Technical information:    (202) 606-6378          USDL 97-21

                                                  For release 10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                  606-5902          Friday, January 24, 1997


             USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:
                            FOURTH QUARTER 1996
     
     
     Median weekly earnings of the nation's 91.3 million full-time wage and
salary workers were $499 in the fourth quarter of 1996, an increase of 3.1
percent from a year earlier, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S.
Department of Labor reported today.  Over the same period, prices also rose
3.1 percent as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
(CPI-U).
     
     Data on usual earnings are collected as part of the Current Population
Survey, a nationwide sample survey of households in which respondents are
asked, among other things, how much each wage and salary worker usually
earns.  (See explanatory note.)  Highlights from the fourth-quarter data
are:
     
     ---Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $425 per
week, 75.2 percent of the $565 median for men.  The female-male earnings
ratios for blacks (87.7 percent) and for workers of Hispanic origin (86.8
percent) were higher than for whites (74.7 percent).  (See table 1.)
     
     ---Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were $413
per week, 70.5 percent of the median for white men ($586).  By contrast,
the median for black women ($362) was 82.6 percent of that for their white
counterparts ($438).  Overall, the median earnings of Hispanics ($342)
continue to lag behind the medians for blacks ($390) and whites ($514).
(See table 1.)
     
     ---Among men, those in the 45-to 54-year-age group had the highest
median weekly earnings ($699).  They were followed by 55-to 64-year-old
men, with median earnings of $648.  Earnings for women also were highest
among those 45 to 54 years old ($494), followed by the 35-to 44-year-olds
($467).  (See  table 2.)
     
     ---For both men and women, workers in managerial and professional
specialty occupations had the highest earnings, $859 for men and $631 for
women.  Men and women who worked in service and farm occupations earned the
least. (See table 3.)
     
     ---Workers age 25 and over with less than a high school diploma had
median weekly earnings of $320 for full-time work, compared with $451 for
high school graduates (no college) and $767 for college graduates.  Among
college graduates with advanced degrees (master's degree or higher), the
highest 10 percent of male workers earned $1,922 or more, while the highest
10 percent of their female counterparts made $1,472 or more.  (See table 4.)

Annual Averages for 1995 and 1996

     In addition to the data for the fourth quarter, this release includes
1995 and 1996 annual average weekly earnings for major demographic,
occupation, and education groups (tables 6, 7, and 8).  Annual average
information on median usual earnings for men and women by detailed
occupational categories will appear in the January 1997 issue of Employment
and Earnings.

Explanatory Note
 
 
 
 The  estimates  in this release were obtained from the Current  Population
Survey  (CPS),  which provides the basic information on  the  labor  force,
employment,  and  unemployment.  The survey is conducted  monthly  for  the
Bureau   of  Labor  Statistics  by  the  Bureau  of  the  Census   from   a
scientifically  selected national sample of about 50,000  households,  with
coverage in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  The earnings  data
are collected from one-quarter of the CPS monthly sample and are limited to
wages and  salaries.  The data, therefore, exclude self-employment income.
 
 Information  in  this release will be made available to  sensory  impaired
individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  202-606-STAT; TDD phone:  
202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone number:  1-800-326-2577.

Reliability
 
 In  any  sample survey, variations in the data can occur by chance because
a  sample,  rather  than  the whole of the population,  is  surveyed.   The
standard error is a measure of such  potential variation.  The chances  are
about  68 out of 100 that an estimate from the survey differs from a figure
that  would  be obtained from a complete census by less than  one  standard
error.  The chances are about 90 out of 100 that such a difference would be
less  than 1.6 standard errors.  All statements of comparisons in the  text
of this release are significant at 1.6 or more standard errors.
 
 For  a  full  discussion  of the reliability of  data  from  the  CPS  and
information on estimating standard errors, see the "Explanatory  Notes  and
Estimates  of Error" section of the February 1994 and subsequent issues  of
Employment and Earnings.

Definitions
 
 The  principal definitions used in connection with the earnings series are
described briefly below.
 
 Usual  weekly  earnings. Data represent earnings before  taxes  and  other
deductions  and  include  any  overtime pay, taxes,  commissions,  or  tips
usually  received  (at  the main job in the case of  multiple  jobholders.)
Prior  to  1994,  respondents were asked how much they usually  earned  per
week.   Since  January 1994, respondents have been asked  to  identify  the
easiest  way  for them to report earnings (hourly, weekly, biweekly,  twice
monthly,  monthly, annually, other) and how much they usually earn  in  the
reported  time period.  Earnings reported on a basis other than weekly  are
converted to a weekly equivalent.  The term "usual" is as perceived by  the
respondent.  If the respondent asks for a definition of usual, interviewers
are instructed to define the term as more than half the weeks worked during
the past 4 or 5 months.
 
 Medians  (and  other quantiles) of weekly earnings. The median  (or  upper
limit  of the second quartile) is the amount which divides a given earnings
distribution  into two equal groups, one having earnings above  the  median
and  the  other having earnings below the median.  Ten percent of  a  given
distribution  have earnings below the upper limit of the first  decile  (90
percent  have  higher earnings); 25 percent have earnings below  the  upper
limit  of the first quartile (75 percent have higher earnings); 75  percent
have  earnings below the upper limit of the third quartile (25 percent have
higher earnings); and 90 percent have earnings below the upper limit of the
ninth decile (10 percent have higher earnings).
 
 The  estimating  procedure  places  each  reported  or  calculated  weekly
earnings  value into $50-wide intervals which are centered around multiples
of  $50.  The actual value is estimated through the linear interpolation of
the interval in which the quantile boundary lies.
 
 Over-the-year  changes in the medians (and other quantile boundaries)  for
specific  groups  may  not  necessarily be consistent  with  the  movements
estimated  for the overall quantile boundary.  The most common reasons  for
this  possible  anomaly are: (1) There could be a change  in  the  relative
weights  of the subgroups.  For example, the medians of both 16-to-24  year
olds  and those 25 years and over may rise; but if the lower-earning 16-to-
24  group accounts for a greatly increased share of the total, the  overall
median could actually fall. (2) There could be a large change in the  shape
of  the  distribution of reported earnings, particularly  near  a  quantile
boundary.   This could be caused by survey observations that are  clustered
at rounded values, e.g., $250, $300, $400.  An estimate lying in a $50-wide
centered interval containing such a cluster or "spike" tends to change more
slowly than one in other intervals.
 
 Wage   and   salary   workers.  Workers  who  receive   wages,   salaries,
commissions,  tips,  payment in kind, or piece rates.  The  group  includes
employees  in both the private and public sectors but, for the purposes  of
the  earnings  series, excludes self-employed persons whose businesses  are
incorporated.
 
                                   - 2 -
 
 Full-time workers. Workers who usually work 35 hours or more per  week  at
their sole or principal job.
 
 Part-time workers. Workers who usually work fewer than 35 hours  per  week
at their sole or principal job.
 
 Constant  dollars. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers  
(CPI-U) is used to convert current dollars to constant (1982) dollars.
 
 Hispanic  origin.  Refers  to persons who are of  Mexican,  Puerto  Rican,
Cuban,  Central or South  American, or of other Hispanic origin or descent.
Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race; hence, they are included  in
the numbers for the white and black populations.
 Table 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages,
 not seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                              Number of workers              Median weekly earnings          
                                                                (in thousands)                                               
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                       Characteristic                                               In current dollars    In constant (1982) 
                                                                                                               dollars       
                                                                IV         IV                                                
                                                               1995       1996                                               
                                                                                      IV         IV         IV         IV    
                                                                                     1995       1996       1995       1996   
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                        SEX AND AGE                                                                                          
                                                                                                                             
 Total, 16 years and over..................................    89,603     91,313       $484       $499       $304       $304 
                                                                                                                             
    Men, 16 years and over.................................    51,173     52,053        548        565        344        344 
      16 to 24 years.......................................     5,715      5,684        308        313        194        190 
      25 years and over....................................    45,457     46,369        590        602        370        366 
                                                                                                                             
    Women, 16 years and over...............................    38,430     39,260        407        425        256        259 
      16 to 24 years.......................................     4,045      4,078        285        293        179        179 
      25 years and over....................................    34,386     35,182        428        451        269        275 
                                                                                                                             
               RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX                                                                                
                                                                                                                             
    White..................................................    74,990     76,333        499        514        314        313 
      Men..................................................    43,686     44,488        574        586        360        357 
      Women................................................    31,305     31,845        416        438        261        267 
                                                                                                                             
    Black..................................................    10,814     11,026        397        390        249        237 
      Men..................................................     5,318      5,347        433        413        272        251 
      Women................................................     5,496      5,679        363        362        228        220 
                                                                                                                             
    Hispanic origin........................................     8,891      9,481        325        342        204        208 
      Men..................................................     5,610      5,995        350        364        220        222 
      Women................................................     3,281      3,485        302        316        190        193 

      NOTE:   Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other races"
 group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.  






 Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic origin, and sex, fourth
 quarter 1996 averages, not seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                                    Total                  Men                  Women        
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
               Age, race, and Hispanic origin                 Number                Number                Number             
                                                                of       Median       of       Median       of       Median  
                                                              workers    weekly     workers    weekly     workers    weekly  
                                                                (in     earnings      (in     earnings      (in     earnings 
                                                            thousands)            thousands)            thousands)           
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                           TOTAL                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
 16 years and over.........................................    91,313       $499     52,053       $565     39,260       $425 
   16 to 24 years..........................................     9,761        305      5,684        313      4,078        293 
     16 to 19 years........................................     1,632        247        994        260        639        232 
     20 to 24 years........................................     8,129        317      4,690        325      3,439        308 
   25 years and over.......................................    81,551        527     46,369        602     35,182        451 
     25 to 54 years........................................    72,562        528     41,213        598     31,349        455 
       25 to 34 years......................................    25,893        465     15,076        500     10,817        416 
       35 to 44 years......................................    27,206        569     15,520        645     11,686        467 
       45 to 54 years......................................    19,463        597     10,617        699      8,846        494 
     55 years and over.....................................     8,989        524      5,156        632      3,834        418 
       55 to 64 years......................................     7,850        545      4,477        648      3,373        427 
       65 years and over...................................     1,139        392        678        483        461        343 
                                                                                                                             
                           White                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
 16 years and over.........................................    76,333        514     44,488        586     31,845        438 
   16 to 24 years..........................................     8,213        310      4,877        318      3,336        299 
   25 years and over.......................................    68,119        553     39,610        620     28,509        464 
     25 to 54 years........................................    60,359        553     35,089        616     25,270        468 
     55 years and over.....................................     7,761        551      4,521        655      3,240        427 
                                                                                                                             
                           Black                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
 16 years and over.........................................    11,026        390      5,347        413      5,679        362 
   16 to 24 years..........................................     1,157        263        591        270        566        258 
   25 years and over.......................................     9,869        410      4,756        438      5,112        378 
     25 to 54 years........................................     8,952        413      4,319        441      4,633        383 
     55 years and over.....................................       917        384        437        410        480        351 
                                                                                                                             
                      Hispanic origin                                                                                        
                                                                                                                             
 16 years and over.........................................     9,481        342      5,995        364      3,485        316 
   16 to 24 years..........................................     1,544        269      1,026        268        518        273 
   25 years and over.......................................     7,937        374      4,970        398      2,967        327 
     25 to 54 years........................................     7,261        375      4,581        397      2,681        329 
     55 years and over.....................................       675        360        389        400        286        313 

      NOTE:   Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other races"
 group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.  






  Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, quarterly averages, not
  seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                    Number of workers             Median weekly earnings    
                                                                      (in thousands)                                        
                      Occupation and sex                                                                                    
                                                                                                                            
                                                                    IV              IV              IV              IV      
                                                                   1995            1996            1995            1996     
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                            TOTAL                                                                                           
                                                                                                                            
   Managerial and professional specialty....................      26,753          27,314             $706            $729   
     Executive, administrative, and managerial..............      13,221          13,220              698             714   
     Professional specialty.................................      13,532          14,094              713             739   
   Technical, sales, and administrative support.............      25,752          26,441              427             445   
     Technicians and related support........................       3,117           3,293              547             582   
     Sales occupations......................................       8,831           9,040              462             474   
     Administrative support, including clerical.............      13,803          14,108              399             409   
   Service occupations......................................       9,445          10,014              305             312   
     Private household......................................         310             393              206             217   
     Protective service.....................................       1,934           1,945              521             544   
     Service, except private household and protective.......       7,200           7,675              282             292   
   Precision production, craft, and repair..................      10,904          11,114              518             542   
     Mechanics and repairers................................       3,838           3,933              539             556   
     Construction trades....................................       3,540           3,671              509             525   
     Other precision production, craft, and repair..........       3,525           3,509              509             540   
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers.....................      15,252          15,042              388             402   
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..........       7,386           6,986              374             396   
     Transportation and material moving occupations.........       4,207           4,242              490             488   
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers....       3,660           3,814              327             338   
   Farming, forestry, and fishing...........................       1,497           1,388              281             303   
                                                                                                                            
                             Men                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
   Managerial and professional specialty....................      13,898          13,991              825             859   
     Executive, administrative, and managerial..............       7,343           7,103              835             859   
     Professional specialty.................................       6,555           6,888              817             859   
   Technical, sales, and administrative support.............       9,565          10,059              568             564   
     Technicians and related support........................       1,597           1,691              631             659   
     Sales occupations......................................       4,935           5,031              584             584   
     Administrative support, including clerical.............       3,033           3,337              493             499   
   Service occupations......................................       4,697           4,855              374             372   
     Private household......................................          22              30           (1)             (1)      
     Protective service.....................................       1,681           1,630             $558            $556   
     Service, except private household and protective.......       2,994           3,196              309             307   
   Precision production, craft, and repair..................       9,990          10,181              531             559   
     Mechanics and repairers................................       3,698           3,754              537             558   
     Construction trades....................................       3,476           3,612              510             528   
     Other precision production, craft, and repair..........       2,816           2,815              558             592   
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers.....................      11,758          11,762              426             432   
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..........       4,822           4,590             $436            $455   
     Transportation and material moving occupations.........       3,940           3,960              497             497   
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers....       2,996           3,213              344             346   
   Farming, forestry, and fishing...........................       1,264           1,205              286             308   
                                                                                                                            
                            Women                                                                                           
                                                                                                                            
   Managerial and professional specialty....................      12,855          13,323              604             631   
     Executive, administrative, and managerial..............       5,878           6,117              576             599   
     Professional specialty.................................       6,977           7,206              627             660   
   Technical, sales, and administrative support.............      16,186          16,383              383             396   
     Technicians and related support........................       1,521           1,602              478             508   
     Sales occupations......................................       3,896           4,009              337             360   
     Administrative support, including clerical.............      10,770          10,771              384             391   
   Service occupations......................................       4,749           5,158              268             283   
     Private household......................................         288             364              199             220   
     Protective service.....................................         253             315              407             488   
     Service, except private household and protective.......       4,207           4,479              266             281   
   Precision production, craft, and repair..................         913             933              371             374   
     Mechanics and repairers................................         140             179              559             532   
     Construction trades....................................          64              60           (1)             (1)      
     Other precision production, craft, and repair..........         709             694             $349            $354   
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers.....................       3,494           3,280              292             314   
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..........       2,564           2,397              289             311   
     Transportation and material moving occupations.........         266             283              333             365   
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers....         664             601              286             299   
   Farming, forestry, and fishing...........................         233             183              256             285   

    1 Data not shown where base is less than 100,000.






 Table 4. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected
 characteristics, fourth quarter 1996 averages, not seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                              Number                       Upper limit of:                   
                                                                of                                                           
                       Characteristic                         workers                                                        
                                                                (in       First      First     Second      Third      Ninth  
                                                            thousands)   decile    quartile   quartile   quartile    decile  
                                                                                              (median)                       
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
               SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC ORIGIN                                                                                
                                                                                                                             
 Total, 16 years and over..................................    91,313       $239       $325       $499       $747     $1,087 
   Men.....................................................    52,053        259        371        565        839      1,210 
   Women...................................................    39,260        221        296        425        634        892 
                                                                                                                             
   White...................................................    76,333        246        339        514        767      1,126 
     Men...................................................    44,488        270        384        586        865      1,245 
     Women.................................................    31,845        226        302        438        645        913 
                                                                                                                             
   Black...................................................    11,026        203        273        390        586        811 
     Men...................................................     5,347        210        283        413        610        866 
     Women.................................................     5,679        197        264        362        557        769 
                                                                                                                             
   Hispanic................................................     9,481        195        250        342        525        791 
     Men...................................................     5,995        203        260        364        572        843 
     Women.................................................     3,485        185        233        316        479        702 
                                                                                                                             
                   EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT                                                                                    
                                                                                                                             
   Total, 25 years and over................................    81,551        254        353        527        780      1,133 
     Less than a high school diploma.......................     8,076        192        242        320        465        675 
     High school graduates, no college.....................    26,800        239        316        451        631        853 
     Some college or associate degree......................    22,755        277        367        520        734        986 
     College graduates, total..............................    23,920        379        540        767      1,120      1,545 
       Bachelor's degree only..............................    15,927        348        497        703        994      1,391 
       Advanced degree.....................................     7,993        472        649        928      1,334      1,863 
                                                                                                                             
     Men, 25 years and over................................    46,369        283        402        602        883      1,257 
       Less than a high school diploma.....................     5,353        207        268        368        520        737 
       High school graduates, no college...................    15,385        278        381        522        720        942 
       Some college or associate degree....................    12,101        310        426        607        840      1,127 
       College graduates, total............................    13,530        399        595        880      1,259      1,763 
         Bachelor's degree only............................     8,983        375        540        798      1,146      1,561 
         Advanced degree...................................     4,547        492        726      1,048      1,490      1,922 
                                                                                                                             
     Women, 25 years and over..............................    35,182        230        309        451        661        921 
       Less than a high school diploma.....................     2,723        178        211        268        350        461 
       High school graduates, no college...................    11,416        212        278        364        505        668 
       Some college or associate degree....................    10,653        249        320        440        616        794 
       College graduates, total............................    10,390        357        497        671        919      1,239 
         Bachelor's degree only............................     6,945       $328       $459       $620       $833     $1,103 
         Advanced degree...................................     3,445        449        604        794      1,105      1,472 

      NOTE:   Ten percent of all full-time wage and salary workers earn less than the upper limit of the first decile; 25
 percent earn less than the upper limit of the first quartile; 50 percent earn less than the upper limit of the second
 quartile, or median; 75 percent earn less than the upper limit of the third quartile; and 90 percent earn less than the
 upper limit of the ninth decile.  Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data
 for the "other races" group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups. 






  Table 5. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly
  averages, not seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                    Number of workers             Median weekly earnings    
                                                                      (in thousands)                                        
                Age, race, and Hispanic origin                                                                              
                                                                                                                            
                                                                    IV              IV              IV              IV      
                                                                   1995            1996            1995            1996     
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                         SEX AND AGE                                                                                        
                                                                                                                            
  Total, 16 years and over..................................      21,423          21,378             $140            $144   
                                                                                                                            
     Men, 16 years and over.................................       6,591           6,495              130             133   
       16 to 24 years.......................................       3,567           3,534              105             108   
       25 years and over....................................       3,024           2,961              181             185   
                                                                                                                            
     Women, 16 years and over...............................      14,832          14,883              144             148   
       16 to 24 years.......................................       4,467           4,660              103             104   
       25 years and over....................................      10,365          10,223              168             176   
                                                                                                                            
                RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX                                                                              
                                                                                                                            
     White..................................................      18,536          18,474              141             146   
       Men..................................................       5,622           5,444              131             132   
       Women................................................      12,914          13,029              145             151   
                                                                                                                            
     Black..................................................       2,062           2,035              134             132   
       Men..................................................         659             717              119             139   
       Women................................................       1,403           1,317              140             129   
                                                                                                                            
     Hispanic origin........................................       1,657           1,751              137             136   
       Men..................................................         609             622              140             139   
       Women................................................       1,049           1,128              136             134   

       NOTE:   Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other
  races" group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.  






 Table 6.  Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, annual averages
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                              Number of workers              Median weekly earnings          
                                                                (in thousands)                                               
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                       Characteristic                                               In current dollars    In constant (1982) 
                                                                                                               dollars       
                                                               1995       1996                                               
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                     1995       1996       1995       1996   
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                        SEX AND AGE                                                                                          
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
 Total, 16 years and over..................................   89,282     90,918      $479       $490       $303       $302   
                                                                                                                             
    Men, 16 years and over.................................   51,222     51,895       538        557        341        343   
      16 to 24 years.......................................    6,118      5,976       303        307        192        189   
      25 years and over....................................   45,104     45,919       588        599        373        369   
                                                                                                                             
    Women, 16 years and over...............................   38,060     39,023       406        418        257        257   
      16 to 24 years.......................................    4,366      4,307       275        284        174        175   
      25 years and over....................................   33,695     34,715       428        444        271        273   
                                                                                                                             
               RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX                                                                                
                                                                                                                             
    White..................................................   74,874     76,151       494        506        313        311   
      Men..................................................   43,747     44,428       566        580        359        357   
      Women................................................   31,127     31,724       415        428        263        263   
                                                                                                                             
    Black..................................................   10,596     10,871       383        387        242        238   
      Men..................................................    5,279      5,316       411        412        260        253   
      Women................................................    5,317      5,555       355        362        225        223   
                                                                                                                             
    Hispanic origin........................................    8,719      9,082       329        339        208        208   
      Men..................................................    5,597      5,831       350        356        221        219   
      Women................................................    3,122      3,251       305        316        193        195   

      NOTE:    Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other races"
 group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups. 






     Table 7.  Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, annual averages
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                            Number of workers           Median weekly earnings   
                                                                              (in thousands)                                     
                            Occupation and sex                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                           1995           1996           1995           1996     
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                 
                                  TOTAL                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                 
      Managerial and professional specialty..........................      26,292         27,222           $703           $718   
        Executive, administrative, and managerial....................      12,975         13,300            684            699   
        Professional specialty.......................................      13,317         13,922            718            730   
      Technical, sales, and administrative support...................      25,898         26,116            426            441   
        Technicians and related support..............................       3,194          3,215            558            573   
        Sales occupations............................................       8,862          9,041            454            474   
        Administrative support, including clerical...................      13,842         13,860            399            405   
      Service occupations............................................       9,617          9,957            299            305   
        Private household............................................         338            365            195            212   
        Protective service...........................................       1,957          1,902            528            538   
        Service, except private household and protective.............       7,322          7,690            277            285   
      Precision production, craft, and repair........................      11,003         11,020            519            540   
        Mechanics and repairers......................................       3,808          3,834            539            568   
        Construction trades..........................................       3,607          3,653            506            516   
        Other precision production, craft, and repair................       3,588          3,533            517            533   
      Operators, fabricators, and laborers...........................      14,991         15,100            380            391   
        Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors................       7,135          7,100            368            380   
        Transportation and material moving occupations...............       4,131          4,254            476            476   
        Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers..........       3,725          3,747            319            330   
      Farming, forestry, and fishing.................................       1,480          1,502            287            294   
                                                                                                                                 
                                   Men                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                 
      Managerial and professional specialty..........................      13,684         13,934            829            852   
        Executive, administrative, and managerial....................       7,172          7,187            833            846   
        Professional specialty.......................................       6,512          6,747            827            857   
      Technical, sales, and administrative support...................       9,894          9,988            556            567   
        Technicians and related support..............................       1,688          1,662            641            650   
        Sales occupations............................................       5,000          5,114            579            589   
        Administrative support, including clerical...................       3,206          3,212            489            489   
      Service occupations............................................       4,779          4,958            357            357   
        Private household............................................          15             19          (1)            (1)     
        Protective service...........................................       1,691          1,627           $552           $562   
        Service, except private household and protective.............       3,073          3,312            300            304   
      Precision production, craft, and repair........................      10,046         10,076            534            560   
        Mechanics and repairers......................................       3,658          3,672            538            571   
        Construction trades..........................................       3,541          3,585            507            518   
        Other precision production, craft, and repair................       2,847          2,819            574            588   
      Operators, fabricators, and laborers...........................      11,529         11,613            413            422   
        Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors................       4,576          4,527            421            437   
        Transportation and material moving occupations...............       3,870          3,982            482            486   
        Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers..........       3,083          3,105            328            343   
      Farming, forestry, and fishing.................................       1,290          1,326            294            300   
                                                                                                                                 
                                  Women                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                 
      Managerial and professional specialty..........................      12,609         13,288            605            616   
        Executive, administrative, and managerial....................       5,803          6,113            570            585   
        Professional specialty.......................................       6,806          7,175            632            647   
      Technical, sales, and administrative support...................      16,004         16,128            383            394   
        Technicians and related support..............................       1,506          1,553            480            498   
        Sales occupations............................................       3,862          3,927            330            353   
        Administrative support, including clerical...................      10,636         10,648            384            391   
      Service occupations............................................       4,838          5,000            264            273   
        Private household............................................         324            346            193            213   
        Protective service...........................................         266            275            438            439   
        Service, except private household and protective.............       4,249          4,379            264            272   
      Precision production, craft, and repair........................         957            944            371            373   
        Mechanics and repairers......................................         150            162            550            510   
        Construction trades..........................................          66             68            400            389   
        Other precision production, craft, and repair................         741            714            346            357   
      Operators, fabricators, and laborers...........................       3,462          3,487            297            307   
        Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors................       2,559          2,573            296            307   
        Transportation and material moving occupations...............         261            272            354            350   
        Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers..........         642            642            284            295   
      Farming, forestry, and fishing.................................         190            176            249            255   

       1 Data not shown where base is less than 50,000.






     Table 8. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by
     selected characteristics, 1996 annual averages
                                                                                                               
                                                                                                               
                                                Number                       Upper limit of:                   
                                                  of                                                           
             Educational attainment,            workers                                                        
                  sex, and race                   (in       First      First     Second      Third      Ninth  
                                              thousands)   decile    quartile   quartile   quartile    decile  
                                                                                (median)                       
                                                                                                               
                                                                                                               
                      TOTAL                                                                                    
                                                                                                               
       Total, 25 years and over..............    80,634       $250       $348       $520       $771     $1,113 
         Less than a high school diploma.....     8,142        187        238        317        453        639 
         High school graduates, no college...    26,438        236        312        443        625        840 
         Some college or associate degree....    22,442        272        367        518        727        970 
         College graduates, total............    23,612        374        530        758      1,096      1,528 
           Bachelor's degree only............    15,694        345        491        697        984      1,371 
           Advanced degree...................     7,918        458        640        914      1,273      1,795 
                                                                                                               
                       Men                                                                                     
                                                                                                               
       Total, 25 years and over..............    45,919        279        398        599        874      1,236 
         Less than a high school diploma.....     5,402        200        263        357        510        712 
         High school graduates, no college...    14,973        275        373        516        716        934 
         Some college or associate degree....    12,131        301        423        604        826      1,091 
         College graduates, total............    13,413        401        599        874      1,239      1,749 
           Bachelor's degree only............     8,794        379        555        795      1,135      1,553 
           Advanced degree...................     4,619        485        710      1,025      1,459      1,944 
                                                                                                               
                      Women                                                                                    
                                                                                                               
       Total, 25 years and over..............    34,715        227        307        444        646        902 
         Less than a high school diploma.....     2,740        172        208        268        347        456 
         High school graduates, no college...    11,466        209        276        365        498        663 
         Some college or associate degree....    10,311        245        321        442        606        784 
         College graduates, total............    10,199        344        480        657        903      1,186 
           Bachelor's degree only............     6,900        318        441        608        818      1,085 
           Advanced degree...................     3,299        437        591        784      1,060      1,427 
                                                                                                               
                    White men                                                                                  
                                                                                                               
       Total, 25 years and over..............    39,287        289        414        617        901      1,265 
         Less than a high school diploma.....     4,470        203        267        363        517        725 
         High school graduates, no college...    12,721        287        390        539        735        957 
         Some college or associate degree....    10,322        316        445        621        853      1,126 
         College graduates, total............    11,774        413        610        893      1,261      1,771 
           Bachelor's degree only............     7,746        389        576        818      1,151      1,576 
           Advanced degree...................     4,028        499        726      1,049      1,487      2,008 
                                                                                                               
                   White women                                                                                 
                                                                                                               
       Total, 25 years and over..............    28,176        233        314        457        662        921 
         Less than a high school diploma.....     2,112        175        209        268        351        459 
         High school graduates, no college...     9,361        215        282        375        508        673 
         Some college or associate degree....     8,232        253        329        452        618        804 
         College graduates, total............     8,471        355        492        670        920      1,214 
           Bachelor's degree only............     5,664        327        452        616        834      1,110 
           Advanced degree...................     2,806        448        599        798      1,073      1,446 
                                                                                                               
                    Black men                                                                                  
                                                                                                               
       Total, 25 years and over..............     4,702        227        303        441        638        886 
         Less than a high school diploma.....       714        187        238        324        466        612 
         High school graduates, no college...     1,836        217        290        400        556        739 
         Some college or associate degree....     1,362        252        330        482        656        860 
         College graduates, total............       790        321        464        688        972      1,240 
           Bachelor's degree only............       555        319        445        647        926      1,149 
           Advanced degree...................       235        346        555        800      1,112      1,491 
                                                                                                               
                   Black women                                                                                 
                                                                                                               
       Total, 25 years and over..............     4,981        204        274        381        554        750 
         Less than a high school diploma.....       459        175        208        270        339        450 
         High school graduates, no college...     1,734        192        247        323        442        594 
         Some college or associate degree....     1,698        220        289        400        539        706 
         College graduates, total............     1,091        299        420        592        780      1,051 
           Bachelor's degree only............       787        288        395        554        722        952 
           Advanced degree...................       304        385        496        718        942      1,245 

          NOTE:   See Note, table 4.