For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, August 16, 2023 USDL-23-1792 

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 2023

In July 2023, 55.0 percent of young people (persons ages 16 to 24) were employed, the U.S. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This measure was little changed from 55.3 percent in 

July 2022. The July 2023 figure remains below its level of 56.2 percent in July 2019, prior to the 

onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. (The month of July typically is the summertime 

peak in youth employment.) The unemployment rate for youth was 8.7 percent in July 2023, 

little different than the rates in July 2022 (8.5 percent) and in July 2019 (9.1 percent). (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. In 2023, the youth labor force grew by 2.2 million, 

or 10.4 percent, from April (21.5 million) to July (23.7 million). (See table 1.) 

The labor force participation rate for all youth was 60.2 percent in July 2023, little different from 

a year earlier. (The labor force participation rate is the proportion of the civilian noninstitutional 

population that is employed or unemployed. To be classified as unemployed, a person must 

either be looking and available for work or on temporary layoff.) (See table 2.) 

In 2023, the July labor force participation rate for 16- to 24-year-old men, at 60.4 percent, was 

down over the year. The July rate for young women, at 60.0 percent, was little different from a 

year earlier. Continuing a long-standing pattern, Whites had the highest youth labor force 

participation rate and Asians had the lowest rate (62.6 percent and 49.8 percent, respectively) in 

July 2023. The participation rates for Black (53.5 percent) and Asian (49.8 percent) youth 

showed little change over the year. After adjusting for population controls, the participation rates 

for White (62.6 percent) and Hispanic (57.5 percent) youth also showed little change over the 

year.
-2- 

Employment

In July 2023, there were 21.6 million employed 16- to 24-year-olds. Between April and July, the 

number of employed youth rose by 1.4 million, or 6.9 percent. The employment-population ratio 

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

job—was 55.0 percent in July 2023, little changed from the prior year. (See tables 1 and 2.) 

In July 2023, the employment-population ratios for young men (54.9 percent) and Blacks (43.8 

percent) were lower than they were a year earlier. The ratios for young women (55.1 percent), 

Asians (47.0 percent), and Hispanics (51.5 percent) were little changed. 

In July 2023, 25 percent (5.3 million) of employed 16- to 24-year-olds worked in the leisure and 

hospitality industry, the largest share of youth workers. An additional 18 percent of employed 

youth worked in the retail trade industry, and 13 percent worked in education and health services. 

(See table 3.)

Unemployment

Typically, the number of unemployed young people increases with the onset of summer, as 

people who were not in the labor force while attending school begin seeking employment. 

Unemployment among youth rose by 826,000 from April to July 2023. About 7 in 10 of the 

unemployed youth were looking for full-time work in July 2023, little different from the prior 

year. (See tables 1 and 2.) 

The youth unemployment rate, at 8.7 percent in July 2023, was little changed from July 2022. 

The July 2023 unemployment rate was lower for young Asians (5.6 percent) than in the prior 

summer, while the rates for young men (9.2 percent), women (8.2 percent), Whites (7.0 percent), 

Blacks (18.0 percent), and Hispanics (10.5 percent) showed little or no change. 

Adjustments to Population Estimates for Youth

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

January 2023 adjustments had a disproportionately large effect on the population ages 16 to 24. 

Consequently, data for 2023 are not strictly comparable to those for earlier years. For more 

information, see Adjustments to Household Survey Population Estimates in January 2023 on the 

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

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech 

disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications 

relay services.

Reliability of the estimates

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 component of this difference that occurs 

because samples differ by chance is known as sampling 

error, and its 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.

More information on the reliability of data from the 

CPS and estimating standard errors is available online at 

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

Definitions

The principal definitions used in this release are 

described briefly below.

Employed. 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 member’s business. 

Persons who were temporarily absent from their jobs 

because of illness, bad weather, vacation, labor dispute, or 

another reason also are counted as employed.

Unemployed. The unemployed are those who had no 

employment during the reference week, were available for 

work at that time, and had made specific efforts to find 

employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with 

the reference week. 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. 

Looking for full-time work refers to 35 hours or more per 

week; part-time work refers to fewer than 35 hours per 

week.

Civilian labor force. This group comprises all persons 

classified as employed or unemployed.

Unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the 

number of unemployed persons as a percent of the civilian 

labor force.

Labor force participation rate. The labor force 

participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the 

population.

Employment-population ratio. The employmentpopulation ratio is the employed as a percent of the 

population.

Not in the labor force. Included in this group are all 

persons in the civilian noninstitutional population who are 

neither employed nor unemployed.

Industry and class of worker. This information applies 

to the job held during the reference week. Persons with two 

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

the greatest number of hours. Beginning with data for 2020, 

persons are classified using the 2017 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. Included in this group are 

persons who receive wages, salary, commissions, tips, or 

pay in kind from a private employer or from a government 

entity.

Self-employed workers. Included in this group 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. Included in this group 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 2023

[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................................... 39,316 39,323 39,331 39,342 26 0.1

Civilian labor force.................................................. 21,452 21,891 23,516 23,681 2,229 10.4

Participation rate.................................................. 54.6 55.7 59.8 60.2 5.6 10.3

Employed.......................................................... 20,219 20,268 21,449 21,623 1,404 6.9

Employment-population ratio................................. 51.4 51.5 54.5 55.0 3.6 7.0

Unemployed....................................................... 1,233 1,622 2,066 2,059 826 67.0

Looking for full-time work..................................... 833 1,188 1,483 1,437 604 72.5

Looking for part-time work.................................... 400 435 584 621 221 55.3

Unemployment rate.............................................. 5.7 7.4 8.8 8.7 3.0 52.6

Not in labor force.................................................... 17,864 17,432 15,815 15,660 -2,204 -12.3

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 19,829 19,832 19,836 19,842 13 0.1

Civilian labor force.................................................. 10,902 11,184 11,991 11,987 1,085 10.0

Participation rate.................................................. 55.0 56.4 60.4 60.4 5.4 9.8

Employed.......................................................... 10,215 10,305 10,856 10,886 671 6.6

Employment-population ratio................................. 51.5 52.0 54.7 54.9 3.4 6.6

Unemployed....................................................... 687 879 1,135 1,101 414 60.3

Looking for full-time work..................................... 479 703 846 799 320 66.8

Looking for part-time work.................................... 208 176 289 302 94 45.2

Unemployment rate.............................................. 6.3 7.9 9.5 9.2 2.9 46.0

Not in labor force.................................................... 8,927 8,649 7,846 7,855 -1,072 -12.0

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 19,487 19,490 19,494 19,500 13 0.1

Civilian labor force.................................................. 10,550 10,707 11,525 11,694 1,144 10.8

Participation rate.................................................. 54.1 54.9 59.1 60.0 5.9 10.9

Employed.......................................................... 10,004 9,964 10,593 10,736 732 7.3

Employment-population ratio................................. 51.3 51.1 54.3 55.1 3.8 7.4

Unemployed....................................................... 546 744 931 958 412 75.5

Looking for full-time work..................................... 354 485 636 638 284 80.2

Looking for part-time work.................................... 192 259 295 319 127 66.1

Unemployment rate.............................................. 5.2 6.9 8.1 8.2 3.0 57.7

Not in labor force.................................................... 8,937 8,783 7,970 7,806 -1,131 -12.7

White

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 28,667 28,664 28,661 28,661 -6 0.0

Civilian labor force.................................................. 16,407 16,651 17,894 17,938 1,531 9.3

Participation rate.................................................. 57.2 58.1 62.4 62.6 5.4 9.4

Employed.......................................................... 15,523 15,535 16,527 16,681 1,158 7.5

Employment-population ratio................................. 54.1 54.2 57.7 58.2 4.1 7.6

Unemployed....................................................... 884 1,116 1,368 1,257 373 42.2

Looking for full-time work..................................... 572 788 964 876 304 53.1

Looking for part-time work.................................... 312 328 404 381 69 22.1

Unemployment rate.............................................. 5.4 6.7 7.6 7.0 1.6 29.6

Not in labor force.................................................... 12,260 12,013 10,767 10,723 -1,537 -12.5

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 5,768 5,769 5,770 5,771 3 0.1

Civilian labor force.................................................. 2,835 2,934 3,011 3,086 251 8.9

Participation rate.................................................. 49.1 50.9 52.2 53.5 4.4 9.0

Employed.......................................................... 2,618 2,609 2,605 2,530 -88 -3.4

Employment-population ratio................................. 45.4 45.2 45.2 43.8 -1.6 -3.5

Unemployed....................................................... 217 325 406 556 339 156.2

Looking for full-time work..................................... 154 269 303 420 266 172.7

Looking for part-time work.................................... 63 56 102 136 73 115.9

Unemployment rate.............................................. 7.7 11.1 13.5 18.0 10.3 133.8

Not in labor force.................................................... 2,933 2,835 2,759 2,685 -248 -8.5
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 2023 — 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................................... 2,417 2,404 2,393 2,422 5 0.2

Civilian labor force.................................................. 962 1,018 1,189 1,205 243 25.3

Participation rate.................................................. 39.8 42.3 49.7 49.8 10.0 25.1

Employed.......................................................... 931 949 1,069 1,137 206 22.1

Employment-population ratio................................. 38.5 39.5 44.7 47.0 8.5 22.1

Unemployed....................................................... 31 69 120 68 37 119.4

Looking for full-time work..................................... 26 64 90 37 11 42.3

Looking for part-time work.................................... 5 5 30 31 26 520.0

Unemployment rate.............................................. 3.2 6.7 10.1 5.6 2.4 75.0

Not in labor force.................................................... 1,455 1,386 1,204 1,217 -238 -16.4

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population................................... 9,654 9,670 9,686 9,704 50 0.5

Civilian labor force.................................................. 5,358 5,277 5,677 5,578 220 4.1

Participation rate.................................................. 55.5 54.6 58.6 57.5 2.0 3.6

Employed.......................................................... 4,999 4,941 5,141 4,993 -6 -0.1

Employment-population ratio................................. 51.8 51.1 53.1 51.5 -0.3 -0.6

Unemployed....................................................... 359 336 537 585 226 63.0

Looking for full-time work..................................... 270 261 426 423 153 56.7

Looking for part-time work.................................... 89 75 111 162 73 82.0

Unemployment rate.............................................. 6.7 6.4 9.5 10.5 3.8 56.7

Not in labor force.................................................... 4,296 4,393 4,009 4,125 -171 -4.0

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 2020-2023

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

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

July

2020

July

2021

July

2022

July

2023

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 37,472 37,250 37,954 39,342

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 21,479 22,522 22,943 23,681

Participation rate..................................................................... 57.3 60.5 60.4 60.2

Employed............................................................................. 17,507 20,268 20,992 21,623

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 46.7 54.4 55.3 55.0

Unemployed.......................................................................... 3,973 2,254 1,951 2,059

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 2,651 1,697 1,415 1,437

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 1,321 557 536 621

Unemployment rate................................................................. 18.5 10.0 8.5 8.7

Not in labor force....................................................................... 15,993 14,728 15,011 15,660

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 18,813 18,692 19,065 19,842

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 10,990 11,547 11,763 11,987

Participation rate..................................................................... 58.4 61.8 61.7 60.4

Employed............................................................................. 8,966 10,294 10,733 10,886

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 47.7 55.1 56.3 54.9

Unemployed.......................................................................... 2,024 1,253 1,031 1,101

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 1,388 976 798 799

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 636 277 232 302

Unemployment rate................................................................. 18.4 10.9 8.8 9.2

Not in labor force....................................................................... 7,823 7,145 7,302 7,855

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 18,659 18,559 18,890 19,500

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 10,489 10,976 11,180 11,694

Participation rate..................................................................... 56.2 59.1 59.2 60.0

Employed............................................................................. 8,541 9,975 10,259 10,736

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 45.8 53.7 54.3 55.1

Unemployed.......................................................................... 1,949 1,001 921 958

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 1,263 721 617 638

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 686 280 304 319

Unemployment rate................................................................. 18.6 9.1 8.2 8.2

Not in labor force....................................................................... 8,170 7,583 7,710 7,806

White

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 27,474 27,333 27,798 28,661

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 16,322 17,168 17,411 17,938

Participation rate..................................................................... 59.4 62.8 62.6 62.6

Employed............................................................................. 13,595 15,635 16,197 16,681

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 49.5 57.2 58.3 58.2

Unemployed.......................................................................... 2,727 1,533 1,213 1,257

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 1,819 1,170 837 876

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 908 363 376 381

Unemployment rate................................................................. 16.7 8.9 7.0 7.0

Not in labor force....................................................................... 11,152 10,165 10,388 10,723

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 5,494 5,452 5,551 5,771

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 2,884 3,004 3,060 3,086

Participation rate..................................................................... 52.5 55.1 55.1 53.5

Employed............................................................................. 2,151 2,594 2,574 2,530

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 39.2 47.6 46.4 43.8

Unemployed.......................................................................... 733 410 486 556

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 537 325 380 420

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 196 85 106 136

Unemployment rate................................................................. 25.4 13.6 15.9 18.0

Not in labor force....................................................................... 2,610 2,448 2,490 2,685
Table 2. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, July 2020-2023 — Continued

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

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

July

2020

July

2021

July

2022

July

2023

Asian

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 2,234 2,186 2,203 2,422

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 958 976 1,089 1,205

Participation rate..................................................................... 42.9 44.6 49.4 49.8

Employed............................................................................. 715 856 971 1,137

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 32.0 39.1 44.1 47.0

Unemployed.......................................................................... 243 120 117 68

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 138 70 103 37

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 106 50 15 31

Unemployment rate................................................................. 25.4 12.3 10.8 5.6

Not in labor force....................................................................... 1,277 1,210 1,114 1,217

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population...................................................... 8,810 8,880 9,193 9,704

Civilian labor force..................................................................... 4,789 5,044 5,099 5,578

Participation rate..................................................................... 54.4 56.8 55.5 57.5

Employed............................................................................. 3,752 4,456 4,607 4,993

Employment-population ratio.................................................... 42.6 50.2 50.1 51.5

Unemployed.......................................................................... 1,037 588 493 585

Looking for full-time work........................................................ 726 472 330 423

Looking for part-time work....................................................... 311 116 163 162

Unemployment rate................................................................. 21.7 11.7 9.7 10.5

Not in labor force....................................................................... 4,021 3,836 4,093 4,125

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 2022-2023

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

Industry and class of worker

Total White Black or African

American Asian Hispanic or Latinoethnicity

July

2022

July

2023

July

2022

July

2023

July

2022

July

2023

July

2022

July

2023

July

2022

July

2023

Total employed.................................. 20,992 21,623 16,197 16,681 2,574 2,530 971 1,137 4,607 4,993

Agriculture and related industries.......... 347 345 317 308 11 11 0 0 75 83

Nonagricultural industries................... 20,645 21,278 15,880 16,374 2,563 2,518 971 1,137 4,531 4,910

Private wage and salary workers1

....... 19,014 19,507 14,661 15,043 2,346 2,297 886 1,016 4,216 4,556

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas

extraction.............................. 54 47 39 32 4 14 0 0 5 4

Construction............................. 1,190 1,329 971 1,203 116 48 0 11 429 440

Manufacturing........................... 1,339 1,465 1,008 1,141 161 163 101 86 246 315

Durable goods........................ 846 915 648 706 87 107 55 70 154 173

Nondurable goods.................... 493 550 360 436 73 56 46 16 92 142

Wholesale trade......................... 236 250 168 197 25 22 27 12 52 38

Retail trade.............................. 3,916 3,800 3,008 2,883 587 540 122 183 919 941

Transportation and utilities............. 1,115 840 810 527 201 185 41 75 267 190

Information............................... 205 189 162 156 21 23 9 7 42 27

Financial activities...................... 593 649 487 505 53 72 51 46 88 123

Professional and business services... 1,794 1,835 1,362 1,395 183 200 156 161 381 445

Education and health services........ 2,468 2,712 1,871 2,083 347 319 145 171 457 497

Leisure and hospitality................. 5,115 5,344 3,972 4,108 581 575 201 243 1,083 1,248

Other services........................... 988 1,047 806 811 67 135 33 22 248 289

Government wage and salary

workers................................... 1,223 1,343 908 985 176 182 49 104 221 237

Federal................................... 223 205 132 108 56 74 14 10 41 10

State...................................... 355 441 296 323 21 46 15 57 57 76

Local...................................... 645 697 481 554 99 63 21 37 122 151

Self-employed, unincorporated, and

unpaid family workers.................. 408 428 311 346 41 38 37 17 94 117

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.