1

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

Media contact: 691-5902

USDL 03-177

For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT

Thursday, April 17, 2003

USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:

FIRST QUARTER 2003

Median weekly earnings of the nation’s 99.0 million full-time wage and salary workers were $620 in the

first quarter of 2003, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This

was 1.5 percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 2.8 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 first-quarter data are:

—Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $551 per week, or 79.3 percent of the

$695 median for men. The female-to-male earnings ratios were higher among blacks or African Americans

(89.3 percent) and Hispanics or Latinos (88.3 percent) than among whites (79.0 percent) and Asians

(78.2 percent). (See table 1.)

—Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were $552 per week, 77.4 percent of the

median for white men ($713). The difference was much less among women, as black women’s median

earnings ($493) were 87.6 percent of those for their white counterparts ($563). Overall, median earnings

of Hispanics who worked full time ($447) were lower than those of blacks ($516), whites ($636), and

Asians ($718). (See table 1.)

—Among men, the highest median weekly earnings were for those age 45 to 54 and age 55 to 64

($822 for each age group). Among women, earnings were highest for those 45 to 54 years old ($606).

(See table 2.)

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

related occupations had the highest median weekly earnings—$1,058 for men and $756 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

$397, compared with $549 for high school graduates (no college) and $961 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 $2,498 or more per week, compared with

$1,856 or more for their female counterparts. (See table 4.)
2

Changes in Usual Weekly Earnings Data

Several major changes introduced into the Current Population Survey in 2003 affect the

usual weekly earnings data that are presented in this release. These include the use of new

population controls that reflect Census 2000 results, the use of new questions about race and

Hispanic ethnicity, the presentation of data for Asians, and the use of a new occupational

classification system. Additionally, the first quarter 2003 data also reflect an additional

upward adjustment to population controls and other changes to the survey. The first quarter

2002 data shown in this release have been revised to reflect the new population controls and

the new occupational classification system introduced into the survey. (Data by race and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity prior to the first quarter of 2003 continue to be based on the old

race/ethnicity questions.) For a detailed discussion of the changes, see “Revisions to the

Current Population Survey Effective in January 2003” in the February 2003 issue of

Employment and Earnings and available on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/cps/

rvcps03.pdf.
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. Nonsam-pling

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

 I 

2002

 I 

2003

In current dollars In constant (1982) dollars

 I 

2002

 I 

2003

 I 

2002

 I 

2003

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over ........................................................................... 98,809 98,988 $611 $620 $332 $327

 Men, 16 years and over ......................................................................... 55,217 55,162 682 695 370 366

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 5,725 5,829 406 396 220 209

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 49,491 49,333 729 741 395 391

 Women, 16 years and over ................................................................... 43,592 43,826 533 551 289 291

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 4,509 4,266 375 384 203 202

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 39,083 39,560 570 581 309 306

RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX

 White1 .................................................................................................... 81,543 80,878 625 636 339 336

 Men ...................................................................................................... 46,549 46,184 701 713 380 376

 Women ................................................................................................ 34,994 34,694 547 563 297 297

 Black or African American1 ................................................................... 11,899 11,706 510 516 276 272

 Men ...................................................................................................... 5,669 5,443 533 552 289 291

 Women ................................................................................................ 6,230 6,263 492 493 267 260

 Asian1 .................................................................................................... 4,354 4,230 651 718 353 379

 Men ...................................................................................................... 2,414 2,365 752 793 408 418

 Women ................................................................................................ 1,939 1,865 558 620 303 327

 Hispanic or Latino .................................................................................. 12,861 13,653 420 447 228 236

 Men ...................................................................................................... 8,047 8,611 452 471 245 249

 Women ................................................................................................ 4,815 5,042 387 416 210 219

1 Beginning in 2003, persons who selected this race group only;

persons who selected more than one race group are not included. Prior to

2003, persons who reported more than one race group were included in

the group they indentified as the main race.

 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. All data have been revised back to January 2000 to reflect

the introduction of Census 2000-based population controls into the

household survey. Beginning in January 2003, data also reflect an

additional upward adjustment to population controls and other changes to

the survey.
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and

sex, first quarter 2003 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 ..................................................................................... 98,988 $620 55,162 $695 43,826 $551

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 10,095 391 5,829 396 4,266 384

 16 to 19 years ....................................................................................... 1,236 312 743 321 494 298

 20 to 24 years ....................................................................................... 8,858 402 5,086 409 3,773 393

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 88,893 659 49,333 741 39,560 581

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 75,888 657 42,308 734 33,580 583

 25 to 34 years ..................................................................................... 24,512 599 14,046 641 10,466 549

 35 to 44 years ..................................................................................... 27,172 677 15,369 766 11,803 590

 45 to 54 years ..................................................................................... 24,204 718 12,893 822 11,312 606

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 13,005 672 7,025 791 5,980 567

 55 to 64 years ..................................................................................... 11,237 697 5,988 822 5,249 586

 65 years and over ............................................................................... 1,768 493 1,037 592 731 424

White1

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 80,878 636 46,184 713 34,694 563

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 8,343 393 4,936 398 3,407 385

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 72,535 679 41,248 761 31,287 590

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 61,514 676 35,227 752 26,287 592

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 11,021 696 6,021 831 5,000 579

Black or African American1

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 11,706 516 5,443 552 6,263 493

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 1,122 372 550 364 571 379

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 10,584 543 4,892 582 5,692 512

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 9,261 540 4,254 575 5,007 510

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 1,323 565 638 609 685 523

Asian1

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 4,230 718 2,365 793 1,865 620

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 359 413 200 428 159 396

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 3,871 739 2,165 828 1,705 652

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 3,376 755 1,875 859 1,501 665

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 495 670 291 728 204 558

Hispanic or Latino

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 13,653 447 8,611 471 5,042 416

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 2,205 339 1,489 337 716 344

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 11,448 481 7,122 501 4,326 430

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 10,501 482 6,539 500 3,962 436

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 947 473 583 516 364 401

1 Beginning in 2003, persons who selected this race group only;

persons who selected more than one race group are not included. Prior to

2003, persons who reported more than one race group were included in

the group they indentified as the main race.

 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. All data have been revised back to January 2000 to reflect

the introduction of Census 2000-based population controls into the

household survey. Beginning in January 2003, data also reflect an

additional upward adjustment to population controls and other changes to

the 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

 I 

2002

 I 

2003

 I 

2002

 I 

2003

TOTAL

 Managerial, professional, and related occupations ................................. 35,193 35,451 $856 $893

 Management, business, and financial operations occupations ............. 14,497 14,374 919 954

 Professional and related occupations .................................................... 20,696 21,077 820 854

 Service occupations ................................................................................ 12,749 13,327 389 407

 Sales and office occupations ................................................................... 24,872 24,625 527 541

 Sales and related occupations .............................................................. 9,483 9,853 596 594

 Office and administrative support occupations ...................................... 15,389 14,772 510 522

 Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ............. 10,440 10,581 608 610

 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ............................................ 700 678 344 365

 Construction and extraction occupations ............................................... 5,650 5,561 592 601

 Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ................................ 4,090 4,342 670 668

 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ................. 15,555 15,005 513 519

 Production occupations ......................................................................... 9,079 8,493 514 524

 Transportation and material moving occupations .................................. 6,476 6,511 512 513

Men

 Managerial, professional, and related occupations ................................. 17,559 17,569 1,017 1,058

 Management, business, and financial operations occupations ............. 8,085 7,936 1,090 1,140

 Professional and related occupations .................................................... 9,474 9,633 981 1,018

 Service occupations ................................................................................ 6,533 6,620 442 477

 Sales and office occupations ................................................................... 9,118 9,192 642 645

 Sales and related occupations .............................................................. 5,279 5,416 716 703

 Office and administrative support occupations ...................................... 3,839 3,776 573 583

 Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ............. 9,972 10,116 613 615

 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ............................................ 512 541 355 376

 Construction and extraction occupations ............................................... 5,548 5,408 590 605

 Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ................................ 3,912 4,167 670 669

 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ................. 12,035 11,665 560 563

 Production occupations ......................................................................... 6,452 6,014 574 581

 Transportation and material moving occupations .................................. 5,582 5,651 540 534

Women

 Managerial, professional, and related occupations ................................. 17,634 17,882 736 756

 Management, business, and financial operations occupations ............. 6,411 6,437 760 793

 Professional and related occupations .................................................... 11,222 11,444 721 740

 Service occupations ................................................................................ 6,216 6,707 344 366

 Sales and office occupations ................................................................... 15,754 15,432 486 503

 Sales and related occupations .............................................................. 4,204 4,437 441 461

 Office and administrative support occupations ...................................... 11,550 10,996 496 512

 Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ............. 468 466 488 483

 Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ............................................ 188 137 315 323

 Construction and extraction occupations ............................................... 102 153 620 480

 Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ................................ 178 175 639 631

 Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ................. 3,520 3,339 403 407

 Production occupations ......................................................................... 2,627 2,479 409 411

 Transportation and material moving occupations .................................. 894 860 383 397

 NOTE: Occupations reflect the introduction of the 2002 Census

occupational classification system derived from the 2000 Standard

Occupational Classification system into the Current Population Survey.

Data are based on Census 2000 based-population controls. Beginning in

January 2003, data also reflect an additional upward adjustment to

population controls and other changes to the survey.
Table 4. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected

characteristics, first quarter 2003 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 ........................................................................... 98,988 $300 $414 $620 $945 $1,413

 Men ......................................................................................................... 55,162 320 460 695 1,062 1,586

 Women ................................................................................................... 43,826 283 381 551 803 1,139

 White1 ..................................................................................................... 80,878 305 423 636 967 1,447

 Men ....................................................................................................... 46,184 324 475 713 1,089 1,637

 Women ................................................................................................. 34,694 286 386 563 814 1,150

 Black or African American1 .................................................................... 11,706 281 373 516 762 1,076

 Men ....................................................................................................... 5,443 296 393 552 809 1,156

 Women ................................................................................................. 6,263 268 353 493 726 1,000

 Asian1 ..................................................................................................... 4,230 299 423 718 1,121 1,694

 Men ....................................................................................................... 2,365 319 475 793 1,263 1,894

 Women ................................................................................................. 1,865 285 396 620 918 1,344

 Hispanic or Latino ................................................................................... 13,653 258 318 447 675 991

 Men ....................................................................................................... 8,611 270 325 471 701 1,057

 Women ................................................................................................. 5,042 245 307 416 615 902

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

 Total, 25 years and over ......................................................................... 88,893 316 445 659 988 1,464

 Less than a high school diploma .......................................................... 8,483 238 300 397 539 766

 High school graduates, no college ....................................................... 26,930 297 394 549 766 1,047

 Some college or associate degree ....................................................... 24,859 339 462 635 909 1,210

 Bachelor’s degree and higher ............................................................... 28,621 477 672 961 1,426 1,961

 Bachelor’s degree only ....................................................................... 18,732 438 623 903 1,324 1,885

 Advanced degree ............................................................................... 9,889 580 774 1,104 1,614 2,226

 Men, 25 years and over ........................................................................ 49,333 350 497 741 1,123 1,665

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................................ 5,617 263 320 431 597 815

 High school graduates, no college ..................................................... 15,040 337 461 627 870 1,158

 Some college or associate degree ..................................................... 12,982 384 514 731 1,019 1,380

 Bachelor’s degree and higher ............................................................. 15,694 522 767 1,129 1,654 2,301

 Bachelor’s degree only ..................................................................... 10,315 494 718 1,047 1,544 2,113

 Advanced degree ............................................................................. 5,380 618 896 1,283 1,875 2,498

 Women, 25 years and over .................................................................. 39,560 293 396 581 840 1,168

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................................ 2,866 208 270 338 444 593

 High school graduates, no college ..................................................... 11,890 270 345 464 628 856

 Some college or associate degree ..................................................... 11,877 312 410 561 761 1,022

 Bachelor’s degree and higher ............................................................. 12,927 427 607 819 1,134 1,562

 Bachelor’s degree only ..................................................................... 8,417 400 569 758 1,044 1,430

 Advanced degree ............................................................................. 4,510 545 709 927 1,278 1,856

1 Beginning in 2003, persons who selected this race group only;

persons who selected more than one race group are not included. Prior to

2003, persons who reported more than one race group were included in

the group they indentified as the main race.

 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. All data have been revised back to January 2000 to reflect

the introduction of Census 2000-based population controls into the

household survey. Beginning in January 2003, data also reflect an

additional upward adjustment to population controls and other changes to

the 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

 I 

2002

 I 

2003

 I 

2002

 I 

2003

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over ........................................................................... 21,817 22,154 $179 $184

 Men, 16 years and over ......................................................................... 6,971 6,988 171 172

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 3,681 3,557 143 137

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 3,289 3,431 219 225

 Women, 16 years and over ................................................................... 14,847 15,165 184 191

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 4,628 4,696 133 129

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 10,218 10,469 214 224

RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX

 White1 .................................................................................................... 18,607 18,761 181 185

 Men ...................................................................................................... 5,771 5,754 170 167

 Women ................................................................................................ 12,837 13,007 186 193

 Black or African American1 ................................................................... 2,032 2,050 168 178

 Men ...................................................................................................... 735 762 168 192

 Women ................................................................................................ 1,296 1,287 168 169

 Asian1 .................................................................................................... 960 804 186 202

 Men ...................................................................................................... 372 298 170 206

 Women ................................................................................................ 588 506 192 198

 Hispanic or Latino .................................................................................. 2,359 2,183 184 181

 Men ...................................................................................................... 812 775 191 200

 Women ................................................................................................ 1,547 1,408 180 171

1 Beginning in 2003, persons who selected this race group only;

persons who selected more than one race group are not included. Prior

to 2003, persons who reported more than one race group were included

in the group they indentified as the main race.

 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. All data have been revised back to January

2000 to reflect the introduction of Census 2000-based population controls

into the household survey. Beginning in January 2003, data also reflect

an additional upward adjustment to population controls and other

changes to the survey.