at 44 years of age, 10 percent were limited; and at 56 years of age, 

21 percent were limited in the kind or amount of work they can do. (See table 8.) 

At ages 24, 34, 44, and 56, those with lower levels of education were generally more likely to be limited

in the kind or amount of work they can do than those with higher levels of education. By their 56th 

birthday, 46 percent of high school dropouts, 25 percent of high school graduates with no college, 21 

percent of individuals with some college or an associate degree, and 11 percent of college graduates 

were limited in the kind or amount of work they can do. (See chart 6.) 

Women were more likely than men to report that health limits the kind or amount of work they can do. 

At 24 years of age, 5 percent of women and 2 percent of men were limited in the kind or amount of 

work they can do; at 34 years of age, 6 percent of women and 4 percent of men were limited; at 44 years 

of age, 12 percent of women and 8 percent of men were limited; and at 56 years of age, 24 percent of 

women and 19 percent of men were limited in the kind or amount of work they can do. 

Limitations in the kind or amount of work individuals can do varied by race and ethnicity. Black persons 

were more likely to report being limited than either White persons or Hispanic or Latino persons. At 56 

years of age, 30 percent of Black persons were limited in the kind or amount of work they can do, 

compared with 20 percent of White persons and 23 percent of Hispanic or Latino persons. 

Additional data are available at www.bls.gov/nls/y79supp.htm. 

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Less than a high school diploma

High school graduates, no college

Some college or associate degree

Bachelor's degree and higher

Hispanic or Latino

Black non-Hispanic

White non-Hispanic

Women

Men

Total

Chart 6. Percent of individuals whose health limited the kind or 

amount of work they can perform, by age and educational attainment

age 56 (2012-2021) age 44 (2000-2009) age 34 (1990-1998) age 24 (1980-1989)
Technical Note 

The estimates in this release were obtained using data 

from the first 29 rounds of the National Longitudinal Survey 

of Youth 1979 (NLSY79). This survey is conducted by the 

National Opinion Research Center at the University of 

Chicago and the Center for Human Resource Research at The 

Ohio State University under the direction and sponsorship of 

the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Sample 

The NLSY79 is a nationally representative sample of 

12,686 young men and women who were 14 to 22 years of age 

when first surveyed in 1979. This survey sample was initially 

composed of three subsamples: 

• A cross-sectional sample of 6,111 youths that was 

designed to represent the noninstitutionalized, civilian 

population of young people living in the U.S. in 1979 and 

born between Jan. 1, 1957, and Dec. 31, 1964. 

• A supplemental sample of 5,295 youths designed to 

oversample noninstitutionalized, civilian Black, Hispanic 

or Latino, and economically disadvantaged nonblack, 

non-Hispanic or Latino youths living in the U.S. in 1979 

and born between Jan. 1, 1957, and Dec. 31, 1964. 

• A military sample of 1,280 youths born between Jan. 1, 

1957, and Dec. 31, 1961, and enlisted in the Army, Air 

Force, Navy, or Marine Corps as of September 30, 1978. 

In 1985, the military sample was discontinued, and, in 

1991, the economically disadvantaged nonblack, non-Hispanic 

youths were dropped from the supplemental sample. As a 

result, the NLSY79 sample now includes 9,964 individuals 

from the cross-sectional sample and the Black and Hispanic or 

Latino supplemental samples. (This sample size is not adjusted 

for sample members who have died.) 

Individuals were surveyed annually from 1979 to 1994 

and biennially since 1994. In 2020-21, 6,535 individuals 

responded to the survey, for a retention rate of 66 percent 

(representing a 74 percent response rate among those sample 

members who are still living). Only these individuals are 

included in the estimates in this release. All results are 

weighted using the 2020-21 survey weights that correct for the 

oversampling, interview nonresponse, and permanent attrition 

from the survey. When weighted, the estimates represent all 

persons born in the years 1957 to 1964 and living in the U.S. 

when the survey began in 1979. Not represented by the survey 

are U.S. immigrants who were born from 1957 to 1964 and 

moved to the U.S. after 1979. 

Work history data 

The total number of jobs that people hold during their 

work life is an easy concept to understand but a difficult one to 

measure. Reliable estimates require a survey that interviews 

the same people over the course of their entire work life and 

also keeps track of all the jobs they ever held. The NLSY79 

tracks the number of jobs that people have held, but most of 

the respondents in this survey are still working and have more 

years of work life ahead of them. While the survey has already 

tracked 41 years of work history, as the cohort continues to 

age, more complete information will become available. 

A unique feature of the NLSY79 is that it collects the 

beginning and ending dates of all jobs held by a respondent so 

that a longitudinal history can be constructed of each 

respondent’s work experiences. The NLSY79 work history 

data provide a week-by-week work record of each respondent 

from Jan. 1, 1978, through the most recent survey date. These 

data contain information on the respondent’s labor force status 

each week, the usual hours worked per week at all jobs, and 

earnings for all jobs. If a respondent worked at more than one 

job in any week, hours and earnings are obtained for additional 

jobs. When a respondent who missed one or more consecutive 

survey rounds is interviewed again, he or she is asked to 

provide information about all time since the last interview. 

Interaction between time and age in a longitudinal 

survey 

Because the NLSY79 is a longitudinal survey, meaning 

the same people are surveyed over time, the ages of the 

respondents change with each survey round. It is important to 

keep in mind this inherent link between the calendar years and 

the ages of the respondents. For example, table 5 reports 

earnings growth from age 45 to age 56. The youngest 

respondents in the sample (birth year 1964) were these ages 

during 2009-20, whereas the oldest respondents (birth year 

1957) were these ages during 2002-13. 

Although participants in the NLSY79 were ages 55 to 64

during the 2020-21 interviews, this release covers only the 

period while the respondents were ages 18 to 56. The reason 

for not including older ages is that the sample sizes were still 

too small to provide statistically reliable estimates for age 

groups older than 56. As the NLSY79 continues to be 

administered and the respondents age, subsequent rounds of 

the survey will enable analyses to be conducted for older age 

groups. 

As with age, the educational attainment of individuals 

may change from year to year. In the tables and analysis 
presented in this report, educational attainment is defined as of 

the 2020-21 survey. This definition is used even when data on 

age and educational attainment are presented together. For 

example, table 1 reports the number of jobs held during 

different age categories. Suppose that a respondent had 

completed a bachelor’s degree at age 56. That respondent 

would be included in the “Bachelor’s degree and higher” 

educational category in all age categories shown on the table, 

even though he or she did not have a bachelor’s degree at any 

point from age 18 to age 55. 

Definitions 

Job. A job is defined as an uninterrupted period of work 

with a particular employer. Jobs are therefore employer-based, 

not position-based. If a respondent indicates that he or she left 

a job but in a subsequent survey returned to the same job, it is 

counted as a new job. For example, if an individual worked in 

a retail establishment during the summer, quit at the end of 

summer, and then resumed working for the same employer the 

following spring, this sequence would count as two jobs, rather 

than one. For self-employed workers, each “new” job is 

defined by the individuals themselves. 

Unemployment. If respondents indicate a gap between 

employers, they are asked how many of those weeks they spent 

searching for employment or on layoff. For that number of 

weeks, they are considered unemployed. For the remaining 

weeks, they are coded as not in the labor force. No probing for 

intensity of job search is done.

Usual earnings. Respondents can report earnings over 

any time frame (hour, day, week, month, year). For those who 

do not report an hourly wage, one is constructed using usual 

hours worked over that time frame. Wages greater than $100 

per hour and less than $1 per hour (in 1979 dollars) were not 

included in the analysis of earnings growth because the 

reported earnings levels were almost certainly in error. For the 

same reason, individuals who had inflation-adjusted earnings 

growth greater than 100 percent were not included in the 

analysis. 

Marital Status. Marital status is determined for the 

interview date in which the respondent first turned a specific 

age (56, for example). If not interviewed at that age, then 

marital status is determined for the prior age.

Health limits kind or amount of work respondent can do:

Health limit is determined for the interview date in which the 

respondent first turned a specific age (56, for example). If not 

interviewed at that age, then health limit is determined for the 

prior age.

Race and ethnicity groups. In this release, the findings are 

reported for non-Hispanic White persons, non-Hispanic Black

persons, and Hispanic or Latino persons. These three groups 

are mutually exclusive but not exhaustive. Other race groups, 

which are included in the overall totals, are not shown 

separately because their representation in the survey sample is 

not sufficiently large to provide statistically reliable estimates. 

In other BLS publications, estimates usually are published for 

White persons, Black persons, and Hispanic or Latino persons, 

but these groups are not mutually exclusive. The term Hispanic 

or Latino is considered to be an ethnicity group, and Hispanic

or Latino persons can be of any race. Most other BLS 

publications include Hispanic or Latino persons in the White 

and Black race groups in addition to the Hispanic or Latino 

ethnicity group. 

Information in this release will be made available to 

sensory impaired individuals upon request. If you are deaf, 

hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 

to access telecommunications relay services.
Average number of jobs for individuals ages 18 to 56 in 1978-2020

Total 1 Ages 18 to 

24 2 

Ages 25 

to 34

Ages 35

to 44

Ages 45 to 

56 3 

Total .................................................. 12.7 5.6 4.5 2.9 2.3

 Less than a high school diploma ......... 12.6 5.1 4.7 2.9 1.9

 High school graduates, no college 4 ...... 12.3 5.2 4.4 2.9 2.2

 Some college or associate degree ...... 13.2 5.7 4.7 3.1 2.6

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5 ........... 12.8 6.2 4.4 2.8 2.5

Men ................................................. 12.8 5.8 4.7 2.9 2.3

 Less than a high school diploma ......... 14.1 6.2 5.6 3.1 1.9

 High school graduates, no college 4 ...... 12.7 5.7 4.7 2.8 2.2

 Some college or associate degree ...... 13.4 5.9 4.9 3.0 2.5

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5 ........... 12.1 5.9 4.2 2.8 2.4

Women ............................................ 12.5 5.4 4.3 2.9 2.4

 Less than a high school diploma ......... 10.4 3.7 3.4 2.5 1.8

 High school graduates, no college 4

 ...... 11.7 4.7 4.0 2.9 2.1

 Some college or associate degree ...... 13.1 5.6 4.5 3.1 2.6

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5 ........... 13.4 6.5 4.5 2.8 2.5

White non-Hispanic............................. 12.7 5.8 4.5 2.8 2.4

 Less than a high school diploma ......... 13.3 5.6 4.9 3.0 1.9

 High school graduates, no college 4 ...... 12.3 5.4 4.3 2.8 2.2

 Some college or associate degree ...... 13.5 6.0 4.7 3.0 2.6

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5 ........... 12.7 6.3 4.4 2.8 2.4

Black non-Hispanic .............................. 12.3 4.8 4.7 3.2 2.3

 Less than a high school diploma ......... 10.8 3.8 4.4 2.6 1.5

 High school graduates, no college 4 ...... 12.3 4.6 4.8 3.2 2.2

 Some college or associate degree ...... 12.2 4.8 4.6 3.4 2.5

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5

 ........... 13.4 5.6 4.6 3.2 2.8

Hispanic or Latino................................ 12.2 5.1 4.3 3.0 2.4

 Less than a high school diploma ......... 11.6 4.5 4.3 2.8 2.1

 High school graduates, no college 4 ...... 11.9 5.0 4.1 2.9 2.2

 Some college or associate degree ...... 13.1 5.4 4.5 3.2 2.7

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5 ........... 12.5 5.4 4.4 2.8 2.4

 2 This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978. 

 3 This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 57 when interviewed in 2020-21.

 4 Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

 5 Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degrees.

Table 1. Number of jobs held by individuals from ages 18 through 56 in 1978-2020 by educational 

attainment, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and age

 1 Jobs that were held in more than one of the age categories were counted in each appropriate column, but only once in 

the total column. The total excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978, or who had not yet turned age 

57 when interviewed in 2020-21.

 The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were born in the years 1957-64 and 

were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979. These individuals were ages 55 to 64 in 2018-19. Educational 

attainment is determined as of the 2020-21 survey. Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity groups are mutually exclusive but 

not exhaustive. Other race groups, which are included in the overall totals, are not shown separately because their 

representation in the survey sample is not sufficiently large to provide statistically reliable estimates.

Characteristic
Cumulative percent distribution of duration

Less than 1 

year

Less than 2 

years

Less than 5 

years

Less than 10 

years

Less than 15 

years

Ages 18 to 24 1 .......... 60.8 74.5 86.8 92.3 94.6 1.7

 Men ..................................... 60.8 74.5 86.4 92.1 94.4 1.8

 Women ............................... 60.8 74.6 87.2 92.6 94.9 1.6

 White non-Hispanic ............. 60.0 73.8 86.2 91.8 94.3 1.9

 Black non-Hispanic ............. 65.8 79.1 90.3 95.0 96.3 1.0

 Hispanic or Latino ............... 60.2 73.3 86.2 93.1 95.2 1.3

Ages 25 to 34 .......... 41.5 57.1 74.0 84.3 88.8 5.1

 Men ..................................... 39.7 55.1 71.3 81.7 86.7 6.2

 Women ............................... 43.3 59.2 76.8 86.8 91.1 3.8

 White non-Hispanic ............. 40.0 55.5 72.8 83.3 88.2 5.5

 Black non-Hispanic ............. 48.4 64.8 80.0 88.5 91.9 2.9

 Hispanic or Latino ............... 44.0 59.5 75.3 85.9 90.1 4.8

Ages 35 to 44 .......... 25.2 40.0 60.5 75.6 (*) 12.0

 Men ..................................... 22.7 38.0 58.7 73.7 (*) 13.3

 Women ............................... 27.7 42.0 62.2 77.3 (*) 10.7

 White non-Hispanic ............. 24.0 38.4 58.6 74.0 (*) 13.0

 Black non-Hispanic ............. 30.3 47.3 68.6 82.2 (*) 8.0

 Hispanic or Latino ............... 27.8 42.2 64.3 78.3 (*) 9.2

Ages 45 to 56 2 .......... 21.4 34.9 (*) (*) (*) 27.7

 Men ..................................... 18.4 32.5 (*) (*) (*) 29.8

 Women ............................... 24.3 37.2 (*) (*) (*) 25.7

 White non-Hispanic ............. 20.8 34.0 (*) (*) (*) 28.9

 Black non-Hispanic ............. 24.5 39.0 (*) (*) (*) 22.9

 Hispanic or Latino ............... 21.6 36.0 (*) (*) (*) 24.4

 1 This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978. 

 2 This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 57 when interviewed in 2020-21.

Table 2. Duration of employment relationships with a single employer for individuals who started from ages 18 

through 56 in 1978-2020 by age at start of job, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

(*) Estimates are not presented for these categories because most sample members were not yet

old enough at the time of the 2020-21 survey to have completed jobs of these durations.

 The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were born in the years 1957-64 and 

were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979. These individuals were ages 55 to 64 in 2020-21. Race and Hispanic or 

Latino ethnicity groups are mutually exclusive but not exhaustive. Other race groups, which are included in the overall totals, 

are not shown separately because their representation in the survey sample is not sufficiently large to provide statistically 

reliable estimates.

Age at the start of job and 

characteristic

Percent of 

jobs ongoing 

in 2020
Total, ages 18 to 56 in 1978-2020............................................ 77.8 4.4 17.8

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................... 58.8 7.1 34.1

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 75.6 5.5 19.0

 Some college or associate degree ........................................ 78.9 4.1 17.1

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 84.8 2.3 12.9

Men ......................................................................................... 83.4 4.8 11.8

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................... 68.1 8.1 23.8

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 81.5 6.0 12.5

 Some college or associate degree ........................................ 85.9 4.1 10.0

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 89.0 2.4 8.6

Women .................................................................................... 72.0 3.9 24.1

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................... 45.6 5.7 48.7

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 68.3 4.9 26.8

 Some college or associate degree ........................................ 73.4 4.1 22.6

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 80.7 2.2 17.1

White non-Hispanic ................................................................. 79.8 3.7 16.5

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................... 62.7 6.1 31.2

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 78.1 4.7 17.2

 Some college or associate degree ........................................ 79.9 3.5 16.6

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 85.0 2.0 12.9

Black non-Hispanic .................................................................. 68.8 7.8 23.5

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................... 46.2 10.7 43.2

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 63.9 9.2 26.9

 Some college or associate degree ........................................ 74.5 6.4 19.1

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 82.6 4.9 12.6

Hispanic or Latino .................................................................... 72.9 5.3 21.8

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................... 55.7 7.4 36.9

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 72.9 5.8 21.4

 Some college or associate degree ........................................ 79.0 4.3 16.7

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 84.0 2.7 13.3

 1 Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

 2 Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degrees.

Table 3. Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force from ages 18 

through 56 in 1978-2020 by educational attainment, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

 The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were born in the years 1957-64 and 

were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979. These individuals were ages 55 to 64 in 2020-21. Educational 

attainment is determined as of the 2020-21 survey. Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity groups are mutually exclusive 

but not exhaustive. Other race groups, which are included in the overall totals, are not shown separately because their 

representation in the survey sample is not sufficiently large to provide statistically reliable estimates.

 Note: This table excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978, and who had not yet turned age 57 

when interviewed in 2020-21.

Characteristic

Employed Unemployed Not in labor force

Percent of total weeks while ages 18 to 56 in 1978-2020
Total, ages 18 to 56 in 1978-2020 1

 ........................... 77.8 4.4 17.8

 Ages 18 to 24 in 1978-1988 2 .............................. 68.3 7.9 23.8

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 80.2 4.0 15.8

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 82.7 3.1 14.2

 Ages 45 to 56 in 2002-2020 3 .............................. 77.9 3.8 18.3

Men, ages 18 to 56 in 1978-2020 1 ........................... 83.4 4.8 11.8

 Ages 18 to 24 in 1978-1988 2 .............................. 72.8 8.8 18.3

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 88.6 4.4 7.0

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 88.9 3.2 7.9

 Ages 45 to 56 in 2002-2020 3 .............................. 82.5 4.2 13.3

Women, ages 18 to 56 in 1978-2020 1 ........................ 72.0 3.9 24.1

 Ages 18 to 24 in 1978-1988 2 .............................. 63.5 6.9 29.6

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 71.6 3.5 24.8

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 76.4 3.0 20.6

 Ages 45 to 56 in 2002-2020 3 .............................. 73.1 3.4 23.5

White non-Hispanic, ages 18 to 56 in 1978-2020 1 ....... 79.8 3.7 16.5

 Ages 18 to 24 in 1978-1988 2 .............................. 70.8 6.9 22.3

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 82.3 3.2 14.5

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 84.2 2.5 13.2

 Ages 45 to 56 in 2002-2020 3 .............................. 79.9 3.2 16.9

Black non-Hispanic, ages 18 to 56 in 1978-2020 1 ......... 68.8 7.8 23.5

 Ages 18 to 24 in 1978-1988 2 .............................. 56.1 13.2 30.7

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 71.6 8.0 20.4

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 76.2 5.9 17.9

 Ages 45 to 56 in 2002-2020 3 .............................. 68.4 6.7 24.9

Hispanic or Latino, ages 18 to 56 in 1978-2020 1 ......... 72.9 5.3 21.8

 Ages 18 to 24 in 1978-1988 2 .............................. 63.9 8.4 27.7

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 73.8 4.7 21.5

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 78.6 4.3 17.1

 Ages 45 to 56 in 2002-2020 3 .............................. 73.4 4.7 21.8

 2 This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978.

 3 This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 57 when interviewed in 2020-21.

Table 4. Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force 

from ages 18 through 56 in 1978-2020 by age, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

 1 This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978 and who had not yet 

turned age 57 when interviewed in 2020-21.

 The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were born in the 

years 1957-64 and were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979. These individuals were ages 55 

to 64 in 2020-21. Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity groups are mutually exclusive but not 

exhaustive. Other race groups, which are included in the overall totals, are not shown separately 

because their representation in the survey sample is not sufficiently large to provide statistically reliable 

estimates.

Age and characteristic

Percent of total weeks

Employed Unemployed Not in labor 

force
Ages 18 

to 24 1

Ages 25 

to 34

Ages 35

to 44

Ages 45 

to 56 2

Total ........................................................ 6.5 3.3 1.8 0.0

 Less than a high school diploma ................. 2.3 1.6 1.0 -0.8

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............ 5.5 2.1 1.5 -0.3

 Some college or associate degree ............ 5.9 3.3 1.7 0.0

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ................. 9.3 5.3 2.4 0.6

Men ....................................................... 7.1 3.7 1.8 -0.1

 Less than a high school diploma ................. 2.3 1.7 0.5 -0.9

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............ 6.1 2.2 1.6 -0.3

 Some college or associate degree ............ 7.2 3.9 1.6 -0.1

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ................. 9.6 6.3 2.6 0.5

Women ................................................... 6.0 2.8 1.8 0.1

 Less than a high school diploma ................. 2.1 1.5 1.7 -0.7

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............ 4.8 2.0 1.5 -0.3

 Some college or associate degree ............ 4.8 2.7 1.8 0.1

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ................. 9.0 4.2 2.3 0.7

White non-Hispanic ................................. 6.9 3.4 1.8 0.0

 Less than a high school diploma ................. 2.9 1.8 1.0 -1.0

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............ 5.8 2.1 1.6 -0.4

 Some college or associate degree ............ 5.7 3.3 1.7 0.0

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ................. 9.6 5.3 2.4 0.7

Black non-Hispanic .................................... 4.6 2.9 1.5 0.0

 Less than a high school diploma ................. 0.1 0.8 0.9 0.0

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............ 3.7 2.0 1.6 0.1

 Some college or associate degree ............ 6.2 3.3 1.5 -0.2

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ................. 5.9 5.3 1.7 0.0

Hispanic or Latino.................................... 5.9 2.7 1.9 -0.1

 Less than a high school diploma ................. 1.5 1.8 1.1 -1.0

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............ 5.9 2.3 1.0 -0.3

 Some college or associate degree ............ 6.3 2.5 2.3 0.2

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ................. 9.7 4.8 4.5 0.6

 1 This category excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978. 

 2 This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 57 when interviewed in 2020-21.

 3 Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

 4 Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degrees.

Table 5. Average annual percent growth in inflation-adjusted hourly earnings from 1978-2020 by 

educational attainment, sex, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and age

 The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were born in the years 

1957-64 and were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979. These individuals were ages 55 to 64 in 

2020-21. Educational attainment is determined as of the 2020-21 survey. Race and Hispanic or Latino 

ethnicity groups are mutually exclusive but not exhaustive. Other race groups, which are included in the 

overall totals, are not shown separately because their representation in the survey sample is not 

sufficiently large to provide statistically reliable estimates.

 Note: The R-CPI-U-RS was used to adjust hourly earnings to constant dollars, prior to calculating the 

growth rates.

Characteristic

Average annual percent growth in hourly earnings
Percent of individuals

Total .............................................. 56.6 43.4 32.0 68.0 29.6 70.4 34.7 65.3

 Less than a high school diploma ...... 51.1 48.9 40.8 59.2 45.2 54.8 49.9 50.1

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 50.3 49.7 33.8 66.2 32.6 67.4 38.2 61.8

 Some college or associate degree ... 54.4 45.6 33.3 66.7 30.6 69.4 36.3 63.7

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 68.5 31.5 26.2 73.8 21.3 78.7 24.9 75.1

Men .................................................... 62.8 37.2 33.3 66.7 29.6 70.4 33.1 66.9

 Less than a high school diploma ...... 55.2 44.8 42.5 57.5 44.1 55.9 50.3 49.7

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 58.0 42.0 37.4 62.6 34.2 65.8 38.2 61.8

 Some college or associate degree ... 61.2 38.8 33.5 66.5 30.3 69.7 34.2 65.8

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 73.4 26.6 24.3 75.7 18.9 81.1 20.1 80.0

Women .............................................. 50.1 49.9 30.7 69.3 29.6 70.4 36.4 63.6

 Less than a high school diploma ...... 45.1 54.9 38.3 61.7 46.8 53.2 49.3 50.7

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 41.6 58.4 29.7 70.3 30.8 69.2 38.1 61.9

 Some college or associate degree ... 48.6 51.4 33.2 66.8 30.9 69.1 38.1 61.9

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 63.6 36.4 28.1 71.9 23.7 76.3 29.9 70.1

White non-Hispanic ............................ 54.2 45.8 28.0 72.0 25.7 74.3 30.4 69.6

 Less than a high school diploma ...... 43.4 56.6 33.9 66.1 41.1 58.9 44.3 55.7

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 46.0 54.0 29.1 70.9 27.9 72.1 33.6 66.4

 Some college or associate degree ... 51.8 48.2 29.2 70.8 26.3 73.7 31.7 68.3

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 67.8 32.2 24.9 75.1 20.0 80.0 23.3 76.7

Black non-Hispanic ............................ 71.3 28.7 54.0 46.0 49.9 50.1 54.7 45.3

 Less than a high school diploma ...... 80.8 19.2 70.3 29.7 67.2 32.8 71.8 28.2

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 71.7 28.3 56.2 43.8 53.0 47.0 56.8 43.2

 Some college or associate degree ... 65.2 34.8 53.2 46.8 48.7 51.3 54.5 45.5

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 75.5 24.5 41.0 59.0 34.4 65.6 40.5 59.5

Hispanic or Latino .............................. 53.8 46.2 33.1 66.9 34.6 65.4 42.5 57.5

 Less than a high school diploma ...... 45.5 54.5 33.9 66.1 34.2 65.8 45.7 54.3

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 49.4 50.6 36.0 64.0 39.0 61.0 45.8 54.2

 Some college or associate degree ... 57.1 42.9 32.1 67.9 35.2 64.8 42.7 57.3

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 68.5 31.5 26.1 73.9 21.4 78.6 29.1 70.9

 1 Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

 2 Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degrees.

 3 Interviews were not conducted in 1999.

Table 6. Marital status at age 24, age 34, age 44, and age 56 by educational attainment, sex, race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Characteristic

 The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were born in the years 1957-64 and were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979. These 

individuals were ages 55 to 64 in 2020-21. Educational attainment is determined as of the 2020-21 survey. Marital status is determined for the interview date in which the respondent first 

turned age 24, age 34, age 44, or age 56. If not interviewed at that age, then marital status is determined for the prior age. Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity groups are mutually 

exclusive but not exhaustive. Other race groups, which are included in the overall totals, are not shown separately because their representation in the survey sample is not sufficiently 

large to provide statistically reliable estimates. 

Not Married Married Not Married Married Not Married Married Not Married Married

Age 34 (in 1990-1998) 3 Age 24 (in 1980-1989) Age 44 (in 2000-2009) Age 56 (in 2012-2021)
Percent of total weeks while ages 18 to 34 in 1978-1998 Percent of total weeks while ages 35 to 56 in 1992-2020

Not Married at age 34 Married at age 34 Not Married at age 56 Married at age 56

Employed Unemployed

Not in 

labor 

force

Employed Unemployed

Not in 

labor 

force

Employed Unemployed

Not in 

labor 

force

Employed Unemployed

Not in 

labor 

force

Total............................................................ 72.1 7.4 20.4 78.0 4.3 17.7 74.2 5.3 20.5 83.5 2.4 14.1

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 56.3 11.3 32.4 60.9 7.9 31.2 55.0 6.3 38.7 64.4 4.1 31.5

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 70.6 8.7 20.6 77.6 5.3 17.1 69.4 6.3 24.3 82.2 2.8 15.0

 Some college or associate degree ........... 74.9 6.9 18.2 79.4 4.1 16.5 77.3 5.2 17.5 82.9 2.5 14.6

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 78.1 4.1 17.8 80.4 2.6 17.1 89.0 2.8 8.1 88.7 1.4 9.8

Men ............................................................ 75.8 8.5 15.7 86.0 4.5 9.5 75.0 6.3 18.8 91.0 2.4 6.7

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 66.5 14.0 19.5 75.4 9.4 15.2 58.2 7.5 34.3 74.2 4.2 21.6

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 75.6 9.7 14.7 88.1 5.7 6.2 69.8 7.6 22.6 89.6 2.6 7.8

 Some college or associate degree ........... 79.1 7.3 13.7 89.0 3.7 7.3 80.3 5.2 14.4 90.9 2.4 6.6

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 77.2 4.6 18.3 83.4 2.5 14.0 92.4 3.4 4.2 95.7 1.6 2.7

Women ....................................................... 67.7 6.1 26.2 70.3 4.1 25.6 73.4 4.4 22.1 75.4 2.4 22.2

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 41.4 7.4 51.2 42.5 6.0 51.5 50.7 4.7 44.6 50.2 3.9 45.9

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 63.1 7.2 29.7 66.6 5.0 28.5 68.9 5.0 26.1 73.8 3.1 23.1

 Some college or associate degree ........... 71.4 6.5 22.1 71.5 4.4 24.0 75.1 5.2 19.7 75.7 2.7 21.7

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 79.1 3.6 17.3 77.6 2.6 19.8 86.8 2.4 10.8 80.7 1.2 18.1

White non-Hispanic .................................... 77.2 6.0 16.8 78.9 3.9 17.3 77.3 4.6 18.1 84.2 2.1 13.7

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 66.5 10.4 23.1 62.4 8.0 29.6 59.3 5.1 35.6 65.8 3.6 30.6

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 77.2 6.9 15.9 78.7 4.8 16.5 72.0 5.8 22.2 83.2 2.5 14.3

 Some college or associate degree ........... 78.4 5.8 15.8 80.4 3.7 15.9 79.5 4.6 15.9 83.0 2.3 14.7

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 78.9 3.7 17.5 80.4 2.4 17.2 90.1 2.3 7.5 88.7 1.3 10.0

Black non-Hispanic .................................... 58.5 11.8 29.7 73.0 7.8 19.2 66.4 7.2 26.5 79.4 4.5 16.1

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 39.0 13.2 47.8 60.4 10.0 29.5 44.8 8.0 47.2 57.3 8.1 34.5

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 54.8 13.6 31.5 70.1 9.9 20.1 63.6 7.9 28.4 75.1 4.9 20.0

 Some college or associate degree ........... 65.8 10.1 24.1 74.6 6.6 18.8 72.5 6.3 21.1 81.7 4.4 13.9

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 73.8 7.2 19.1 79.1 4.8 16.1 83.5 5.6 10.9 89.5 3.0 7.5

Hispanic or Latino ...................................... 65.1 7.8 27.0 73.7 4.6 21.7 68.6 6.1 25.3 79.8 3.2 17.0

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 47.7 11.4 41.0 53.9 6.4 39.7 59.0 7.9 33.1 62.3 3.9 33.7

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 63.5 9.0 27.5 75.6 4.9 19.4 64.7 5.6 29.6 80.7 4.2 15.1

 Some college or associate degree ........... 78.0 4.7 17.3 76.3 4.2 19.5 74.0 6.9 19.1 83.1 2.3 14.6

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 73.1 3.8 23.1 83.0 2.5 14.6 85.8 2.8 11.4 88.1 1.7 10.2

 1 Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

 2 Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degrees.

Table 7. Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force from ages 18 through 56 in 1978-2020 by marital status, educational attainment, 

sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Characteristic

 The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were born in the years 1957-64 and were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979. These 

individuals were ages 55 to 64 in 2020-21. Educational attainment is determined as of the 2020-21 survey. Marital status is determined for the interview date in which the respondent first 

turned age 34 or age 56. If not interviewed at that age, then the marital status is determined using the data from the prior age. Other race groups, which are included in the overall totals, 

are not shown separately because their representation in the survey sample is not sufficiently large to provide statistically reliable estimates. 
Age 24 

(in 1980-1989)

Age 34 

(in 1990-1998) 3

Age 44 

(in 2000-2009)

Age 56 

(in 2012-2021)

Total............................................................. 3.5 4.8 10.0 21.3

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 5.7 5.9 22.4 46.4

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 3.7 5.2 12.1 24.9

 Some college or associate degree ............. 3.2 5.4 10.1 21.4

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 3.1 3.5 4.5 10.5

Men ............................................................. 2.3 3.6 7.7 19.2

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 2.1 5.0 18.5 41.4

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 2.6 4.5 10.2 22.3

 Some college or associate degree ............. 1.6 2.5 6.6 16.7

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 2.6 2.7 2.5 10.7

Women ........................................................ 4.7 6.1 12.3 23.5

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 11.0 7.4 27.7 53.6

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 5.0 6.1 14.1 27.8

 Some college or associate degree ............. 4.5 7.9 13.0 25.4

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 3.6 4.3 6.6 10.3

White non-Hispanic ...................................... 3.4 4.7 9.0 19.7

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 5.6 6.8 21.9 47.9

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 3.6 5.1 11.1 23.0

 Some college or associate degree ............. 3.0 5.2 9.1 20.3

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 3.1 3.6 4.4 10.1

Black non-Hispanic ...................................... 4.5 5.7 15.5 29.9

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 7.8 4.7 27.9 50.9

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 4.1 5.5 16.7 33.6

 Some college or associate degree ............. 4.5 7.1 15.4 26.3

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 3.9 4.1 6.0 15.8

Hispanic or Latino ........................................ 2.6 3.8 10.6 23.0

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 3.4 3.8 17.0 34.7

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 3.2 5.3 12.1 24.8

 Some college or associate degree ............. 1.7 3.5 8.2 22.6

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 2.2 0.5 4.3 5.8

 1 Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

 2 Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degrees.

 3 Interviews were not conducted in 1999.

Characteristic

Table 8. Percent of individuals whose health limits the kind or amount of work they can do by age, 

educational attainment, sex, race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

 The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 consists of men and women who were born in the years 

1957-64 and were ages 14 to 22 when first interviewed in 1979. These individuals were ages 55 to 64 in 2020-

21. Educational attainment is determined as of the 2020-21 survey. Health limit is determined for the interview 

date in which the respondent first turned age 24, age 34, age 44, or age 56. If not interviewed at that age, then 

health limit is determined using data from the prior age. Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity groups are 

mutually exclusive but not exhaustive. Other race groups, which are included in the overall totals, are not 

shown separately because their representation in the survey sample is not sufficiently large to provide 

statistically reliable estimates. 

Percent of individuals