For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Friday, August 27, 2010 USDL-10-1175 

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

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

EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUTH – SUMMER 2010

From April to July 2010, the number of employed youth 16 to 24 years old rose by 1.8 million to 18.6 

million, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This year, the share of young people who 

were employed in July was 48.9 percent, the lowest July rate on record for the series, which began in 

1948. (The month of July typically is the summertime peak in youth employment.) Unemployment 

among youth increased by 571,000 between April and July, about half as much as in each of the two 

previous summers. (Because this analysis focuses on the seasonal changes in youth employment and 

unemployment that occur each spring and summer, the data are not seasonally adjusted.) 

Labor force 

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

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

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

permanent employment. This summer, the youth labor force grew by 2.4 million, or 11.5 percent, to a 

total of 22.9 million in July. (See table 1.) 

The labor force participation rate for all youth—the proportion of the population 16 to 24 years old 

working or looking for work—was 60.5 percent in July, the lowest July rate on record. The July rate 

was down by 2.5 percentage points from July 2009 and 17.0 percentage points below the peak for that 

month in 1989 (77.5 percent). 

The July labor force participation rate for 16- to 24-year-old men, at 62.7 percent, was down by 2.2 

percentage points from a year earlier, and the rate for women, at 58.1 percent, was down by 3.0 percentage points over the year. For several decades prior to 1989, the July labor force participation rate for 

young men showed no clear trend, ranging from 81 to 86 percent. Since July 1989, however, their 

participation rate for the month has trended down, falling by about 20 percentage points. The July labor 

force participation rate for young women peaked in 1989 at 72.4 percent, following a long-term upward 

trend; their rate has since fallen by about 14 percentage points. 

The July participation rate for whites declined by 2.8 percentage points from a year earlier, to 63.2 

percent. The rate for blacks, at 51.6 percent, was down slightly, and the rate for Hispanics, at 56.1 percent, decreased by 3.3 percentage points. For all three groups, labor force participation rates were substantially lower than their peaks reached in July 1989. The participation rate for Asian youth was 48.3 

percent in July 2010, little changed from July 2009. (See table 2.) 
- 2 - 

Employment 

In July, 18.6 million 16- to 24-year-olds were employed. This summer's increase in youth employment 

was slightly larger than last year's (1.8 million vs. 1.6 million) and about the same as in 2008. The 

employment-population ratio for youth—the proportion of the 16- to 24-year-old civilian 

noninstitutional population that was employed—was 48.9 percent in July, down 2.5 percentage points 

from July 2009. The ratio has dropped by about 20 percentage points since its peak in July 1989. July 

2010 marks the first time in the history of the series that less than half of all youth 16 to 24 years old 

were employed in that month. The sharp decline in recent years reflects continued weak labor market 

conditions experienced during the recession that began in December 2007. (See table 2.) 

The employment-population ratio for young men was 49.9 percent in July, down from 52.2 percent in 

July 2009. The employment-population ratios for women (48.0 percent), whites (53.0 percent), and 

Hispanics (43.6 percent) in July 2010 also were substantially lower than a year earlier. 

In July, 25 percent of employed youth worked in the leisure and hospitality sector (which includes food 

services), the same as a year earlier. Another 20 percent were employed in the retail trade industry, also 

the same proportion as a year earlier. (See table 3.) 

Unemployment 

In July, 4.4 million youth were unemployed, essentially the same as in July 2009. The youth 

unemployment rate edged up over the year to 19.1 percent in July 2010, the highest July rate on record 

for the series, which began in 1948. In recent years, higher youth unemployment reflects the weak job 

market. Among major demographic groups, the unemployment rates for young men (20.5 percent), 

blacks (33.4 percent), and Asians (21.6 percent) continued to trend up from a year earlier; the jobless 

rates for young women (17.5 percent), whites (16.2 percent), and Hispanics (22.1 percent) were virtually 

unchanged. (See table 2.)
Technical Note 

The estimates in this release were obtained from the 

Current Population Survey (CPS), a national sample survey 

of 60,000 households conducted monthly for the Bureau of 

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

in this release relate to the employment status of youth (16- 

to 24-year-olds) during the months of April-July. This period 

was selected as being the most representative time frame to 

measure the full summertime transition from school to work. 

July is the peak summer month of youth employment. 

Beginning in January of each year, data reflect revised 

population controls used in the CPS. Additional information 

about population controls is available on the BLS Web site 

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

Information in this release will be made available to 

sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 

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

Reliability 

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 upon the particular sample selected, 

and this variability is measured by the standard error of the 

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

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

no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true" population 

value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are generally 

conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence. 

The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. 

Nonsampling error can occur for many reasons, including 

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

obtain information for all respondents in the sample, 

inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct 

information, and errors made in the collection or processing 

of the data. 

A full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS 

and information on estimating standard errors is available at 

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

Definitions 

The principal definitions used in this release are 

described briefly below. 

Employed persons are all those who, during the survey 

reference week (which is generally the week including the 

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

employees; (b) worked in their own business, profession, or 

on their own farm; (c) worked 15 hours or more as unpaid 

workers in a family-operated enterprise; or (d) were 

temporarily absent from their jobs because of illness, 

vacation, labor dispute, or another reason. 

Unemployed persons are all persons who had no 

employment during the reference week, were available for 

work, except for temporary illness, and had made specific 

efforts to find employment sometime during the 4 weeks 

preceding the survey. Persons who were waiting to be 

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

have been looking for work to be classified as unemployed. 

Civilian labor force comprises all persons classified as 

employed or unemployed. 

Unemployment rate represents the number of 

unemployed persons as a percent of the civilian labor force. 

Not in the labor force includes all persons who are not 

classified as employed or unemployed. 

Industry and class of worker for the employed relate to 

the job held in the survey reference week. Persons with two 

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

the greatest number of hours. Persons are classified using the 

2007 Census industry classification system. The class-ofworker breakdown assigns workers to the following 

categories: Private and government wage and salary 

workers, self-employed workers, and unpaid family workers. 

Wage and salary workers receive wages, salary, 

commissions, tips, or pay in kind from a private employer or 

from a government unit. Self-employed persons are those 

who work for profit or fees in their own business, 

profession, trade, or farm. Unpaid family workers are 

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

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

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

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, April-July 2010

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

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity April May June July

April-July changes

Number Percent

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 37,951 37,946 37,944 37,944 -7 0.0

Civilian labor force................................................... 20,567 20,894 22,401 22,938 2,371 11.5

Participation rate................................................... 54.2 55.1 59.0 60.5 6.3 11.6

Employed........................................................... 16,764 17,039 17,920 18,564 1,800 10.7

Employment-population ratio.................................. 44.2 44.9 47.2 48.9 4.7 10.6

Unemployed........................................................ 3,803 3,854 4,481 4,374 571 15.0

Looking for full-time work...................................... 2,779 2,877 3,454 3,374 595 21.4

Looking for part-time work..................................... 1,024 977 1,027 1,000 -24 -2.3

Unemployment rate................................................ 18.5 18.4 20.0 19.1 0.6 3.2

Not in labor force..................................................... 17,384 17,052 15,543 15,006 -2,378 -13.7

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 19,132 19,128 19,127 19,126 -6 0.0

Civilian labor force................................................... 10,727 10,817 11,710 11,997 1,270 11.8

Participation rate................................................... 56.1 56.5 61.2 62.7 6.6 11.8

Employed........................................................... 8,407 8,676 9,122 9,537 1,130 13.4

Employment-population ratio.................................. 43.9 45.4 47.7 49.9 6.0 13.7

Unemployed........................................................ 2,319 2,140 2,587 2,460 141 6.1

Looking for full-time work...................................... 1,816 1,686 2,088 1,949 133 7.3

Looking for part-time work..................................... 503 455 499 510 7 1.4

Unemployment rate................................................ 21.6 19.8 22.1 20.5 -1.1 -5.1

Not in labor force..................................................... 8,405 8,312 7,417 7,129 -1,276 -15.2

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 18,819 18,818 18,818 18,819 0 0.0

Civilian labor force................................................... 9,840 10,077 10,692 10,942 1,102 11.2

Participation rate................................................... 52.3 53.6 56.8 58.1 5.8 11.1

Employed........................................................... 8,357 8,363 8,798 9,027 670 8.0

Employment-population ratio.................................. 44.4 44.4 46.8 48.0 3.6 8.1

Unemployed........................................................ 1,483 1,714 1,894 1,914 431 29.1

Looking for full-time work...................................... 963 1,191 1,366 1,425 462 48.0

Looking for part-time work..................................... 521 523 527 489 -32 -6.1

Unemployment rate................................................ 15.1 17.0 17.7 17.5 2.4 15.9

Not in labor force..................................................... 8,979 8,741 8,126 7,877 -1,102 -12.3

White

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 29,187 29,177 29,170 29,164 -23 -0.1

Civilian labor force................................................... 16,479 16,773 17,999 18,441 1,962 11.9

Participation rate................................................... 56.5 57.5 61.7 63.2 6.7 11.9

Employed........................................................... 13,795 13,946 14,743 15,455 1,660 12.0

Employment-population ratio.................................. 47.3 47.8 50.5 53.0 5.7 12.1

Unemployed........................................................ 2,684 2,827 3,256 2,987 303 11.3

Looking for full-time work...................................... 1,900 2,049 2,445 2,253 353 18.6

Looking for part-time work..................................... 784 778 811 733 -51 -6.5

Unemployment rate................................................ 16.3 16.9 18.1 16.2 -0.1 -0.6

Not in labor force..................................................... 12,708 12,404 11,171 10,722 -1,986 -15.6

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 5,751 5,752 5,754 5,756 5 0.1

Civilian labor force................................................... 2,706 2,749 2,901 2,972 266 9.8

Participation rate................................................... 47.1 47.8 50.4 51.6 4.5 9.6

Employed........................................................... 1,878 2,008 1,998 1,980 102 5.4

Employment-population ratio.................................. 32.6 34.9 34.7 34.4 1.8 5.5

Unemployed........................................................ 829 742 903 992 163 19.7

Looking for full-time work...................................... 647 593 759 843 196 30.3

Looking for part-time work..................................... 182 149 144 149 -33 -18.1

Unemployment rate................................................ 30.6 27.0 31.1 33.4 2.8 9.2

Not in labor force..................................................... 3,044 3,002 2,853 2,783 -261 -8.6
Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, April-July 2010 — Continued

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

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity April May June July

April-July changes

Number Percent

Asian

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 1,592 1,602 1,588 1,576 -16 -1.0

Civilian labor force................................................... 665 640 714 762 97 14.6

Participation rate................................................... 41.8 39.9 45.0 48.3 6.5 15.6

Employed........................................................... 573 544 597 597 24 4.2

Employment-population ratio.................................. 36.0 34.0 37.6 37.9 1.9 5.3

Unemployed........................................................ 92 95 117 165 73 79.3

Looking for full-time work...................................... 64 70 75 122 58 90.6

Looking for part-time work..................................... 28 25 42 42 14 50.0

Unemployment rate................................................ 13.8 14.9 16.4 21.6 7.8 56.5

Not in labor force..................................................... 927 962 874 814 -113 -12.2

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 7,087 7,100 7,114 7,128 41 0.6

Civilian labor force................................................... 3,727 3,715 3,825 3,995 268 7.2

Participation rate................................................... 52.6 52.3 53.8 56.1 3.5 6.7

Employed........................................................... 2,955 3,008 2,929 3,111 156 5.3

Employment-population ratio.................................. 41.7 42.4 41.2 43.6 1.9 4.6

Unemployed........................................................ 773 708 896 884 111 14.4

Looking for full-time work...................................... 591 547 732 703 112 19.0

Looking for part-time work..................................... 182 161 164 181 -1 -0.5

Unemployment rate................................................ 20.7 19.0 23.4 22.1 1.4 6.8

Not in labor force..................................................... 3,360 3,385 3,289 3,133 -227 -6.8

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races.

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

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

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, July 2007-2010

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

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity 2007 2008 2009 2010

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 37,443 37,506 37,586 37,944

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 24,339 24,429 23,691 22,938

Participation rate...................................................................... 65.0 65.1 63.0 60.5

Employed.............................................................................. 21,717 21,021 19,304 18,564

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 58.0 56.0 51.4 48.9

Unemployed........................................................................... 2,622 3,408 4,387 4,374

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 1,892 2,552 3,430 3,374

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 730 856 957 1,000

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 10.8 14.0 18.5 19.1

Not in labor force........................................................................ 13,104 13,076 13,895 15,006

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 18,926 18,919 18,935 19,126

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 12,845 12,882 12,298 11,997

Participation rate...................................................................... 67.9 68.1 64.9 62.7

Employed.............................................................................. 11,421 10,946 9,880 9,537

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 60.3 57.9 52.2 49.9

Unemployed........................................................................... 1,424 1,935 2,418 2,460

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 1,059 1,483 1,973 1,949

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 365 453 444 510

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 11.1 15.0 19.7 20.5

Not in labor force........................................................................ 6,081 6,037 6,637 7,129

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 18,517 18,587 18,650 18,819

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 11,494 11,547 11,393 10,942

Participation rate...................................................................... 62.1 62.1 61.1 58.1

Employed.............................................................................. 10,296 10,075 9,424 9,027

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 55.6 54.2 50.5 48.0

Unemployed........................................................................... 1,198 1,473 1,969 1,914

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 833 1,070 1,456 1,425

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 365 403 513 489

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 10.4 12.8 17.3 17.5

Not in labor force........................................................................ 7,023 7,039 7,257 7,877

White

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 29,012 29,012 29,010 29,164

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 19,734 19,760 19,147 18,441

Participation rate...................................................................... 68.0 68.1 66.0 63.2

Employed.............................................................................. 17,899 17,323 16,000 15,455

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 61.7 59.7 55.2 53.0

Unemployed........................................................................... 1,835 2,437 3,147 2,987

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 1,304 1,759 2,403 2,253

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 531 678 744 733

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 9.3 12.3 16.4 16.2

Not in labor force........................................................................ 9,278 9,252 9,863 10,722

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 5,539 5,595 5,662 5,756

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 2,998 3,062 2,995 2,972

Participation rate...................................................................... 54.1 54.7 52.9 51.6

Employed.............................................................................. 2,382 2,302 2,060 1,980

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 43.0 41.2 36.4 34.4

Unemployed........................................................................... 616 760 935 992

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 488 647 772 843

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 128 112 163 149

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 20.5 24.8 31.2 33.4

Not in labor force........................................................................ 2,541 2,533 2,667 2,783
Table 2. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, July 2007-2010 — Continued

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

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity 2007 2008 2009 2010

Asian

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 1,511 1,516 1,500 1,576

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 747 767 740 762

Participation rate...................................................................... 49.4 50.6 49.3 48.3

Employed.............................................................................. 689 703 619 597

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 45.6 46.4 41.3 37.9

Unemployed........................................................................... 58 64 121 165

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 32 38 96 122

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 26 26 24 42

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 7.7 8.4 16.3 21.6

Not in labor force........................................................................ 764 748 760 814

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 6,597 6,669 6,752 7,128

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 3,928 4,007 4,014 3,995

Participation rate...................................................................... 59.5 60.1 59.4 56.1

Employed.............................................................................. 3,465 3,367 3,143 3,111

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 52.5 50.5 46.5 43.6

Unemployed........................................................................... 464 639 871 884

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 341 487 693 703

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 123 153 178 181

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 11.8 16.0 21.7 22.1

Not in labor force........................................................................ 2,669 2,662 2,738 3,133

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races.

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

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

ethnicity, July 2009-2010

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

Industry and class of worker

Total White Black or African

American Asian Hispanic or Latinoethnicity

2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010

Total employed.................................... 19,304 18,564 16,000 15,455 2,060 1,980 619 597 3,143 3,111

Agriculture and related industries............ 381 372 361 358 7 10 0 0 72 97

Nonagricultural industries..................... 18,923 18,192 15,639 15,097 2,053 1,970 619 597 3,071 3,015

Private wage and salary workers. . . . . . . .. 16,986 16,311 14,061 13,528 1,831 1,782 569 525 2,825 2,709

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas

extraction................................ 44 63 44 63 0 0 0 0 3 12

Construction............................... 871 819 806 770 35 33 14 0 251 257

Manufacturing............................. 1,068 1,015 882 849 88 91 57 51 252 213

Durable goods.......................... 580 598 498 507 29 44 32 27 117 113

Nondurable goods..................... 488 417 385 342 59 47 25 23 135 100

Wholesale trade........................... 321 297 273 249 29 29 5 7 57 54

Retail trade................................ 3,851 3,659 3,061 2,959 513 473 172 126 577 495

Transportation and utilities.............. 413 355 322 301 66 44 8 6 95 63

Information................................. 317 361 237 254 54 59 21 34 45 66

Financial activities........................ 823 794 702 686 74 42 31 48 140 117

Professional and business services. . .. 1,350 1,395 1,097 1,130 145 166 49 48 233 282

Education and health services.......... 2,141 2,169 1,705 1,692 306 337 61 79 307 253

Leisure and hospitality................... 4,799 4,595 4,053 3,879 461 449 122 106 745 759

Other services............................. 988 789 879 697 62 58 30 21 119 138

Government wage and salary workers. .. 1,588 1,433 1,297 1,172 175 160 47 57 188 224

Federal..................................... 201 221 133 158 35 50 12 4 28 25

State........................................ 516 443 419 373 70 36 10 21 57 63

Local........................................ 871 769 745 642 71 74 25 32 103 136

Self-employed and unpaid family

workers..................................... 350 447 282 397 46 28 4 15 58 82

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races.

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

January data.