For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Tuesday, August 21, 2012 USDL-12-1717 

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 2012

From April to July 2012, the number of employed youth 16 to 24 years old rose 2.1 million to 19.5 

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

employed in July was 50.2 percent. (The month of July typically is the summertime peak in youth 

employment.) Unemployment among youth increased by 836,000 from April to July 2012, compared 

with an increase of 745,000 for the same period in 2011. (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 2.9 million, or 14.2 percent, to a 

total of 23.5 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, up from July 2011. Taking a longer-term 

perspective, the July 2012 participation rate was 17.0 percentage points below the peak rate for that 

month in 1989 (77.5 percent). 

The July 2012 labor force participation rate for 16- to 24-year-old men was 63.2 percent. The rate for 

young women was 57.8 percent. From 1948, when the series began, to 1989, the July labor force 

participation rate for young men showed no clear trend, ranging from 81 to 86 percent. Since 1989, 

however, their July participation rate 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. The participation rate of young women has fallen by about 15 percentage points since 

1989. 

The youth labor force participation rate for whites was 62.9 percent in July 2012, compared with 54.5 

percent for blacks, 43.7 percent for Asians, and 57.1 percent for Hispanics. 
- 2 - 

Employment 

Employment for 16- to 24-year-olds reached 19.5 million in July 2012, up 2.1 million since April. In 

2011, youth employment rose by 1.7 million from April to July. The July 2012 employment-population 

ratio for youth—the proportion of the 16- to 24-year-old civilian noninstitutional population with a 

job—was 50.2 percent, up from July 2011. (See table 2.) 

In July 2012, the youth employment-population ratio for men was 51.9 percent, and the ratio for women 

was 48.4 percent. The ratio for whites was 53.5 percent, compared with 38.9 percent for blacks, 37.4 

percent for Asians, and 46.5 percent for Hispanics. 

Twenty-six percent of employed youth worked in the leisure and hospitality sector (which includes food 

services) in July 2012, the same proportion as in July 2011. Another 19 percent of employed youth 

worked in the retail trade industry in July 2012, down slightly from the proportion in July 2011. (See 

table 3.) 

Unemployment 

The number of unemployed youth in July 2012 was 4.0 million, little changed from 4.1 million a year 

ago. The youth unemployment rate was 17.1 percent in July 2012. The unemployment rate for young 

men was 17.9 percent, in July 2012, and the rate for women was 16.2 percent. The jobless rate for 

whites was 14.9 percent, compared with 28.6 percent for blacks, 14.4 percent for Asians, and 18.5 

percent for Hispanics. (See table 2.) 

Adjustments to Population Estimates for Youth

Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data. The 

updated controls in January 2012 incorporated the Census 2010 population base for the first 

time; prior years’ data shown in this release used the Census 2000 population base. The 

introduction of Census 2010-based controls had a disproportionate effect on the population age 

16 to 24. Consequently, data for 2012 are not strictly comparable to those for earlier years. 

For more information, see Adjustments to Household Survey Population Estimates in January 

2012 on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/cps/cps12adj.pdf. 
Technical Note 

The estimates in this release were obtained from the 

Current Population Survey (CPS), a national sample survey of 

about 60,000 eligible 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 

in which 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 website 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 familyoperated 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-of-worker breakdown 

assigns workers to the following categories: Private and 

government wage and salary workers, unincorporated selfemployed 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 entity. 

Self-employed workers are those who work for profit or 

fees in their own unincorporated business, profession, trade, or 

farm. Only unincorporated self-employed are included in the 

self-employed category. Self-employed persons whose 

businesses are incorporated are included with private wage and 

salary workers. 

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 2012

[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.................................... 38,778 38,784 38,791 38,799 21 0.1

Civilian labor force................................................... 20,562 21,118 23,086 23,472 2,910 14.2

Participation rate................................................... 53.0 54.5 59.5 60.5 7.5 14.2

Employed........................................................... 17,387 17,681 18,907 19,461 2,074 11.9

Employment-population ratio.................................. 44.8 45.6 48.7 50.2 5.4 12.1

Unemployed........................................................ 3,175 3,438 4,180 4,011 836 26.3

Looking for full-time work...................................... 2,274 2,545 3,174 3,074 800 35.2

Looking for part-time work..................................... 902 892 1,006 937 35 3.9

Unemployment rate................................................ 15.4 16.3 18.1 17.1 1.7 11.0

Not in labor force..................................................... 18,216 17,665 15,704 15,327 -2,889 -15.9

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 19,541 19,545 19,549 19,554 13 0.1

Civilian labor force................................................... 10,648 10,980 12,093 12,355 1,707 16.0

Participation rate................................................... 54.5 56.2 61.9 63.2 8.7 16.0

Employed........................................................... 8,842 9,054 9,733 10,140 1,298 14.7

Employment-population ratio.................................. 45.2 46.3 49.8 51.9 6.7 14.8

Unemployed........................................................ 1,806 1,926 2,360 2,215 409 22.6

Looking for full-time work...................................... 1,323 1,433 1,831 1,785 462 34.9

Looking for part-time work..................................... 484 493 529 430 -54 -11.2

Unemployment rate................................................ 17.0 17.5 19.5 17.9 0.9 5.3

Not in labor force..................................................... 8,893 8,565 7,456 7,199 -1,694 -19.0

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 19,237 19,239 19,242 19,245 8 0.0

Civilian labor force................................................... 9,914 10,138 10,994 11,117 1,203 12.1

Participation rate................................................... 51.5 52.7 57.1 57.8 6.3 12.2

Employed........................................................... 8,545 8,626 9,174 9,321 776 9.1

Employment-population ratio.................................. 44.4 44.8 47.7 48.4 4.0 9.0

Unemployed........................................................ 1,369 1,512 1,819 1,796 427 31.2

Looking for full-time work...................................... 951 1,112 1,342 1,289 338 35.5

Looking for part-time work..................................... 418 400 477 507 89 21.3

Unemployment rate................................................ 13.8 14.9 16.5 16.2 2.4 17.4

Not in labor force..................................................... 9,323 9,101 8,248 8,128 -1,195 -12.8

White

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 28,951 28,952 28,953 28,956 5 0.0

Civilian labor force................................................... 16,075 16,490 17,921 18,213 2,138 13.3

Participation rate................................................... 55.5 57.0 61.9 62.9 7.4 13.3

Employed........................................................... 13,811 14,071 15,054 15,498 1,687 12.2

Employment-population ratio.................................. 47.7 48.6 52.0 53.5 5.8 12.2

Unemployed........................................................ 2,265 2,419 2,867 2,715 450 19.9

Looking for full-time work...................................... 1,576 1,756 2,113 2,019 443 28.1

Looking for part-time work..................................... 688 664 754 696 8 1.2

Unemployment rate................................................ 14.1 14.7 16.0 14.9 0.8 5.7

Not in labor force..................................................... 12,876 12,462 11,032 10,743 -2,133 -16.6

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 5,968 5,969 5,970 5,971 3 0.1

Civilian labor force................................................... 2,823 2,912 3,258 3,256 433 15.3

Participation rate................................................... 47.3 48.8 54.6 54.5 7.2 15.2

Employed........................................................... 2,164 2,162 2,274 2,323 159 7.3

Employment-population ratio.................................. 36.3 36.2 38.1 38.9 2.6 7.2

Unemployed........................................................ 659 750 984 933 274 41.6

Looking for full-time work...................................... 521 611 817 783 262 50.3

Looking for part-time work..................................... 138 139 167 150 12 8.7

Unemployment rate................................................ 23.3 25.8 30.2 28.6 5.3 22.7

Not in labor force..................................................... 3,145 3,057 2,712 2,715 -430 -13.7
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 2012 — 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.................................... 1,975 1,929 1,929 1,922 -53 -2.7

Civilian labor force................................................... 682 674 810 839 157 23.0

Participation rate................................................... 34.5 34.9 42.0 43.7 9.2 26.7

Employed........................................................... 620 595 694 718 98 15.8

Employment-population ratio.................................. 31.4 30.8 36.0 37.4 6.0 19.1

Unemployed........................................................ 62 79 116 121 59 95.2

Looking for full-time work...................................... 41 38 82 83 42 102.4

Looking for part-time work..................................... 21 41 34 38 17 81.0

Unemployment rate................................................ 9.1 11.7 14.3 14.4 5.3 58.2

Not in labor force..................................................... 1,293 1,256 1,119 1,083 -210 -16.2

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 8,127 8,139 8,151 8,164 37 0.5

Civilian labor force................................................... 4,251 4,451 4,643 4,658 407 9.6

Participation rate................................................... 52.3 54.7 57.0 57.1 4.8 9.2

Employed........................................................... 3,520 3,596 3,693 3,799 279 7.9

Employment-population ratio.................................. 43.3 44.2 45.3 46.5 3.2 7.4

Unemployed........................................................ 731 855 951 860 129 17.6

Looking for full-time work...................................... 532 668 697 698 166 31.2

Looking for part-time work..................................... 199 188 254 162 -37 -18.6

Unemployment rate................................................ 17.2 19.2 20.5 18.5 1.3 7.6

Not in labor force..................................................... 3,875 3,687 3,508 3,506 -369 -9.5

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 2009-2012

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

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

July

2009

July

2010

July

2011

July

2012

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 37,586 37,944 38,196 38,799

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 23,691 22,938 22,742 23,472

Participation rate...................................................................... 63.0 60.5 59.5 60.5

Employed.............................................................................. 19,304 18,564 18,632 19,461

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 51.4 48.9 48.8 50.2

Unemployed........................................................................... 4,387 4,374 4,110 4,011

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 3,430 3,374 3,238 3,074

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 957 1,000 872 937

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 18.5 19.1 18.1 17.1

Not in labor force........................................................................ 13,895 15,006 15,454 15,327

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 18,935 19,126 19,425 19,554

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 12,298 11,997 11,930 12,355

Participation rate...................................................................... 64.9 62.7 61.4 63.2

Employed.............................................................................. 9,880 9,537 9,746 10,140

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 52.2 49.9 50.2 51.9

Unemployed........................................................................... 2,418 2,460 2,184 2,215

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 1,973 1,949 1,809 1,785

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 444 510 375 430

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 19.7 20.5 18.3 17.9

Not in labor force........................................................................ 6,637 7,129 7,494 7,199

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 18,650 18,819 18,772 19,245

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 11,393 10,942 10,812 11,117

Participation rate...................................................................... 61.1 58.1 57.6 57.8

Employed.............................................................................. 9,424 9,027 8,886 9,321

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 50.5 48.0 47.3 48.4

Unemployed........................................................................... 1,969 1,914 1,926 1,796

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 1,456 1,425 1,428 1,289

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 513 489 497 507

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 17.3 17.5 17.8 16.2

Not in labor force........................................................................ 7,257 7,877 7,960 8,128

White

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 29,010 29,164 29,377 28,956

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 19,147 18,441 18,266 18,213

Participation rate...................................................................... 66.0 63.2 62.2 62.9

Employed.............................................................................. 16,000 15,455 15,367 15,498

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 55.2 53.0 52.3 53.5

Unemployed........................................................................... 3,147 2,987 2,899 2,715

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 2,403 2,253 2,203 2,019

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 744 733 696 696

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 16.4 16.2 15.9 14.9

Not in labor force........................................................................ 9,863 10,722 11,111 10,743

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 5,662 5,756 5,763 5,971

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 2,995 2,972 2,893 3,256

Participation rate...................................................................... 52.9 51.6 50.2 54.5

Employed.............................................................................. 2,060 1,980 1,996 2,323

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 36.4 34.4 34.6 38.9

Unemployed........................................................................... 935 992 897 933

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 772 843 778 783

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 163 149 118 150

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 31.2 33.4 31.0 28.6

Not in labor force........................................................................ 2,667 2,783 2,870 2,715
Table 2. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, July 2009-2012 — Continued

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

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

July

2009

July

2010

July

2011

July

2012

Asian

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 1,500 1,576 1,573 1,922

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 740 762 753 839

Participation rate...................................................................... 49.3 48.3 47.9 43.7

Employed.............................................................................. 619 597 638 718

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 41.3 37.9 40.5 37.4

Unemployed........................................................................... 121 165 115 121

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 96 122 97 83

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 24 42 18 38

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 16.3 21.6 15.3 14.4

Not in labor force........................................................................ 760 814 820 1,083

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 6,752 7,128 7,605 8,164

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 4,014 3,995 4,080 4,658

Participation rate...................................................................... 59.4 56.1 53.6 57.1

Employed.............................................................................. 3,143 3,111 3,260 3,799

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 46.5 43.6 42.9 46.5

Unemployed........................................................................... 871 884 820 860

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 693 703 646 698

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 178 181 174 162

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 21.7 22.1 20.1 18.5

Not in labor force........................................................................ 2,738 3,133 3,525 3,506

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 2011-2012

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

Industry and class of worker

Total White Black or African

American Asian Hispanic or Latinoethnicity

July

2011

July

2012

July

2011

July

2012

July

2011

July

2012

July

2011

July

2012

July

2011

July

2012

Total employed.................................... 18,632 19,461 15,367 15,498 1,996 2,323 638 718 3,260 3,799

Agriculture and related industries............ 382 419 369 392 4 4 0 1 121 90

Nonagricultural industries..................... 18,251 19,043 14,998 15,106 1,992 2,319 638 717 3,139 3,709

Private wage and salary workers1

. . . . . .. 16,472 17,318 13,575 13,724 1,773 2,129 589 663 2,899 3,421

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas

extraction................................ 76 128 63 119 0 3 5 2 18 25

Construction............................... 744 771 684 697 29 30 1 13 265 265

Manufacturing............................. 1,106 1,278 896 1,047 116 121 58 51 192 292

Durable goods.......................... 688 776 590 640 49 66 35 37 99 126

Nondurable goods..................... 418 502 306 407 67 56 24 14 93 166

Wholesale trade........................... 342 319 278 296 47 12 14 5 112 92

Retail trade................................ 3,869 3,772 3,104 2,856 502 599 153 136 662 636

Transportation and utilities.............. 360 440 284 362 66 41 4 19 75 102

Information................................. 329 340 271 257 22 50 21 15 47 51

Financial activities........................ 716 696 595 576 66 52 36 40 117 135

Professional and business services. . .. 1,326 1,380 1,071 1,077 141 186 69 56 262 329

Education and health services.......... 1,936 2,231 1,520 1,658 285 318 75 134 246 376

Leisure and hospitality................... 4,770 5,092 4,016 4,053 456 627 127 177 763 995

Other services............................. 898 870 795 726 42 89 27 15 138 124

Government wage and salary workers. .. 1,382 1,298 1,072 1,028 190 150 43 46 170 216

Federal..................................... 190 166 134 131 35 27 3 7 11 32

State........................................ 452 370 348 270 61 30 18 26 62 45

Local........................................ 739 762 590 628 95 93 22 13 97 139

Self-employed, unincorporated, and

unpaid family workers.................... 397 427 350 354 29 41 5 8 70 71

1 Includes self-employed workers whose businesses are incorporated.

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.