1

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USDL 02-224

For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT

Wednesday, April 17, 2002

USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:

FIRST QUARTER 2002

Median weekly earnings of the nation’s 97.2 million full-time wage and salary workers were $614 in the

first quarter of 2002, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. This

was 3.7 percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 1.3 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 the explanatory note.) Highlights from the first-quarter data are:

—Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $535 per week, or 77.8 percent of the

$688 median for men. The female-to-male earnings ratios were higher among blacks (91.8 percent) and

Hispanics (85.1 percent) than among whites (77.5 percent). (See table 1.)

—Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were $538 per week, 76.0 percent of the

median for white men ($708). The difference was much less among women, as black women’s median

earnings ($494) were 90.0 percent of those for their white counterparts ($549). Overall, median earnings

of Hispanics who worked full time ($421) were lower than those of blacks ($511) and whites ($629).

(See table 1.)

—Among men, the $810 median weekly earnings of 45- to 54-year-olds was the highest of any age

group. Men age 55 to 64 had the second-highest earnings ($795). Among women, earnings also were

highest for those 45 to 54 years old ($605) and second highest for 55- to 64-year-olds ($581). (See

table 2.)

—Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time in managerial and professional

specialty occupations had the highest median weekly earnings—$1,053 for men and $760 for women.

Men and women in service and farm jobs earned the least. (See table 3.)

—Full-time workers age 25 and over without a high school diploma had median weekly earnings of

$386, compared with $536 for high school graduates (no college) and $940 for college graduates. Among

college graduates with advanced degrees (professional or master’s degree and above), the highest-earning

10 percent of male workers made $2,716 or more per week, compared with $1,751 or more for their

female counterparts. (See table 4.)

691-5902
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Table 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages,

not seasonally adjusted

Characteristic

Number of workers

(in thousands) Median weekly earnings

 I

2001

 I

2002

In current dollars In constant (1982) dollars

 I

2001

 I

2002

 I

2001

 I

2002

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over ........................................................................... 99,054 97,165 $592 $614 $325 $333

 Men, 16 years and over ......................................................................... 55,382 54,188 668 688 367 373

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 6,195 5,640 384 410 211 222

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 49,187 48,548 718 734 394 398

 Women, 16 years and over ................................................................... 43,673 42,977 508 535 279 290

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 4,831 4,521 358 375 197 204

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 38,842 38,456 535 574 294 311

RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX

 White ..................................................................................................... 81,758 80,357 610 629 335 341

 Men ...................................................................................................... 46,862 45,739 695 708 381 384

 Women ................................................................................................ 34,896 34,618 520 549 286 298

 Black ...................................................................................................... 12,527 12,101 477 511 262 277

 Men ...................................................................................................... 5,899 5,820 505 538 277 291

 Women ................................................................................................ 6,628 6,281 440 494 241 268

 Hispanic origin ....................................................................................... 11,627 11,582 407 421 223 228

 Men ...................................................................................................... 7,083 7,067 424 456 233 247

 Women ................................................................................................ 4,543 4,515 377 388 207 210

 NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not

sum to totals because data for the "other races" group are not presented

and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic origin, and sex, 

first quarter 2002 averages, not seasonally adjusted

Age, race, and Hispanic origin

Total Men Women

Number

of

workers

(in

thousands)

Median

weekly

earnings

Number

of

workers

(in

thousands)

Median

weekly

earnings

Number

of

workers

(in

thousands)

Median

weekly

earnings

TOTAL

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 97,165 $614 54,188 $688 42,977 $535

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 10,160 393 5,640 410 4,521 375

 16 to 19 years ....................................................................................... 1,605 316 916 331 689 301

 20 to 24 years ....................................................................................... 8,555 408 4,724 425 3,832 390

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 87,004 649 48,548 734 38,456 574

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 75,161 649 42,042 730 33,119 575

 25 to 34 years ..................................................................................... 23,583 598 13,444 635 10,139 543

 35 to 44 years ..................................................................................... 28,021 667 15,882 759 12,139 565

 45 to 54 years ..................................................................................... 23,557 707 12,715 810 10,842 605

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 11,843 650 6,506 770 5,337 567

 55 to 64 years ..................................................................................... 10,337 671 5,607 795 4,730 581

 65 years and over ............................................................................... 1,506 494 899 524 607 435

White

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 80,357 629 45,739 708 34,618 549

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 8,602 398 4,870 416 3,732 378

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 71,756 669 40,870 755 30,886 584

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 61,540 669 35,186 749 26,355 584

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 10,215 671 5,684 799 4,531 579

Black

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 12,101 511 5,820 538 6,281 494

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 1,133 356 580 349 554 367

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 10,968 534 5,240 575 5,728 511

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 9,778 535 4,665 577 5,113 512

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 1,190 522 575 555 614 499

Hispanic origin

16 years and over ..................................................................................... 11,582 421 7,067 456 4,515 388

 16 to 24 years ......................................................................................... 1,918 343 1,197 349 721 332

 25 years and over ................................................................................... 9,664 456 5,870 491 3,794 404

 25 to 54 years ....................................................................................... 8,701 452 5,278 491 3,422 399

 55 years and over ................................................................................. 964 485 592 488 372 479

 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

Occupation and sex

Number of workers

(in thousands) Median weekly earnings

 I

2001

 I

2002

 I

2001

 I

2002

TOTAL

 Managerial and professional specialty .................................................... 31,990 32,099 $853 $887

 Executive, administrative, and managerial ............................................ 15,754 15,823 865 901

 Professional specialty ............................................................................ 16,236 16,276 844 875

 Technical, sales, and administrative support ........................................... 28,412 27,277 519 550

 Technicians and related support ........................................................... 3,715 3,506 660 691

 Sales occupations ................................................................................. 10,239 9,745 579 603

 Administrative support, including clerical ............................................... 14,458 14,026 483 502

 Service occupations ................................................................................ 11,025 11,196 367 378

 Private household .................................................................................. 380 302 265 267

 Protective service .................................................................................. 2,101 2,314 613 665

 Service, except private household and protective ................................. 8,544 8,580 330 347

 Precision production, craft, and repair ..................................................... 12,120 11,407 622 644

 Mechanics and repairers ....................................................................... 4,143 3,994 654 679

 Construction trades ............................................................................... 4,405 4,228 603 623

 Other precision production, craft, and repair ......................................... 3,572 3,185 619 627

 Operators, fabricators, and laborers ........................................................ 14,312 13,872 454 486

 Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors ................................... 6,220 5,608 446 485

 Transportation and material moving occupations .................................. 4,108 4,376 556 574

 Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers ........................... 3,984 3,888 390 400

 Farming, forestry, and fishing .................................................................. 1,196 1,315 370 359

Men

 Managerial and professional specialty .................................................... 16,179 15,843 1,029 1,053

 Executive, administrative, and managerial ............................................ 8,331 8,263 1,059 1,091

 Professional specialty ............................................................................ 7,848 7,580 1,009 1,021

 Technical, sales, and administrative support ........................................... 10,708 10,400 681 691

 Technicians and related support ........................................................... 1,905 1,717 796 851

 Sales occupations ................................................................................. 5,617 5,426 725 727

 Administrative support, including clerical ............................................... 3,186 3,257 583 580

 Service occupations ................................................................................ 5,420 5,474 429 442

 Private household .................................................................................. 23 14 1( ) 1( )

 Protective service .................................................................................. 1,755 1,881 $639 $721

 Service, except private household and protective ................................. 3,642 3,579 366 372

 Precision production, craft, and repair ..................................................... 11,016 10,479 643 656

 Mechanics and repairers ....................................................................... 3,921 3,781 661 683

 Construction trades ............................................................................... 4,324 4,154 605 623

 Other precision production, craft, and repair ......................................... 2,771 2,544 684 671

 Operators, fabricators, and laborers ........................................................ 11,022 10,932 491 516

 Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors ................................... 4,030 3,776 504 532

 Transportation and material moving occupations .................................. 3,731 4,046 576 585

 Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers ........................... 3,261 3,111 405 411

 Farming, forestry, and fishing .................................................................. 1,036 1,059 376 370

Women

 Managerial and professional specialty .................................................... 15,811 16,255 731 760

 Executive, administrative, and managerial ............................................ 7,423 7,559 710 741

 Professional specialty ............................................................................ 8,387 8,696 745 774

 Technical, sales, and administrative support ........................................... 17,704 16,877 469 487

 Technicians and related support ........................................................... 1,810 1,788 556 584

 Sales occupations ................................................................................. 4,622 4,320 423 445

 Administrative support, including clerical ............................................... 11,272 10,769 464 485

 Service occupations ................................................................................ 5,605 5,722 319 332

 Private household .................................................................................. 357 288 269 264

 Protective service .................................................................................. 346 433 483 470

 Service, except private household and protective ................................. 4,902 5,000 317 328

 Precision production, craft, and repair ..................................................... 1,104 928 466 495

 Mechanics and repairers ....................................................................... 222 213 556 591

 Construction trades ............................................................................... 81 74 1( ) 1( )

 Other precision production, craft, and repair ......................................... 801 640 $432 $454

 Operators, fabricators, and laborers ........................................................ 3,290 2,939 361 388

 Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors ................................... 2,190 1,832 368 393

 Transportation and material moving occupations .................................. 377 330 412 440

 Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers ........................... 723 777 317 363

 Farming, forestry, and fishing .................................................................. 159 256 344 314

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 2002 averages, not seasonally adjusted

Characteristic

Number

of

workers

(in

thousands)

Upper limit of:

First

decile

First

quartile

Second

quartile

(median)

Third

quartile

Ninth

decile

SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC ORIGIN

Total, 16 years and over ........................................................................... 97,165 $295 $407 $614 $926 $1,377

 Men ......................................................................................................... 54,188 319 455 688 1,031 1,559

 Women ................................................................................................... 42,977 275 370 535 781 1,115

 White ...................................................................................................... 80,357 300 417 629 948 1,425

 Men ....................................................................................................... 45,739 326 474 708 1,063 1,589

 Women ................................................................................................. 34,618 278 378 549 793 1,133

 Black ....................................................................................................... 12,101 276 357 511 757 1,067

 Men ....................................................................................................... 5,820 287 378 538 803 1,140

 Women ................................................................................................. 6,281 263 337 494 711 1,010

 Hispanic .................................................................................................. 11,582 244 307 421 631 916

 Men ....................................................................................................... 7,067 263 322 456 685 978

 Women ................................................................................................. 4,515 224 286 388 576 775

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

 Total, 25 years and over ......................................................................... 87,004 308 433 649 969 1,443

 Less than a high school diploma .......................................................... 8,081 234 291 386 524 733

 High school graduates, no college ....................................................... 26,478 291 386 536 756 1,020

 Some college or associate degree ....................................................... 24,549 326 447 633 897 1,200

 College graduates, total ........................................................................ 27,896 483 663 940 1,401 1,975

 Bachelor's degree only ....................................................................... 18,329 454 622 879 1,284 1,852

 Advanced degree ............................................................................... 9,567 573 752 1,065 1,593 2,315

 Men, 25 years and over ........................................................................ 48,548 342 493 734 1,096 1,625

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................................ 5,203 255 319 418 594 798

 High school graduates, no college ..................................................... 15,083 321 438 617 857 1,143

 Some college or associate degree ..................................................... 12,936 370 509 723 999 1,350

 College graduates, total ...................................................................... 15,326 549 752 1,103 1,632 2,319

 Bachelor's degree only ..................................................................... 10,019 519 724 1,018 1,510 2,086

 Advanced degree ............................................................................. 5,307 610 849 1,253 1,878 2,716

 Women, 25 years and over .................................................................. 38,456 283 388 574 816 1,151

 Less than a high school diploma ........................................................ 2,878 200 258 318 418 556

 High school graduates, no college ..................................................... 11,395 261 338 456 613 808

 Some college or associate degree ..................................................... 11,613 300 399 556 759 1,016

 College graduates, total ...................................................................... 12,570 426 597 799 1,102 1,555

 Bachelor's degree only ..................................................................... 8,310 397 562 752 1,026 1,448

 Advanced degree ............................................................................. 4,260 524 688 914 1,274 1,751

 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

Characteristic

Number of workers

(in thousands) Median weekly earnings

 I

2001

 I

2002

 I

2001

 I

2002

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over ........................................................................... 21,431 21,658 $175 $179

 Men, 16 years and over ......................................................................... 6,799 6,957 163 170

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 3,696 3,731 129 143

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 3,103 3,226 221 219

 Women, 16 years and over ................................................................... 14,632 14,701 181 184

 16 to 24 years ...................................................................................... 4,752 4,700 127 133

 25 years and over ................................................................................ 9,880 10,001 214 215

RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX

 White ..................................................................................................... 18,488 18,564 175 180

 Men ...................................................................................................... 5,654 5,796 163 170

 Women ................................................................................................ 12,835 12,767 182 186

 Black ...................................................................................................... 1,959 2,061 170 168

 Men ...................................................................................................... 737 754 151 168

 Women ................................................................................................ 1,222 1,306 181 168

 Hispanic origin ....................................................................................... 2,027 2,166 175 184

 Men ...................................................................................................... 716 716 174 190

 Women ................................................................................................ 1,310 1,451 176 181

 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.