For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, August 31, 2021 USDL-21-1567 

 

Technical information: 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: 

RESULTS FROM A NATIONAL LONGITUDINAL SURVEY

Individuals born in the latter years of the baby boom (1957-64) held an average of 12.4 jobs from ages 

18 to 54, 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 53 to 62 when interviewed 

most recently in 2018-19. 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 39 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 12.4 jobs from ages 18 to 54. 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 2.1 jobs from ages 45 to 54. 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 54 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 while ages 35 to 

44, the average individual had 26 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 were employed during 78 percent of the weeks from ages 18 to 54. 

Generally, men spent a larger percent of weeks employed than did women (84 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 54th 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.)

 

• Men who were not married at age 54 were employed 76 percent of the weeks from ages 35 

to 54, compared with 91 percent for those who were married. The percentage of weeks 

employed was similar for not married and married women at age 54 (75 percent and 76 

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 they 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 54 years of age, 20 percent 

were limited. (See table 8.)

Number of Jobs Held 

 

Individuals held an average of 12.4 jobs from ages 18 to 54, 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 12.6 jobs and women held 12.3 jobs from ages 18 to 54. Men held 5.8 jobs from ages 18 to 24, 

compared with 2.1 jobs from ages 45 to 54. 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 54, 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 13.8 jobs from ages 18 to 54, while men with a 

bachelor’s degree and higher held 11.9 jobs between these ages. In contrast, women without a high 

school diploma held 10.0 jobs from ages 18 to 54, while women with a bachelor’s degree and higher 

held 13.1 jobs between these ages. 

 

From ages 18 to 24, White persons held more jobs than Black persons, and Hispanic or Latino persons. 

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 5.0 jobs. Each of these groups held between 4.3 and 4.6 jobs 

from ages 25 to 34; between 2.9 and 3.1 jobs from ages 35 to 44; and between 2.1 and 2.2 jobs from 

ages 45 to 54. 
-3- 

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 

jobs started by 35 to 44 year-olds, the average worker had 26 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 54. They were unemployed—that is, without jobs but seeking work—5 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 2018-19 survey) spent 58 percent of weeks employed and 35 

percent of weeks out of the labor force from ages 18 to 54. 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 54, 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 

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 54 in 

1978-2018, by sex and age

Men Women
-4- 

graduates with no college spent 65 percent of weeks employed and 25 percent of weeks out of the labor 

force, and Hispanic or Latino high school graduates with no college spent 72 percent of weeks employed 

and 22 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.) 

The amount of time spent in the labor force differs 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 54; at these same ages, women were out of the labor force 24 percent of 

weeks. Women’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 54 out of the labor force, 

while those with a high school diploma were out of the labor force 26 percent of weeks, those with some 

college were out of the labor force 22 percent of weeks, and women with a bachelor’s degree and higher 

were out of the labor force only 18 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 12 percent of weeks. (See table 3.) 

 

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

patterns of men and women 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 23 percent of weeks between the ages of 45 

and 54. Men were out of the labor force 18 percent of weeks between the ages of 18 to 24, and then 

fewer than 9 percent of weeks from ages 25 to 44; from ages 45 to 54, they increased their time out of 

the labor force to 13 percent of weeks. While the percent of weeks out of the labor force followed a 

similar trend, within each age range, women spent more weeks out of the labor force than men. (See 

table 4 and chart 3.) 

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 54 in 1978-

2018, by educational attainment, race, and Hispanic or Latino 

ethnicity

White non-Hispanic Black non-Hispanic Hispanic or Latino
The percentage of weeks in which women were employed increased from 63 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 54 

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 88 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 54 age group. (See 

table 4.) 

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 6.4 percent per year from

ages 18 to 24. The earnings growth rate slowed to 3.2 percent annually from ages 25 to 34 and then to 

1.8 percent annually from ages 35 to 44. From ages 45 to 54, earnings were stagnant (0.0 percent). (See 

table 5.) 

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 2.8 percent, while those with a bachelor’s degree and higher saw their earnings grow by 

9.2 percent at the same ages. On average, 45 to 54 year-olds with less than a high school diploma 

experienced negative earnings growth (-0.7 percent), while at the same ages earnings among those with 

a bachelor’s degree and higher increased by 0.5 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.)

-5-

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Age 18 to 24 Age 25 to 34 Age 35 to 44 Age 45 to 54

Percent of weeks

Chart 3. Percent of weeks not in the labor force from age 18 to age 54 

in 1978-2018, by sex and age

Men Women
-6- 

 

Marital Status and Employment Experiences

At 24 years of age, 44 percent of Americans born during 1957-64 were married. At 34 years of age, 68 

percent were married; at 44 years of age, 70 percent were married; and at 54 years of age, 65 percent 

were 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 54, those with higher levels 

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

their 44th birthday, 54 percent of those with less than a high school diploma, 67 percent of high school 

graduates with no college, 69 percent of individuals with some college or an associate degree, and 78 

percent of college graduates were married. (See chart 4.)

At age 24, women were significantly more likely than men to be married. By their 24th birthday, 50 

percent of women were married, while 37 percent of men were married. At age 24, women at each level 

of educational attainment were also more likely than men to be married. At ages 34, 44, and 54, the 

percentages of women and men who were married were very similar, ranging between 66 percent and 69 

percent for men and 63 percent 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, 51 percent of Black persons were not 

married, compared with 27 percent of White persons and 35 percent of Hispanic or Latino persons.

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 54

(2010-2019)

Chart 4. Marital status at age 24, age 34, age 44, and age 54 by 

educational attainment

Not Married Married
-7- 

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

weeks from ages 18 to 34, spent fewer weeks unemployed, and spent fewer weeks not in the labor force. 

From ages 18 to 34, not married individuals spent 72 percent of weeks employed, 7 percent of weeks 

unemployed, and 21 percent of weeks not in the labor force, while those who were married spent 78 

percent of weeks employed, 4 percent of weeks unemployed, and 18 percent of weeks not in the labor 

force. Similar relationships were observed at older ages. (See table 7.)

At age 54, those who were married worked more weeks from ages 35 to 54 compared with individuals 

who were not married, spent fewer weeks unemployed, and spent fewer weeks not in the labor force. 

From ages 35 to 54, not married individuals spent 75 percent of weeks employed, 5 percent of weeks 

unemployed, and 20 percent of weeks not in the labor force, while those who were married spent 83 

percent of weeks employed, 3 percent of weeks unemployed, and 14 percent of weeks not in the labor 

force. (See table 7.)

At age 54, men had different employment experiences by marital status. From ages 35 to 54, married 

men worked more weeks, were unemployed fewer weeks, and were less likely to be not in the labor 

force than not married men. Married men spent 91 percent of weeks employed, compared with 76 

percent for not married men. They spent 3 percent of weeks unemployed, compared with 6 percent for 

not married men. Married men spent 7 percent of weeks out of the labor force, compared with 18

percent for not married men. In contrast, there were limited differences in women’s employment 

experiences by marital status from ages 35 to 54, with both married and non-married women spending 

about the same percentage of weeks employed (76 percent for married women and 75 percent for not 

married women). (See chart 5.)

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

54

 Married at age

54

Chart 5. Percent of total weeks individuals were employed, 

unemployed, or not in the labor force from age 35 through age 

54 in 1979-2018 

Employed Unemployed Not in labor foce
-8- 

At age 54, married individuals also worked more weeks than not married individuals within racial and 

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

employed from ages 35 to 54 than those who were not married (84 percent versus 78 percent). Among 

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

who were not married (80 percent versus 68 percent). Among Hispanic or Latino persons, those who 

were married spent a higher percentage of weeks employed than those who were not married (80 percent 

versus 70 percent). 

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 during 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 54 years of age, 20 

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

At ages 24, 34, 44, and 54, 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 54th 

birthday, 47 percent of those with less than a high school diploma, 24 percent of high school graduates 

with no college, 20 percent of individuals with some college or an associate degree, and 9 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, 13 percent of women and 8 percent of men were limited; and at 54 years of age, 23 percent of 

women and 17 percent of men were limited in the kind or amount of work they can do. 

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 performed by age and educational 

attainment

age 54 (2010-2019) age 44 (2000-2009) age 34 (1990-1998) age 24 (1980-1989)
-9- 

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 54 

years of age, 28 percent of Black persons were limited in the kind or amount of work they can do, 

compared with 18 percent of White persons and 22 percent of Hispanic or Latino persons.

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

The estimates in this release were obtained using data 

from the first 28 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 2018-19, 6,878 individuals 

responded to the survey, for a retention rate of 69 percent 

(representing a 77 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 2018-19 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. 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 54. The youngest 

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

during 2009-18, whereas the oldest respondents (birth year 

1957) were these ages during 2002-11. 

Although participants in the NLSY79 were ages 53 to 62 

during the 2018-19 interviews, this release covers only the 

period while the respondents were ages 18 to 54. 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 54. 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 2018-19 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 54. 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 53. 

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

marital status is determined for the prior age.

Health limits kind or amount of work can do: Health limit 

is determined for the interview date in which the respondent 

first turned a specific age (54, 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. Voice phone: 

(202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339
Total 1 Ages 18 to 

24 2 

Ages 25 

to 34

Ages 35

to 44

Ages 45 to 

54 3 

Total .................................................. 12.4 5.6 4.5 2.9 2.1

 Less than a high school diploma ............ 12.1 5.1 4.6 2.8 1.7

 High school graduates, no college 4 ...... 12.1 5.2 4.4 2.9 2.0

 Some college or associate degree ......... 13.1 5.8 4.7 3.1 2.3

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5 .............. 12.5 6.2 4.4 2.8 2.3

Men .................................................... 12.6 5.8 4.7 2.9 2.1

 Less than a high school diploma ............ 13.8 6.1 5.4 3.1 1.7

 High school graduates, no college 4

 ...... 12.6 5.7 4.7 2.8 2.0

 Some college or associate degree ......... 13.2 5.9 5.0 3.0 2.3

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5 .............. 11.9 5.9 4.3 2.9 2.2

Women ............................................... 12.3 5.4 4.2 2.9 2.1

 Less than a high school diploma ............ 10.0 3.8 3.4 2.4 1.6

 High school graduates, no college 4 ...... 11.5 4.6 4.0 2.9 2.0

 Some college or associate degree ......... 13.0 5.6 4.5 3.1 2.4

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5 .............. 13.1 6.6 4.5 2.8 2.3

White non-Hispanic.............................. 12.5 5.8 4.5 2.9 2.1

 Less than a high school diploma ............ 12.6 5.5 4.7 2.9 1.7

 High school graduates, no college 4

 ...... 12.1 5.4 4.3 2.8 2.0

 Some college or associate degree ......... 13.4 6.0 4.8 3.0 2.4

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5 .............. 12.5 6.3 4.4 2.8 2.2

Black non-Hispanic .............................. 12.1 4.8 4.6 3.1 2.1

 Less than a high school diploma ............ 10.7 3.7 4.3 2.5 1.5

 High school graduates, no college 4 ...... 11.9 4.6 4.7 3.1 2.0

 Some college or associate degree ......... 12.1 4.8 4.6 3.3 2.2

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5 .............. 13.2 5.7 4.7 3.2 2.7

Hispanic or Latino................................. 12.1 5.0 4.3 3.0 2.2

 Less than a high school diploma ............ 11.5 4.5 4.3 2.9 1.9

 High school graduates, no college 4 ...... 12.0 4.9 4.2 3.0 2.1

 Some college or associate degree ......... 12.8 5.4 4.5 3.2 2.4

 Bachelor's degree and higher 5 .............. 11.4 5.2 4.4 2.7 2.1

 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 53 to 62 in 2018-19. 

Educational attainment is determined as of the 2018-19 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.

Table 1. Number of jobs held by individuals from ages 18 through 54 in 1978-2018 by educational 

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

Average number of jobs for individuals ages 18 to 54 in 1978-2018

Characteristic

 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 55 when interviewed in 2018-19.

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

 3 This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 55 when interviewed in 2018-19

 4 Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

 5 Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degrees.
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 74.6 86.9 92.5 94.8 2.0

 Men ...................................... 60.7 74.4 86.6 92.5 94.6 2.1

 Women ................................ 61.0 74.8 87.3 92.6 94.9 2.0

 White non-Hispanic ............. 60.0 73.8 86.4 92.0 94.4 2.2

 Black non-Hispanic .............. 65.9 79.2 90.0 94.9 96.3 1.3

 Hispanic or Latino ................ 60.7 74.1 86.9 93.6 95.6 1.7

Ages 25 to 34 ....................... 41.9 57.5 74.2 84.3 89.0 5.9

 Men ...................................... 40.1 55.6 71.5 81.7 86.8 7.1

 Women ................................ 43.6 59.4 76.9 86.9 91.2 4.6

 White non-Hispanic ............. 40.4 55.9 73.0 83.3 88.3 6.3

 Black non-Hispanic .............. 48.5 64.8 79.9 88.4 91.9 3.7

 Hispanic or Latino ................ 45.1 60.5 76.0 86.2 90.3 5.1

Ages 35 to 44 ....................... 25.6 40.5 60.9 (*) (*) 14.3

 Men ...................................... 23.3 38.5 59.1 (*) (*) 15.7

 Women ................................ 27.7 42.4 62.7 (*) (*) 12.9

 White non-Hispanic ............. 24.4 39.0 59.1 (*) (*) 15.5

 Black non-Hispanic .............. 30.4 47.3 68.7 (*) (*) 9.6

 Hispanic or Latino ................ 28.5 43.1 65.1 (*) (*) 11.0

Ages 45 to 54 2 ................. 21.5 34.7 (*) (*) (*) 32.6

 Men ...................................... 18.3 32.1 (*) (*) (*) 34.7

 Women ................................ 24.7 37.3 (*) (*) (*) 30.5

 White non-Hispanic ............. 20.8 33.5 (*) (*) (*) 34.2

 Black non-Hispanic .............. 24.9 39.9 (*) (*) (*) 26.3

 Hispanic or Latino ................ 23.0 37.5 (*) (*) (*) 27.8

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

through 54 in 1978-2018 by age at start of job, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Cumulative percent distribution of duration

 of completed employment relationships Age at the start of job and 

characteristic

Percent of 

jobs ongoing 

in 2018

 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 53 to 62 in 2018-19. 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.

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

 2 This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 55 when interviewed in 2018-19.

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

old enough at the time of the 2018-19 survey to have completed jobs of these durations.
Total, ages 18 to 54 in 1978-2018.......................................... 77.8 4.5 17.7

 Less than a high school diploma .......................................... 58.2 7.1 34.7

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 75.9 5.7 18.5

 Some college or associate degree ...................................... 78.8 4.3 16.9

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 84.6 2.3 13.0

Men ........................................................................................ 83.5 4.9 11.7

 Less than a high school diploma .......................................... 68.3 8.2 23.6

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 81.7 6.1 12.2

 Some college or associate degree ...................................... 85.5 4.3 10.2

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 89.1 2.4 8.5

Women .................................................................................. 71.9 4.1 24.0

 Less than a high school diploma .......................................... 45.3 5.7 49.0

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 68.9 5.2 25.9

 Some college or associate degree ...................................... 73.4 4.3 22.3

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 80.2 2.3 17.5

White non-Hispanic ................................................................ 79.7 3.8 16.5

 Less than a high school diploma .......................................... 61.5 6.0 32.5

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 78.4 4.8 16.8

 Some college or associate degree ...................................... 79.9 3.7 16.4

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 84.7 2.1 13.1

Black non-Hispanic ................................................................ 69.4 8.0 22.6

 Less than a high school diploma .......................................... 47.7 10.5 41.8

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 65.1 9.6 25.3

 Some college or associate degree ...................................... 74.3 6.8 19.0

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 83.3 4.6 12.0

Hispanic or Latino .................................................................. 72.3 5.4 22.2

 Less than a high school diploma .......................................... 55.1 8.0 36.9

 High school graduates, no college 1 ................................ 71.9 6.1 22.0

 Some college or associate degree ...................................... 78.6 4.1 17.3

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ....................................... 84.5 2.6 12.9

 Note: This table excludes individuals who turned age 18 before January 1, 1978, and who had not yet turned age 55 

when interviewed in 2018-19.

 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 54 in 1978-2018 by educational attainment, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Percent of total weeks while ages 18 to 54 in 1978-2018

Characteristic

Employed Unemployed Not in labor force

 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 53 to 62 in 2018-19. Educational 

attainment is determined as of the 2018-19 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.
Total, ages 18 to 54 in 1978-2018 1

 ........................... 77.8 4.5 17.7

 Ages 18 to 24 in 1978-1988 2 .............................. 68.2 7.9 23.8

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 79.8 4.1 16.1

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 82.1 3.2 14.7

 Ages 45 to 54 in 2002-2018 3 .............................. 78.1 4.0 17.9

Men, ages 18 to 54 in 1978-2018 1 .............................. 83.5 4.9 11.7

 Ages 18 to 24 in 1978-1988 2 .............................. 72.9 9.0 18.2

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 88.0 4.6 7.4

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 88.1 3.4 8.4

 Ages 45 to 54 in 2002-2018 3 .............................. 82.7 4.2 13.1

Women, ages 18 to 54 in 1978-2018 1 ........................ 71.9 4.1 24.0

 Ages 18 to 24 in 1978-1988 2 .............................. 63.4 6.9 29.7

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 71.3 3.6 25.1

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 75.9 3.0 21.1

 Ages 45 to 54 in 2002-2018 3 .............................. 73.4 3.8 22.8

White non-Hispanic, ages 18 to 54 in 1978-2018 1 .......... 79.7 3.8 16.5

 Ages 18 to 24 in 1978-1988 2 .............................. 70.8 7.0 22.2

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 81.8 3.3 14.8

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 83.5 2.6 13.8

 Ages 45 to 54 in 2002-2018 3 .............................. 80.0 3.4 16.6

Black non-Hispanic, ages 18 to 54 in 1978-2018 1 ......... 69.4 8.0 22.6

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

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 71.4 8.1 20.5

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 76.0 6.1 18.0

 Ages 45 to 54 in 2002-2018 3 .............................. 69.6 7.1 23.3

Hispanic or Latino, ages 18 to 54 in 1978-2018 1 ............ 72.3 5.4 22.2

 Ages 18 to 24 in 1978-1988 2 .............................. 63.0 8.4 28.5

 Ages 25 to 34 in 1982-1998 .............................. 73.2 4.9 22.0

 Ages 35 to 44 in 1992-2008 .............................. 77.9 4.3 17.8

 Ages 45 to 54 in 2002-2018 3 .............................. 74.0 4.8 21.2

 3 This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 55 when interviewed in 2018-19.

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

turned age 55 when interviewed in 2018-19.

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

 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 53 

to 62 in 2018-19. 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.

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

from ages 18 through 54 in 1978-2018 by age, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Age and characteristic

Employed Not in labor 

force

Percent of total weeks

Unemployed
Ages 18 to 

24 1

Ages 25 

to 34

Ages 35

to 44

Ages 45 to 

54 2

Total ........................................................... 6.4 3.2 1.8 0.0

 Less than a high school diploma ................... 2.8 1.8 0.5 -0.7

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............... 5.1 2.1 1.6 -0.4

 Some college or associate degree .................. 6.2 3.1 1.7 0.0

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ....................... 9.2 5.1 2.3 0.5

Men .......................................................... 7.0 3.6 1.7 -0.1

 Less than a high school diploma ................... 3.0 1.9 0.2 -1.5

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............... 5.5 2.2 1.5 -0.4

 Some college or associate degree .................. 7.9 3.9 1.7 0.2

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ....................... 9.7 6.0 2.5 0.5

Women ...................................................... 5.9 2.8 1.8 0.0

 Less than a high school diploma ................... 2.6 1.6 1.0 0.7

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............... 4.6 2.1 1.6 -0.5

 Some college or associate degree .................. 4.9 2.4 1.8 -0.1

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ....................... 8.8 4.2 2.1 0.6

White non-Hispanic ....................................... 6.8 3.3 1.8 0.0

 Less than a high school diploma ................... 3.5 2.0 0.3 -0.7

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............... 5.4 2.1 1.6 -0.5

 Some college or associate degree .................. 6.2 3.1 1.8 0.1

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ....................... 9.5 5.1 2.3 0.6

Black non-Hispanic ....................................... 4.3 2.9 1.4 0.0

 Less than a high school diploma ................... 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.2

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............... 3.1 2.1 1.5 0.0

 Some college or associate degree .................. 6.1 3.1 1.3 -0.1

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ....................... 6.2 5.5 1.8 0.1

Hispanic or Latino.......................................... 5.7 2.6 1.9 -0.2

 Less than a high school diploma ................... 1.8 2.1 1.6 -1.5

 High school graduates, no college 3 ............... 5.9 2.0 1.0 -0.3

 Some college or associate degree .................. 6.1 2.6 2.4 -0.2

 Bachelor's degree and higher 4 ....................... 9.0 4.6 3.9 1.0

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

growth rates.

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

 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 53 to 62 in 

2018-19. Educational attainment is determined as of the 2018-19 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.

 2 This category excludes individuals who had not yet turned age 55 when interviewed in 2018-19.

Table 5. Average annual percent growth in inflation-adjusted hourly earnings from 1978-2018 by 

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

Average annual percent growth in hourly earnings

Characteristic

 3 Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

 4 Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degrees.
Total ............................................... 56.5 43.5 32.5 67.5 30.4 69.6 35.2 64.8

 Less than a high school diploma ....... 51.4 48.6 42.8 57.2 46.5 53.5 49.5 50.5

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 50.5 49.5 34.1 65.9 33.2 66.8 37.3 62.7

 Some college or associate degree .... 53.9 46.1 33.1 66.9 31.2 68.8 38.8 61.2

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 68.7 31.3 27.2 72.8 22.1 77.9 25.4 74.6

Men ...................................................... 62.8 37.2 33.9 66.1 30.7 69.3 33.6 66.4

 Less than a high school diploma ....... 55.6 44.4 45.9 54.1 46.7 53.3 49.2 50.8

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 57.9 42.1 37.3 62.7 34.7 65.3 37.3 62.7

 Some college or associate degree .... 61.5 38.5 33.6 66.4 31.5 68.5 37.7 62.3

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 73.4 26.6 25.3 74.7 19.8 80.3 20.4 79.6

Women ................................................ 49.9 50.1 31.1 68.9 30.2 69.8 36.7 63.3

 Less than a high school diploma ....... 45.5 54.5 38.6 61.4 46.2 53.8 50.0 50.0

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 41.8 58.2 30.4 69.6 31.6 68.4 37.4 62.6

 Some college or associate degree .... 47.3 52.7 32.8 67.2 30.9 69.1 39.8 60.2

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 64.1 35.9 29.0 71.0 24.4 75.6 30.3 69.7

White non-Hispanic ............................. 54.1 45.9 28.5 71.5 26.5 73.5 31.0 69.0

 Less than a high school diploma ....... 44.2 55.8 36.7 63.3 42.5 57.5 45.2 54.8

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 46.2 53.8 29.3 70.7 28.6 71.4 32.6 67.4

 Some college or associate degree .... 51.1 48.9 28.6 71.4 26.7 73.3 34.3 65.7

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 68.2 31.8 25.9 74.1 20.9 79.1 24.0 76.0

Black non-Hispanic .............................. 71.2 28.8 54.8 45.2 51.0 49.0 55.0 45.0

 Less than a high school diploma ....... 79.8 20.2 70.7 29.3 68.0 32.0 67.0 33.0

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 71.7 28.3 56.2 43.8 53.8 46.2 56.6 43.4

 Some college or associate degree .... 66.0 34.0 54.9 45.1 50.1 49.9 57.8 42.2

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 74.1 25.9 42.1 57.9 35.5 64.5 39.5 60.5

Hispanic or Latino ................................ 53.3 46.7 34.0 66.0 35.2 64.8 44.0 56.0

 Less than a high school diploma ....... 46.4 53.6 35.5 64.5 35.6 64.4 47.6 52.4

 High school graduates, no college 1 ... 49.0 51.0 37.7 62.3 40.1 59.9 47.9 52.1

 Some college or associate degree .... 55.4 44.6 32.2 67.8 35.5 64.5 43.5 56.5

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 .......... 68.6 31.4 25.8 74.2 21.1 78.9 29.2 70.8

Table 6. Marital status at age 24, age 34, age 44, and age 54 by educational attainment, sex, race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Married Not Married Married

Percent of individuals

 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 53 to 62 in 2018-19. Educational attainment is determined as of the 2018-19 survey. Marital status is 

determined for the interview date in which the respondent first turned age 24, age 34, age 44, or age 54. 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. 

 1 Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

 3 Interviews were not conducted in 1999.

Age 24 (in 1980-1989) Age 34 (in 1990-1998) 3 Age 44 (in 2000-2009) Age 54 (in 2010-2019)

Not Married Married

Characteristic

Not Married Married Not Married

 2 Includes individuals with bachelor's, master's, professional, or doctoral degrees.
Total............................................................. 71.8 7.4 20.7 77.8 4.4 17.8 75.4 5.1 19.5 83.4 2.5 14.1

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 54.3 10.8 34.9 62.0 7.6 30.4 56.2 6.3 37.5 62.2 4.7 33.1

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 70.3 8.7 20.9 77.4 5.5 17.1 70.4 6.1 23.5 82.5 2.9 14.6

 Some college or associate degree ........... 74.7 7.0 18.4 79.0 4.1 16.9 78.9 4.9 16.2 82.8 2.7 14.5

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 78.8 4.0 17.2 80.4 2.6 17.0 89.4 2.9 7.8 88.3 1.6 10.0

Men ............................................................ 75.6 8.5 15.9 85.7 4.7 9.6 76.2 5.8 18.0 90.6 2.6 6.8

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 65.1 13.4 21.5 77.0 9.2 13.9 62.2 7.4 30.4 71.3 5.3 23.4

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 75.3 9.7 15.0 87.4 6.0 6.6 70.4 7.1 22.5 89.8 2.8 7.4

 Some college or associate degree ........... 78.9 7.4 13.8 88.4 3.9 7.7 80.9 5.1 14.0 90.5 2.4 7.2

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 78.2 4.5 17.3 83.4 2.6 14.0 92.7 2.8 4.5 95.4 1.9 2.7

Women ....................................................... 67.1 6.2 26.7 70.4 4.1 25.5 74.6 4.5 20.9 75.6 2.5 21.9

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 39.1 7.3 53.6 44.8 5.8 49.4 48.4 4.8 46.8 49.5 3.7 46.7

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 62.9 7.3 29.8 66.8 5.0 28.2 70.3 5.1 24.6 74.4 3.1 22.6

 Some college or associate degree ........... 71.1 6.6 22.3 71.8 4.2 24.0 77.3 4.8 17.9 75.9 3.0 21.1

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 79.3 3.5 17.1 77.7 2.6 19.7 87.0 3.0 10.0 80.5 1.4 18.1

White non-Hispanic .................................... 76.8 6.0 17.3 78.8 4.0 17.2 78.1 4.4 17.6 83.9 2.3 13.8

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 62.2 9.8 28.0 64.3 7.5 28.2 59.9 4.4 35.7 63.2 4.5 32.3

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 76.9 6.9 16.2 78.6 5.0 16.5 72.8 5.3 21.8 83.5 2.5 14.0

 Some college or associate degree ........... 78.3 5.8 15.9 80.1 3.7 16.2 80.4 4.6 15.0 82.5 2.5 15.0

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 79.5 3.6 16.9 80.4 2.4 17.1 89.9 2.4 7.6 88.1 1.5 10.4

Black non-Hispanic ..................................... 58.4 11.8 29.8 72.8 7.9 19.3 68.4 7.2 24.3 80.0 4.7 15.3

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 38.6 12.9 48.5 59.3 10.0 30.7 47.4 8.9 43.7 57.4 7.5 35.1

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 54.6 13.7 31.6 70.4 10.0 19.7 64.4 8.2 27.4 75.5 5.6 18.9

 Some college or associate degree ........... 65.7 10.1 24.2 73.6 6.9 19.5 75.1 5.8 19.1 83.9 4.1 12.1

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 74.4 7.1 18.5 79.5 4.6 16.0 86.0 5.7 8.3 90.1 2.9 7.0

Hispanic or Latino ....................................... 64.2 8.1 27.7 72.4 4.7 22.9 70.1 6.1 23.8 80.2 3.3 16.5

 Less than a high school diploma .............. 47.7 11.7 40.6 52.9 6.7 40.4 57.4 8.7 33.9 61.3 3.4 35.3

 High school graduates, no college 1 ......... 62.1 9.1 28.8 74.2 5.2 20.7 66.9 6.3 26.9 79.5 4.5 16.0

 Some college or associate degree ........... 77.2 5.1 17.7 75.8 4.0 20.2 77.2 5.2 17.5 84.3 2.5 13.1

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ............... 72.9 3.8 23.3 82.1 2.6 15.3 88.1 2.7 9.2 91.3 1.8 6.9

Married at age 34 Not Married at age 54

Employed Unemployed

Not in 

labor 

force

Employed Unemployed

 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 53 to 62 in 2018-19. Educational attainment is determined as of the 2018-19 survey. Marital status is determined for the interview date in which the respondent first 

turned age 34 or age 54. 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. 

Characteristic

Percent of total weeks while ages 18 to 34 in 1979-1998 Percent of total weeks while ages 35 to 54 in 1992-2018

Table 7. Percent of weeks individuals were employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force from ages 18 through 54 in 1979-2018 by marital status, educational attainment, 

sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

 1 Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

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

Not in 

labor 

force

Employed Unemployed

Not in 

labor 

force

Married at age 54

Employed Unemployed

Not in 

labor 

force

Not Married at age 34
Age 24 

(in 1980-1989)

Age 34 

(in 1990-1998) 3

Age 44 

(in 2000-2009)

Age 54 

(in 2010-2019)

Total............................................................... 3.5 4.9 10.3 19.9

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 5.1 5.8 23.0 46.9

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 3.8 5.1 12.2 23.9

 Some college or associate degree ............. 3.2 5.9 10.3 19.7

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 3.1 3.6 4.7 8.5

Men ............................................................... 2.3 3.8 7.9 16.7

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 1.7 5.3 19.0 42.2

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 2.6 4.4 10.0 20.0

 Some college or associate degree ............. 1.6 3.6 7.1 15.3

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 2.6 2.8 2.4 6.3

Women ......................................................... 4.8 6.0 12.7 23.2

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 9.8 6.6 28.2 52.9

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 5.1 5.9 14.7 28.1

 Some college or associate degree ............. 4.5 7.9 12.9 23.5

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 3.6 4.3 6.9 10.7

White non-Hispanic ...................................... 3.4 4.8 9.4 18.4

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 5.1 6.2 23.1 48.1

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 3.8 5.0 11.3 22.2

 Some college or associate degree ............. 3.0 5.7 9.6 18.6

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 3.1 3.6 4.6 8.4

Black non-Hispanic ....................................... 4.4 5.8 15.2 28.0

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 6.9 5.5 28.1 53.7

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 4.0 5.6 16.7 31.9

 Some college or associate degree ............. 4.6 7.2 14.1 25.5

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 3.8 4.1 5.9 9.0

Hispanic or Latino ......................................... 2.6 4.1 10.7 21.8

 Less than a high school diploma ................ 2.9 4.4 16.0 34.1

 High school graduates, no college 1 ............. 3.3 5.1 12.6 24.0

 Some college or associate degree ............. 1.9 4.4 7.8 17.5

 Bachelor's degree and higher 2 ................. 2.1 0.5 5.3 10.6

 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 53 to 62 in 2018-

19. Educational attainment is determined as of the 2018-19 survey. Health limit is determined for the interview 

date in which the respondent first turned age 24, age 34, age 44, or age 54. 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. 

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

Characteristic

Percent of individuals

 1 Includes individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent.

 3 Interviews were not conducted in 1999.

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