For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Tuesday, August 20, 2013 USDL-13-1698 

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 2013 

From April to July 2013, the number of employed youth 16 to 24 years old increased by 2.1 million to 

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

employed in July was 50.7 percent. (The month of July typically is the summertime peak in youth 

employment.) Unemployment among youth rose by 692,000 from April to July 2013, compared with an 

increase of 836,000 for the same period in 2012. (Because this analysis focuses on the seasonal changes 

in youth employment and unemployment that occur each spring and summer, the data are not seasonally 

adjusted.) 

Labor force 

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

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

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

permanent employment. This summer, the youth labor force grew by 2.8 million, or 13.4 percent, to a 

total of 23.5 million in July. (See table 1.) 

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

working or looking for work—was 60.5 percent in July, the same as a year earlier. Taking a longer-term 

perspective, the July 2013 participation rate was 17.0 percentage points below the peak rate for that 

month in 1989 (77.5 percent). (See table 2.) 

The July 2013 labor force participation rate for 16- to 24-year-old men was 62.7 percent, and the rate for 

young women was 58.2 percent; both rates were about the same as a year earlier. For several decades 

prior to 1989, the July labor force participation rate for young men showed no clear trend, ranging from 

81 to 86 percent. Since 1989, however, their July participation rate has declined, falling by about 20 

percentage points. The July labor force participation rate for young women peaked in 1989 at 72.4 

percent, following a long-term upward trend; their rate has since fallen by about 14 percentage points. 

The youth labor force participation rate was highest for whites, at 63.1 percent in July 2013. By contrast, 

the rate was 53.8 percent for blacks, 46.1 percent for Asians, and 57.8 percent for Hispanics. For all four 

groups, labor force participation rates were little different from last year. 

 
- 2 - 

Employment 

In July 2013, 19.7 million 16- to 24-year-olds were employed, about the same as last year. This 

summer’s increase in youth employment—from April to July—was 2.1 million. The employmentpopulation ratio for youth in July 2013—the proportion of the 16- to 24-year-old civilian 

noninstitutional population with a job—was 50.7 percent. (See tables 1 and 2.) 

In July, the youth employment-population ratios were 51.7 percent for young men, 49.6 percent for 

young women, 54.3 percent for whites, 38.6 percent for blacks, 39.2 percent for Asians, and 47.4 

percent for Hispanics. For all major demographic groups, these ratios showed little change from last 

year. 

In July 2013, 26 percent of employed youth worked in the leisure and hospitality industry (which 

includes food services), and 19 percent worked in the retail trade industry. Both proportions were 

unchanged from a year earlier. (See table 3.) 

Unemployment 

The number of unemployed youth in July 2013 was 3.8 million, compared with 4.0 million a year ago. 

The youth unemployment rate was 16.3 percent in July 2013. Among the major demographic groups, 

unemployment rates were lower than a year earlier in July for young women (14.8 percent) and whites 

(13.9 percent), while jobless rates changed little for young men (17.6 percent), blacks (28.2 percent), 

Asians (15.0 percent), and Hispanics (18.1 percent). (See table 2.) 
Technical Note 

The estimates in this release were obtained from the 

Current Population Survey (CPS), a national sample survey 

of about 60,000 eligible households conducted monthly for 

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

Bureau. The data in this release relate to the employment 

status of youth (16- to 24-year-olds) during the months of 

April-July. This period was selected as being the most 

representative time frame in which to measure the full 

summertime transition from school to work. July is the peak 

summer month of youth employment. 

Beginning in January of each year, data reflect revised 

population controls used in the CPS. Additional information 

about population controls is available on the BLS website at 

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

Information in this release will be made available to 

sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 

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

Reliability 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 

ww.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. Persons are classified using the 

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

categories: Private and government wage and salary 

workers, unincorporated self-employed 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 2013

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

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity April May June July April-July changes

Number Percent

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 38,857 38,858 38,858 38,861 4 0.0

Civilian labor force................................................... 20,721 21,181 23,322 23,506 2,785 13.4

Participation rate................................................... 53.3 54.5 60.0 60.5 7.2 13.5

Employed........................................................... 17,593 17,704 19,125 19,684 2,091 11.9

Employment-population ratio.................................. 45.3 45.6 49.2 50.7 5.4 11.9

Unemployed........................................................ 3,129 3,478 4,198 3,821 692 22.1

Looking for full-time work...................................... 2,157 2,524 3,173 2,819 662 30.7

Looking for part-time work..................................... 972 954 1,025 1,002 30 3.1

Unemployment rate................................................ 15.1 16.4 18.0 16.3 1.2 7.9

Not in labor force..................................................... 18,136 17,677 15,536 15,355 -2,781 -15.3

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 19,584 19,584 19,585 19,587 3 0.0

Civilian labor force................................................... 10,596 11,023 12,179 12,283 1,687 15.9

Participation rate................................................... 54.1 56.3 62.2 62.7 8.6 15.9

Employed........................................................... 8,863 9,051 9,752 10,127 1,264 14.3

Employment-population ratio.................................. 45.3 46.2 49.8 51.7 6.4 14.1

Unemployed........................................................ 1,732 1,972 2,427 2,156 424 24.5

Looking for full-time work...................................... 1,263 1,486 1,902 1,665 402 31.8

Looking for part-time work..................................... 470 486 525 491 21 4.5

Unemployment rate................................................ 16.3 17.9 19.9 17.6 1.3 8.0

Not in labor force..................................................... 8,988 8,561 7,405 7,303 -1,685 -18.7

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 19,274 19,273 19,273 19,274 0 0.0

Civilian labor force................................................... 10,126 10,158 11,143 11,223 1,097 10.8

Participation rate................................................... 52.5 52.7 57.8 58.2 5.7 10.9

Employed........................................................... 8,729 8,652 9,372 9,557 828 9.5

Employment-population ratio.................................. 45.3 44.9 48.6 49.6 4.3 9.5

Unemployed........................................................ 1,396 1,505 1,771 1,665 269 19.3

Looking for full-time work...................................... 894 1,038 1,271 1,154 260 29.1

Looking for part-time work..................................... 502 468 500 511 9 1.8

Unemployment rate................................................ 13.8 14.8 15.9 14.8 1.0 7.2

Not in labor force..................................................... 9,148 9,116 8,130 8,052 -1,096 -12.0

White

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 28,879 28,874 28,869 28,866 -13 0.0

Civilian labor force................................................... 16,093 16,527 18,005 18,205 2,112 13.1

Participation rate................................................... 55.7 57.2 62.4 63.1 7.4 13.3

Employed........................................................... 13,938 14,124 15,258 15,679 1,741 12.5

Employment-population ratio.................................. 48.3 48.9 52.9 54.3 6.0 12.4

Unemployed........................................................ 2,155 2,403 2,747 2,525 370 17.2

Looking for full-time work...................................... 1,424 1,618 1,974 1,814 390 27.4

Looking for part-time work..................................... 732 785 773 711 -21 -2.9

Unemployment rate................................................ 13.4 14.5 15.3 13.9 0.5 3.7

Not in labor force..................................................... 12,785 12,346 10,863 10,661 -2,124 -16.6

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 5,996 5,996 5,996 5,997 1 0.0

Civilian labor force................................................... 2,901 2,960 3,231 3,225 324 11.2

Participation rate................................................... 48.4 49.4 53.9 53.8 5.4 11.2

Employed........................................................... 2,178 2,127 2,200 2,315 137 6.3

Employment-population ratio.................................. 36.3 35.5 36.7 38.6 2.3 6.3

Unemployed........................................................ 722 834 1,031 910 188 26.0

Looking for full-time work...................................... 553 715 871 771 218 39.4

Looking for part-time work..................................... 170 119 159 139 -31 -18.2

Unemployment rate................................................ 24.9 28.2 31.9 28.2 3.3 13.3

Not in labor force..................................................... 3,095 3,035 2,765 2,772 -323 -10.4
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 2013 — 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.................................... 2,042 2,069 2,014 2,028 -14 -0.7

Civilian labor force................................................... 834 768 935 934 100 12.0

Participation rate................................................... 40.8 37.1 46.4 46.1 5.3 13.0

Employed........................................................... 737 693 795 794 57 7.7

Employment-population ratio.................................. 36.1 33.5 39.5 39.2 3.1 8.6

Unemployed........................................................ 97 75 140 140 43 44.3

Looking for full-time work...................................... 77 60 107 81 4 5.2

Looking for part-time work..................................... 19 15 33 59 40 210.5

Unemployment rate................................................ 11.6 9.8 14.9 15.0 3.4 29.3

Not in labor force..................................................... 1,208 1,301 1,079 1,094 -114 -9.4

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population.................................... 8,198 8,208 8,218 8,229 31 0.4

Civilian labor force................................................... 4,322 4,356 4,638 4,756 434 10.0

Participation rate................................................... 52.7 53.1 56.4 57.8 5.1 9.7

Employed........................................................... 3,603 3,635 3,823 3,897 294 8.2

Employment-population ratio.................................. 43.9 44.3 46.5 47.4 3.5 8.0

Unemployed........................................................ 719 721 815 859 140 19.5

Looking for full-time work...................................... 476 467 594 622 146 30.7

Looking for part-time work..................................... 243 254 221 238 -5 -2.1

Unemployment rate................................................ 16.6 16.6 17.6 18.1 1.5 9.0

Not in labor force..................................................... 3,876 3,852 3,580 3,473 -403 -10.4

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 2010-2013

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

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

July

2010

July

2011

July

2012

July

2013

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 37,944 38,196 38,799 38,861

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 22,938 22,742 23,472 23,506

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

Employed.............................................................................. 18,564 18,632 19,461 19,684

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 48.9 48.8 50.2 50.7

Unemployed........................................................................... 4,374 4,110 4,011 3,821

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 3,374 3,238 3,074 2,819

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 1,000 872 937 1,002

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 19.1 18.1 17.1 16.3

Not in labor force........................................................................ 15,006 15,454 15,327 15,355

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 19,126 19,425 19,554 19,587

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 11,997 11,930 12,355 12,283

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

Employed.............................................................................. 9,537 9,746 10,140 10,127

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 49.9 50.2 51.9 51.7

Unemployed........................................................................... 2,460 2,184 2,215 2,156

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 1,949 1,809 1,785 1,665

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 510 375 430 491

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 20.5 18.3 17.9 17.6

Not in labor force........................................................................ 7,129 7,494 7,199 7,303

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 18,819 18,772 19,245 19,274

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 10,942 10,812 11,117 11,223

Participation rate...................................................................... 58.1 57.6 57.8 58.2

Employed.............................................................................. 9,027 8,886 9,321 9,557

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 48.0 47.3 48.4 49.6

Unemployed........................................................................... 1,914 1,926 1,796 1,665

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 1,425 1,428 1,289 1,154

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 489 497 507 511

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 17.5 17.8 16.2 14.8

Not in labor force........................................................................ 7,877 7,960 8,128 8,052

White

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 29,164 29,377 28,956 28,866

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 18,441 18,266 18,213 18,205

Participation rate...................................................................... 63.2 62.2 62.9 63.1

Employed.............................................................................. 15,455 15,367 15,498 15,679

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 53.0 52.3 53.5 54.3

Unemployed........................................................................... 2,987 2,899 2,715 2,525

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 2,253 2,203 2,019 1,814

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 733 696 696 711

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 16.2 15.9 14.9 13.9

Not in labor force........................................................................ 10,722 11,111 10,743 10,661

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 5,756 5,763 5,971 5,997

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 2,972 2,893 3,256 3,225

Participation rate...................................................................... 51.6 50.2 54.5 53.8

Employed.............................................................................. 1,980 1,996 2,323 2,315

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 34.4 34.6 38.9 38.6

Unemployed........................................................................... 992 897 933 910

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 843 778 783 771

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 149 118 150 139

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 33.4 31.0 28.6 28.2

Not in labor force........................................................................ 2,783 2,870 2,715 2,772
Table 2. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 to 24 years of age by sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, July 2010-2013 — Continued

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

Employment status, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

July

2010

July

2011

July

2012

July

2013

Asian

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 1,576 1,573 1,922 2,028

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 762 753 839 934

Participation rate...................................................................... 48.3 47.9 43.7 46.1

Employed.............................................................................. 597 638 718 794

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 37.9 40.5 37.4 39.2

Unemployed........................................................................... 165 115 121 140

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 122 97 83 81

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 42 18 38 59

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 21.6 15.3 14.4 15.0

Not in labor force........................................................................ 814 820 1,083 1,094

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population....................................................... 7,128 7,605 8,164 8,229

Civilian labor force...................................................................... 3,995 4,080 4,658 4,756

Participation rate...................................................................... 56.1 53.6 57.1 57.8

Employed.............................................................................. 3,111 3,260 3,799 3,897

Employment-population ratio..................................................... 43.6 42.9 46.5 47.4

Unemployed........................................................................... 884 820 860 859

Looking for full-time work......................................................... 703 646 698 622

Looking for part-time work........................................................ 181 174 162 238

Unemployment rate.................................................................. 22.1 20.1 18.5 18.1

Not in labor force........................................................................ 3,133 3,525 3,506 3,473

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 2012-2013

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

Industry and class of worker

Total White Black or African

American Asian Hispanic or Latinoethnicity

July

2012

July

2013

July

2012

July

2013

July

2012

July

2013

July

2012

July

2013

July

2012

July

2013

Total employed.................................... 19,461 19,684 15,498 15,679 2,323 2,315 718 794 3,799 3,897

Agriculture and related industries............ 419 355 392 331 4 8 1 1 90 77

Nonagricultural industries..................... 19,043 19,330 15,106 15,348 2,319 2,307 717 793 3,709 3,820

Private wage and salary workers1

. . . . . .. 17,318 17,740 13,724 14,062 2,129 2,134 663 742 3,421 3,580

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas

extraction................................ 128 137 119 130 3 0 2 1 25 39

Construction............................... 771 868 697 799 30 36 13 7 265 268

Manufacturing............................. 1,278 1,306 1,047 1,033 121 138 51 92 292 240

Durable goods.......................... 776 826 640 643 66 88 37 60 126 127

Nondurable goods..................... 502 480 407 390 56 50 14 32 166 113

Wholesale trade........................... 319 339 296 279 12 34 5 9 92 85

Retail trade................................ 3,772 3,756 2,856 2,853 599 558 136 155 636 765

Transportation and utilities.............. 440 486 362 336 41 90 19 11 102 125

Information................................. 340 317 257 257 50 38 15 18 51 44

Financial activities........................ 696 649 576 513 52 80 40 33 135 130

Professional and business services. . .. 1,380 1,566 1,077 1,281 186 148 56 75 329 295

Education and health services.......... 2,231 2,235 1,658 1,705 318 328 134 117 376 419

Leisure and hospitality................... 5,092 5,078 4,053 4,032 627 599 177 194 995 967

Other services............................. 870 1,003 726 844 89 84 15 29 124 204

Government wage and salary workers. .. 1,298 1,254 1,028 1,005 150 149 46 43 216 154

Federal..................................... 166 151 131 107 27 22 7 8 32 9

State........................................ 370 473 270 371 30 55 26 23 45 50

Local........................................ 762 630 628 527 93 72 13 11 139 95

Self-employed, unincorporated, and

unpaid family workers.................... 427 336 354 281 41 24 8 8 71 86

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.