Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov:80/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 606-6378  USDL 97-374

                                        For release:  10:00 A.M. EDT
Media contact:                606-5902  Wednesday, October 22, 1997


                                     
             USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:
                            THIRD QUARTER 1997


   Median weekly earnings of the nation's 95.8 million full-time wage and
salary workers were $499 in the third quarter of 1997, 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 2.1 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 third-quarter data
are:
   
   ---Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $429 a
week, or 74.9 percent of the $573 median for men.  The female-to-male
earnings ratios were higher among blacks (89.5 percent) and Hispanics (85.5
percent) than among whites (74.5 percent).  (See table 1.)
   
   ---Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were $420 per
week, 70.9 percent of the median for white men ($592).  The difference was
much less among women, as black women's median earnings ($376) were 85.3
percent of those for their white counterparts ($441).  Overall, median
earnings of Hispanics who worked full time ($352) were lower than those of
blacks ($397) and whites ($515).  (See table 1.)
   
   ---The highest median weekly earnings for full-time workers were $718
for men in the 45- to 54-year-age group; second highest was the median for
55- to 64-year-old men at $672.  Among women, the highest-earning age group
also was 45- to 54-year olds, with a median of $489,  followed by 35- to 44-
year-olds, with a median of $484.  (See table 2.)
   
   ---Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time in
managerial and professional specialty occupations had the highest median
weekly earnings--$864 for men and $610 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 $318, compared with $464 for high
school graduates (no college) and $781 for college graduates.  Among
college graduates with advanced degrees (professional or master's degree
and above), the highest 10 percent of male workers earned more than $1,991,
compared with more than $1,467 for their female counterparts.  (See
table 4.)
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       
                                                                III        III                                               
                                                               1996       1997                                               
                                                                                      III        III        III        III   
                                                                                     1996       1997       1996       1997   
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                        SEX AND AGE                                                                                          
                                                                                                                             
 Total, 16 years and over..................................    92,703     95,837       $488       $499       $299       $300 
                                                                                                                             
    Men, 16 years and over.................................    53,000     54,491        552        573        338        344 
      16 to 24 years.......................................     6,694      7,009        305        312        187        187 
      25 years and over....................................    46,305     47,483        600        614        368        368 
                                                                                                                             
    Women, 16 years and over...............................    39,703     41,346        415        429        254        258 
      16 to 24 years.......................................     4,756      5,129        280        291        172        174 
      25 years and over....................................    34,947     36,217        443        463        272        278 
                                                                                                                             
               RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX                                                                                
                                                                                                                             
    White..................................................    77,704     79,853        502        515        308        309 
      Men..................................................    45,442     46,434        577        592        354        355 
      Women................................................    32,262     33,419        423        441        260        265 
                                                                                                                             
    Black..................................................    11,060     11,691        383        397        235        238 
      Men..................................................     5,402      5,640        405        420        248        252 
      Women................................................     5,657      6,051        363        376        222        225 
                                                                                                                             
    Hispanic origin........................................     9,460     10,279        346        352        212        211 
      Men..................................................     6,127      6,569        364        373        223        224 
      Women................................................     3,333      3,710        322        319        197        191 

      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.  Beginning in January
 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






 Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic origin, and sex, third
 quarter 1997 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.........................................    95,837       $499     54,491       $573     41,346       $429 
   16 to 24 years..........................................    12,138        302      7,009        312      5,129        291 
     16 to 19 years........................................     2,802        252      1,649        260      1,154        243 
     20 to 24 years........................................     9,335        320      5,360        336      3,975        307 
   25 years and over.......................................    83,699        542     47,483        614     36,217        463 
     25 to 54 years........................................    74,378        542     42,167        611     32,210        466 
       25 to 34 years......................................    26,145        481     15,093        515     11,051        431 
       35 to 44 years......................................    28,104        582     16,090        649     12,015        484 
       45 to 54 years......................................    20,129        606     10,984        718      9,144        489 
     55 years and over.....................................     9,322        539      5,315        653      4,006        440 
       55 to 64 years......................................     8,164        561      4,595        672      3,569        455 
       65 years and over...................................     1,157        397        720        490        437        354 
                                                                                                                             
                           White                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
 16 years and over.........................................    79,853        515     46,434        592     33,419        441 
   16 to 24 years..........................................    10,277        306      6,113        316      4,164        292 
   25 years and over.......................................    69,576        572     40,321        637     29,255        476 
     25 to 54 years........................................    61,501        573     35,669        633     25,832        479 
     55 years and over.....................................     8,075        561      4,651        681      3,424        446 
                                                                                                                             
                           Black                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
 16 years and over.........................................    11,691        397      5,640        420      6,051        376 
   16 to 24 years..........................................     1,373        275        644        275        728        276 
   25 years and over.......................................    10,319        419      4,996        458      5,323        397 
     25 to 54 years........................................     9,395        417      4,539        453      4,856        397 
     55 years and over.....................................       924        442        456        499        467        387 
                                                                                                                             
                      Hispanic origin                                                                                        
                                                                                                                             
 16 years and over.........................................    10,279        352      6,569        373      3,710        319 
   16 to 24 years..........................................     1,769        281      1,240        289        529        261 
   25 years and over.......................................     8,510        381      5,329        403      3,181        336 
     25 to 54 years........................................     7,839        381      4,883        402      2,955        339 
     55 years and over.....................................       672        376        446        415        226        302 


      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.  Beginning in January
 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






  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                                                                                    
                                                                                                                            
                                                                    III             III             III             III     
                                                                   1996            1997            1996            1997     
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                            TOTAL                                                                                           
                                                                                                                            
   Managerial and professional specialty....................      27,291          28,075             $710            $732   
     Executive, administrative, and managerial..............      13,761          14,096              683             731   
     Professional specialty.................................      13,530          13,979              731             733   
   Technical, sales, and administrative support.............      26,512          27,477              442             455   
     Technicians and related support........................       3,290           3,533              557             570   
     Sales occupations......................................       9,341           9,773              464             474   
     Administrative support, including clerical.............      13,882          14,170              410             424   
   Service occupations......................................      10,484          10,719              302             312   
     Private household......................................         393             312              211             191   
     Protective service.....................................       1,947           2,168              577             539   
     Service, except private household and protective.......       8,145           8,238              282             295   
   Precision production, craft, and repair..................      11,271          11,827              545             560   
     Mechanics and repairers................................       3,826           4,061              583             590   
     Construction trades....................................       3,833           4,045              520             529   
     Other precision production, craft, and repair..........       3,613           3,721              518             551   
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers.....................      15,495          15,976              387             398   
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..........       7,172           7,378              371             390   
     Transportation and material moving occupations.........       4,384           4,400              471             499   
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers....       3,939           4,198              331             323   
   Farming, forestry, and fishing...........................       1,649           1,763              295             302   
                                                                                                                            
                             Men                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
   Managerial and professional specialty....................      14,060          14,261              837             852   
     Executive, administrative, and managerial..............       7,476           7,546              823             864   
     Professional specialty.................................       6,585           6,715              853             838   
   Technical, sales, and administrative support.............      10,270          10,390              548             578   
     Technicians and related support........................       1,779           1,755              636             640   
     Sales occupations......................................       5,245           5,299              569             590   
     Administrative support, including clerical.............       3,246           3,336              495             520   
   Service occupations......................................       5,326           5,326              347             377   
     Private household......................................          24              18           (1)             (1)      
     Protective service.....................................       1,678           1,849             $592            $565   
     Service, except private household and protective.......       3,623           3,459              300             317   
   Precision production, craft, and repair..................      10,207          10,745              574             579   
     Mechanics and repairers................................       3,646           3,860              584             593   
     Construction trades....................................       3,750           3,956              523             530   
     Other precision production, craft, and repair..........       2,811           2,928              593             602   
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers.....................      11,669          12,245              424             432   
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..........       4,369           4,703             $429            $446   
     Transportation and material moving occupations.........       4,102           4,136              486             506   
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers....       3,198           3,406              342             335   
   Farming, forestry, and fishing...........................       1,468           1,525              304             312   
                                                                                                                            
                            Women                                                                                           
                                                                                                                            
   Managerial and professional specialty....................      13,231          13,815              614             632   
     Executive, administrative, and managerial..............       6,286           6,550              575             610   
     Professional specialty.................................       6,945           7,264              653             658   
   Technical, sales, and administrative support.............      16,242          17,087              398             409   
     Technicians and related support........................       1,511           1,778              491             501   
     Sales occupations......................................       4,095           4,474              358             354   
     Administrative support, including clerical.............      10,636          10,835              395             409   
   Service occupations......................................       5,159           5,392              270             278   
     Private household......................................         368             294              213             185   
     Protective service.....................................         269             319              420             417   
     Service, except private household and protective.......       4,521           4,780              270             279   
   Precision production, craft, and repair..................       1,065           1,082              362             391   
     Mechanics and repairers................................         180             201              562             542   
     Construction trades....................................          83              89           (1)             (1)      
     Other precision production, craft, and repair..........         802             792             $346            $355   
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers.....................       3,826           3,731              308             310   
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..........       2,803           2,675              308             311   
     Transportation and material moving occupations.........         282             264              324             351   
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers....         741             792              304             300   
   Farming, forestry, and fishing...........................         181             239              242             264   

    1 Data not shown where base is less than 100,000.
  Beginning in January 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






 Table 4. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected
 characteristics, third quarter 1997 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..................................    95,837       $240       $323       $499       $757     $1,098 
   Men.....................................................    54,491        261        365        573        848      1,212 
   Women...................................................    41,346        223        296        429        638        905 
                                                                                                                             
   White...................................................    79,853        245        335        515        777      1,129 
     Men...................................................    46,434        270        381        592        876      1,245 
     Women.................................................    33,419        226        302        441        649        922 
                                                                                                                             
   Black...................................................    11,691        214        282        397        596        830 
     Men...................................................     5,640        224        297        420        621        873 
     Women.................................................     6,051        206        267        376        549        778 
                                                                                                                             
   Hispanic................................................    10,279        203        259        352        529        792 
     Men...................................................     6,569        213        274        373        577        854 
     Women.................................................     3,710        192        240        319        480        682 
                                                                                                                             
                   EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT                                                                                    
                                                                                                                             
   Total, 25 years and over................................    83,699        259        360        542        802      1,145 
     Less than a high school diploma.......................     8,590        191        243        318        451        626 
     High school graduates, no college.....................    27,795        247        324        464        655        889 
     Some college or associate degree......................    23,139        278        381        536        755        998 
     College graduates, total..............................    24,174        387        570        781      1,135      1,543 
       Bachelor's degree only..............................    16,255        362        512        734      1,040      1,423 
       Advanced degree.....................................     7,919        475        656        918      1,305      1,870 
                                                                                                                             
     Men, 25 years and over................................    47,483        288        406        614        900      1,267 
       Less than a high school diploma.....................     5,590        209        275        363        502        701 
       High school graduates, no college...................    15,871        287        385        541        753        996 
       Some college or associate degree....................    12,396        304        432        619        851      1,114 
       College graduates, total............................    13,625        417        620        894      1,275      1,751 
         Bachelor's degree only............................     9,065        394        594        829      1,169      1,564 
         Advanced degree...................................     4,561        507        711      1,039      1,446      1,991 
                                                                                                                             
     Women, 25 years and over..............................    36,217        234        315        463        672        938 
       Less than a high school diploma.....................     3,001        176        210        268        346        464 
       High school graduates, no college...................    11,924        221        285        380        514        685 
       Some college or associate degree....................    10,743        253        337        468        633        832 
       College graduates, total............................    10,549        362        496        686        940      1,237 
         Bachelor's degree only............................     7,190       $333       $460       $626       $871     $1,156 
         Advanced degree...................................     3,359        455        614        805      1,066      1,467 

      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. 
 Beginning in January 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.






  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                                                                              
                                                                                                                            
                                                                    III             III             III             III     
                                                                   1996            1997            1996            1997     
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                         SEX AND AGE                                                                                        
                                                                                                                            
  Total, 16 years and over..................................      20,045          19,482             $150            $156   
                                                                                                                            
     Men, 16 years and over.................................       6,264           5,976              141             148   
       16 to 24 years.......................................       3,302           3,248              118             127   
       25 years and over....................................       2,962           2,728              182             188   
                                                                                                                            
     Women, 16 years and over...............................      13,781          13,505              155             159   
       16 to 24 years.......................................       4,279           4,086              116             121   
       25 years and over....................................       9,502           9,419              182             185   
                                                                                                                            
                RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX                                                                              
                                                                                                                            
     White..................................................      17,226          16,749              152             157   
       Men..................................................       5,194           4,933              143             149   
       Women................................................      12,032          11,817              157             161   
                                                                                                                            
     Black..................................................       1,968           1,924              138             146   
       Men..................................................         733             726              131             150   
       Women................................................       1,235           1,198              142             144   
                                                                                                                            
     Hispanic origin........................................       1,564           1,794              143             141   
       Men..................................................         530             651              158             145   
       Women................................................       1,034           1,143              138             139   

       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.  Beginning in
  January 1997, data reflect revised population controls used in the household survey.