TEXT
Table 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages,
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic origin, and sex, first
Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, quarterly averages, not
Table 4. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected
Table 5. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages,

Technical information:  (202) 606-6378    USDL 96-149
                              606-6373
                                          For release:  10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                606-5902    Friday, April 19, 1996
 
 
             USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:
                            FIRST QUARTER 1996
 
 
   Median weekly earnings of the nation's 88.7 million full-time wage and
salary workers were $489 in the first quarter of 1996, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.  This was 2.3
percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 2.7 percent in
the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) over the same
period.
 
   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 first-quarter data
are:
 
   ---Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $419 a
week, or 75.2 percent of the $557 median for men.  The female-male
earnings' ratios were much higher among blacks (89.2 percent) and Hispanics
(91.6 percent) than among whites (73.6 percent).  (See
table 1.)
 
   ---Median earnings of black men working full-time were $417 per week,
71.9 percent of the median for white men ($580).  The racial variation was
much less among women, as black women's median earnings ($372) were 87.1
percent of those for their white counterparts ($427).  Overall, median
earnings of Hispanics who worked full time ($330) were lower than those of
blacks ($394) and whites ($504).  (See table 1.)
 
   ---The highest median weekly earnings for men were in the 45- to 54-year-
age group ($699), with the median for 35- to 44-year-old men next, at $629.
Among women, the highest-earning age group also was 45- to 54-year-olds,
who had a median of $477; this was followed closely by 35- to 44-year-olds,
with a median of $457.  (See table 2.)
 
   ---Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time in
managerial and professional specialty occupations had the highest median
weekly earnings--$846 for men and $612 for women--while men and women in
service and farm jobs earned the least.  (See table 3.)
 
   ---Full-time workers age 25 and over with less than a high school
diploma had median weekly earnings of $311, compared with $435 for high
school graduates (no college) and $754 for college graduates.  Among
college graduates with advanced degrees (master's degree and above), the
highest-earning 10 percent of men earned more than $1,924, compared with
more than $1,336 for their female counterparts.  (See table 4.)
 
                                  - 2 -
 
 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
 
                                  - 3 -
 
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.
 
     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)    |
                                                             |                     |
                                                              _____________________ ___________________________________________
                                                             |          |          |                     |
                                                             |          |          | In current dollars  | In constant (1982)
                         Characteristic                      |          |          |                     |       dollars
                                                             |     I    |     I    |                     |
                                                                                    _____________________ _____________________
                                                             |   1995   |   1996   |          |          |          |
                                                             |          |          |     I    |     I    |     I    |     I
                                                             |          |          |   1995   |   1996   |   1995   |   1996
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
   ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
                          SEX AND AGE                        |          |          |          |          |          |
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
   Total, 16 years and over..................................|  87,336  |  88,699  |   $478   |   $489   |   $306   |   $304
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
      Men, 16 years and over.................................|  50,070  |  50,388  |    535   |    557   |    342   |    347
        16 to 24 years.......................................|   5,639  |   5,448  |    302   |    311   |    193   |    193
        25 years and over....................................|  44,431  |  44,940  |    585   |    597   |    374   |    372
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
      Women, 16 years and over...............................|  37,266  |  38,312  |    406   |    419   |    260   |    261
        16 to 24 years.......................................|   4,023  |   4,059  |    281   |    289   |    180   |    180
        25 years and over....................................|  33,243  |  34,253  |    424   |    442   |    271   |    276
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
                 RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX              |          |          |          |          |          |
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
      White..................................................|  73,299  |  74,423  |    494   |    504   |    316   |    314
        Men..................................................|  42,744  |  43,177  |    565   |    580   |    361   |    361
        Women................................................|  30,555  |  31,247  |    416   |    427   |    266   |    266
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
      Black..................................................|  10,369  |  10,534  |    373   |    394   |    239   |    245
        Men..................................................|   5,226  |   5,199  |    401   |    417   |    256   |    260
        Women................................................|   5,142  |   5,335  |    343   |    372   |    219   |    232
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
      Hispanic origin........................................|   8,305  |   8,599  |    330   |    330   |    211   |    205
        Men..................................................|   5,339  |   5,495  |    349   |    344   |    223   |    214
        Women................................................|   2,966  |   3,104  |    308   |    315   |    197   |    196
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
   ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
      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. Publication
   of data on family relationship has been temporarily
   suspended due to editing and weighting problems associated
   with the redesigned survey.
 
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic origin, and sex, first
   quarter 1996 averages, not seasonally adjusted
 
   ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                             |                     |                     |
                                                             |        Total        |         Men         |        Women
                                                             |                     |                     |
                                                              _____________________ _____________________ _____________________
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
                                                             |  Number  |          |  Number  |          |  Number  |
                 Age, race, and Hispanic origin              |    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.........................................|  88,699  |   $489   |  50,388  |   $557   |  38,312  |   $419
     16 to 24 years..........................................|   9,507  |    301   |   5,448  |    311   |   4,059  |    289
       16 to 19 years........................................|   1,453  |    248   |     916  |    262   |     537  |    222
       20 to 24 years........................................|   8,054  |    311   |   4,531  |    321   |   3,522  |    299
     25 years and over.......................................|  79,193  |    518   |  44,940  |    597   |  34,253  |    442
       25 to 54 years........................................|  70,417  |    519   |  39,921  |    595   |  30,496  |    447
         25 to 34 years......................................|  25,507  |    461   |  14,717  |    495   |  10,790  |    419
         35 to 44 years......................................|  26,183  |    559   |  14,986  |    629   |  11,197  |    457
         45 to 54 years......................................|  18,727  |    591   |  10,218  |    699   |   8,509  |    477
       55 years and over.....................................|   8,776  |    511   |   5,019  |    618   |   3,757  |    408
         55 to 64 years......................................|   7,732  |    523   |   4,395  |    625   |   3,336  |    417
         65 years and over...................................|   1,044  |    394   |     624  |    520   |     420  |    326
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
                             White                           |          |          |          |          |          |
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
   16 years and over.........................................|  74,423  |    504   |  43,177  |    580   |  31,247  |    427
     16 to 24 years..........................................|   8,012  |    303   |   4,642  |    312   |   3,370  |    290
     25 years and over.......................................|  66,411  |    540   |  38,535  |    614   |  27,877  |    453
       25 to 54 years........................................|  58,807  |    541   |  34,156  |    611   |  24,651  |    457
       55 years and over.....................................|   7,604  |    529   |   4,379  |    649   |   3,226  |    418
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
                             Black                           |          |          |          |          |          |
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
   16 years and over.........................................|  10,534  |    394   |   5,199  |    417   |   5,335  |    372
     16 to 24 years..........................................|   1,105  |    282   |     582  |    286   |     523  |    279
     25 years and over.......................................|   9,430  |    415   |   4,617  |    447   |   4,813  |    390
       25 to 54 years........................................|   8,591  |    416   |   4,196  |    446   |   4,395  |    393
       55 years and over.....................................|     839  |    405   |     421  |    461   |     418  |    358
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
                        Hispanic origin                      |          |          |          |          |          |
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
   16 years and over.........................................|   8,599  |    330   |   5,495  |    344   |   3,104  |    315
     16 to 24 years..........................................|   1,344  |    269   |     898  |    266   |     446  |    276
     25 years and over.......................................|   7,256  |    359   |   4,598  |    379   |   2,658  |    326
       25 to 54 years........................................|   6,615  |    358   |   4,212  |    379   |   2,403  |    323
       55 years and over.....................................|     641  |    361   |     386  |    380   |     255  |    349
                                                             |          |          |          |          |          |
   ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
      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                       |                             |
                                                                    _____________________________ _____________________________
                                                                   |              |              |              |
                                                                   |       I      |       I      |       I      |       I
                                                                   |     1995     |     1996     |     1995     |     1996
                                                                   |              |              |              |
   ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                                   |              |              |              |
                                                                   |              |              |              |
                                TOTAL                              |              |              |              |
                                                                   |              |              |              |
     Managerial and professional specialty.........................|    25,748    |    27,002    |     $694     |     $713
       Executive, administrative, and managerial...................|    12,723    |    12,884    |      673     |      696
       Professional specialty......................................|    13,025    |    14,118    |      712     |      724
     Technical, sales, and administrative support..................|    25,501    |    25,453    |      425     |      438
       Technicians and related support.............................|     3,079    |     3,045    |      550     |      576
       Sales occupations...........................................|     8,651    |     8,917    |      459     |      481
       Administrative support, including clerical..................|    13,771    |    13,491    |      399     |      399
     Service occupations...........................................|     9,347    |     9,247    |      296     |      302
       Private household...........................................|       375    |       371    |      204     |      198
       Protective service..........................................|     1,897    |     1,865    |      511     |      522
       Service, except private household and protective............|     7,076    |     7,010    |      276     |      282
     Precision production, craft, and repair.......................|    10,862    |    10,862    |      524     |      546
       Mechanics and repairers.....................................|     3,711    |     3,881    |      535     |      573
       Construction trades.........................................|     3,435    |     3,390    |      514     |      523
       Other precision production, craft, and repair...............|     3,716    |     3,591    |      529     |      531
     Operators, fabricators, and laborers..........................|    14,650    |    14,879    |      378     |      381
       Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors...............|     7,008    |     7,151    |      363     |      374
       Transportation and material moving occupations..............|     4,077    |     4,225    |      478     |      455
       Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.........|     3,564    |     3,502    |      317     |      320
     Farming, forestry, and fishing................................|     1,228    |     1,257    |      286     |      297
                                                                   |              |              |              |
                                 Men                               |              |              |              |
                                                                   |              |              |              |
     Managerial and professional specialty.........................|    13,404    |    13,669    |      819     |      846
       Executive, administrative, and managerial...................|     6,963    |     6,929    |      829     |      843
       Professional specialty......................................|     6,441    |     6,740    |      809     |      849
     Technical, sales, and administrative support..................|     9,846    |     9,622    |      534     |      580
       Technicians and related support.............................|     1,594    |     1,559    |      639     |      659
       Sales occupations...........................................|     4,874    |     5,081    |      569     |      611
       Administrative support, including clerical..................|     3,378    |     2,982    |      477     |      469
     Service occupations...........................................|     4,559    |     4,554    |      346     |      355
       Private household...........................................|         8    |        11    |      (1)     |      (1)
       Protective service..........................................|     1,607    |     1,605    |      512     |      554
       Service, except private household and protective............|     2,944    |     2,938    |      295     |      300
     Precision production, craft, and repair.......................|     9,864    |     9,945    |      542     |      564
       Mechanics and repairers.....................................|     3,551    |     3,732    |      535     |      575
       Construction trades.........................................|     3,364    |     3,344    |      513     |      523
       Other precision production, craft, and repair...............|     2,950    |     2,869    |      584     |      584
     Operators, fabricators, and laborers..........................|    11,309    |    11,482    |      410     |      409
       Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors...............|     4,494    |     4,637    |      411     |      419
       Transportation and material moving occupations..............|     3,801    |     3,963    |      485     |      463
       Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.........|     3,014    |     2,882    |      332     |      329
     Farming, forestry, and fishing................................|     1,088    |     1,115    |      293     |      303
                                                                   |              |              |              |
                                Women                              |              |              |              |
                                                                   |              |              |              |
     Managerial and professional specialty.........................|    12,344    |    13,333    |      601     |      612
       Executive, administrative, and managerial...................|     5,760    |     5,955    |      551     |      581
       Professional specialty......................................|     6,584    |     7,378    |      636     |      641
     Technical, sales, and administrative support..................|    15,655    |    15,832    |      386     |      391
       Technicians and related support.............................|     1,485    |     1,487    |      480     |      501
       Sales occupations...........................................|     3,777    |     3,836    |      345     |      361
       Administrative support, including clerical..................|    10,393    |    10,509    |      384     |      384
     Service occupations...........................................|     4,789    |     4,693    |      266     |      269
       Private household...........................................|       367    |       361    |      202     |      198
       Protective service..........................................|       290    |       260    |      503     |      427
       Service, except private household and protective............|     4,132    |     4,072    |      265     |      269
     Precision production, craft, and repair.......................|       997    |       916    |      396     |      393
       Mechanics and repairers.....................................|       160    |       148    |      543     |      540
       Construction trades.........................................|        71    |        46    |      (1)     |      (1)
       Other precision production, craft, and repair...............|       766    |       722    |      361     |      369
     Operators, fabricators, and laborers..........................|     3,341    |     3,396    |      294     |      308
       Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors...............|     2,514    |     2,514    |      296     |      308
       Transportation and material moving occupations..............|       277    |       262    |      362     |      350
       Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.........|       550    |       621    |      264     |      294
     Farming, forestry, and fishing................................|       140    |       141    |      238     |      266
                                                                   |              |              |              |
   ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
      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, first quarter 1996 averages, not seasonally adjusted
 
       ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                         |          |
                                                         |  Number  |                   Upper limit of:
                                                         |    of    |
                                                                     ______________________________________________________
                                                         | workers  |          |          |          |          |
                         Characteristic                  |   (in    |  First   |  First   |  Second  |  Third   |  Ninth
                                                         |thousands)|  decile  | quartile | quartile | quartile |  decile
                                                         |          |          |          | (median) |          |
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
       ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
                 SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC ORIGIN          |          |          |          |          |          |
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
       Total, 16 years and over..........................|  88,699  |    $233  |    $318  |    $489  |    $738  |  $1,050
         Men.............................................|  50,388  |     253  |     358  |     557  |     824  |   1,171
         Women...........................................|  38,312  |     215  |     291  |     419  |     619  |     871
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
         White...........................................|  74,423  |     238  |     327  |     504  |     758  |   1,088
           Men...........................................|  43,177  |     260  |     374  |     580  |     853  |   1,209
           Women.........................................|  31,247  |     218  |     296  |     427  |     632  |     887
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
         Black...........................................|  10,534  |     205  |     280  |     394  |     582  |     793
           Men...........................................|   5,199  |     210  |     292  |     417  |     615  |     851
           Women.........................................|   5,335  |     202  |     267  |     372  |     532  |     724
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
         Hispanic........................................|   8,599  |     189  |     245  |     330  |     519  |     784
           Men...........................................|   5,495  |     195  |     253  |     344  |     556  |     826
           Women.........................................|   3,104  |     182  |     232  |     315  |     466  |     674
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
                     EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT              |          |          |          |          |          |
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
         Total, 25 years and over........................|  79,193  |     248  |     344  |     518  |     767  |   1,097
           Less than a high school diploma...............|   7,826  |     184  |     235  |     311  |     447  |     620
           High school graduates, no college.............|  25,759  |     233  |     309  |     435  |     623  |     832
           Some college or associate degree..............|  22,032  |     268  |     362  |     512  |     720  |     965
           College graduates, total......................|  23,576  |     377  |     530  |     754  |   1,072  |   1,526
             Bachelor's degree only......................|  15,602  |     347  |     493  |     701  |     974  |   1,394
             Advanced degree.............................|   7,974  |     449  |     630  |     896  |   1,240  |   1,761
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
           Men, 25 years and over........................|  44,940  |     277  |     394  |     597  |     869  |   1,220
             Less than a high school diploma.............|   5,053  |     196  |     256  |     343  |     502  |     677
             High school graduates, no college...........|  14,693  |     273  |     360  |     509  |     710  |     916
             Some college or associate degree............|  11,981  |     299  |     421  |     600  |     817  |   1,077
             College graduates, total....................|  13,214  |     408  |     600  |     868  |   1,221  |   1,758
               Bachelor's degree only....................|   8,524  |     385  |     557  |     795  |   1,127  |   1,577
               Advanced degree...........................|   4,689  |     473  |     699  |     997  |   1,432  |   1,924
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
           Women, 25 years and over......................|  34,253  |     226  |     305  |     442  |     643  |     898
             Less than a high school diploma.............|   2,773  |     169  |     208  |     268  |     357  |     480
             High school graduates, no college...........|  11,066  |     209  |     275  |     363  |     492  |     657
             Some college or associate degree............|  10,051  |     240  |     316  |     433  |     599  |     773
             College graduates, total....................|  10,362  |     340  |     480  |     655  |     893  |   1,160
               Bachelor's degree only....................|   7,077  |     317  |     447  |     613  |     816  |   1,088
               Advanced degree...........................|   3,285  |     432  |     582  |     768  |   1,012  |   1,336
                                                         |          |          |          |          |          |
       ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
          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)        |
                                                                   |                             |
                                                                    _____________________________ _____________________________
                            Characteristic                         |              |              |              |
                                                                   |       I      |       I      |       I      |       I
                                                                   |     1995     |     1996     |     1995     |     1996
                                                                   |              |              |              |
   ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                                                                   |              |              |              |
                                                                   |              |              |              |
                             SEX AND AGE                           |              |              |              |
                                                                   |              |              |              |
   Total, 16 years and over........................................|    20,945    |    21,047    |     $136     |     $139
                                                                   |              |              |              |
      Men, 16 years and over.......................................|     6,512    |     6,586    |      124     |      132
        16 to 24 years.............................................|     3,411    |     3,416    |      103     |      107
        25 years and over..........................................|     3,101    |     3,170    |      168     |      173
                                                                   |              |              |              |
      Women, 16 years and over.....................................|    14,433    |    14,461    |      141     |      142
        16 to 24 years.............................................|     4,460    |     4,225    |      103     |      103
        25 years and over..........................................|     9,973    |    10,237    |      164     |      165
                                                                   |              |              |              |
                    RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX                 |              |              |              |
                                                                   |              |              |              |
      White........................................................|    17,934    |    18,215    |      136     |      141
        Men........................................................|     5,421    |     5,646    |      122     |      132
        Women......................................................|    12,512    |    12,569    |      143     |      144
                                                                   |              |              |              |
      Black........................................................|     2,132    |     1,995    |      132     |      128
        Men........................................................|       766    |       626    |      142     |      124
        Women......................................................|     1,366    |     1,369    |      126     |      129
                                                                   |              |              |              |
      Hispanic origin..............................................|     1,759    |     1,773    |      135     |      139
        Men........................................................|       641    |       672    |      139     |      141
        Women......................................................|     1,118    |     1,101    |      133     |      138
                                                                   |              |              |              |
   ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
      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. Publication
   of data on family relationship has been temporarily
   suspended due to editing and weighting problems associated
   with the redesigned survey.