Technical information:   (202) 691-6378       USDL 03-17
                http://www.bls.gov/cps/
                                              For release:  10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                 691-5902       Friday, January 17, 2003
                                          

             USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:  
                            FOURTH QUARTER 2002


   Median weekly earnings of the nation's 97.7 million full-time wage and
salary workers were $615 in the fourth quarter of 2002, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.  This was 
1.7 percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 2.2 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 fourth-quarter
data are:
   
   --Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $543 per
week, or 78.5 percent of the $692 median for men.  The female-to-male
earnings ratio was higher among blacks (90.0 percent) and Hispanics 
(88.7 percent) than among whites (78.8 percent).  (See table 1.)
   
   --Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were $522 per
week, 72.8 percent of the median for white men ($717).  The difference was
much less among women, as black women's median earnings ($470) were 
83.2 percent of those for their white counterparts ($565).  Overall, median
earnings of Hispanics who worked full time ($436) were lower than those of
blacks ($497) and whites ($634).  (See table 1.)
   
   --Among men, the $805 median weekly earnings of 45- to 54-year-olds was
the highest of any age group.  Among women, earnings also were highest for
those 45 to 54 years old ($609).  (See table 2.)
   
   --Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time in
managerial and professional specialty occupations had the highest median
weekly earnings--$1,082 for men and $754 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 $389, compared with $545 for high school graduates 
(no college) and $944 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 $2,601 or more per week, compared 
with $1,767 or more for their female counterparts.  (See table 4.)
   
Annual Averages for 2001 and 2002
   
   In addition to the data for the fourth quarter, this release includes
2001 and 2002 annual average weekly earnings for major demographic,
occupation, and education groups (tables 6, 7, and 8).  Annual average 
data on median usual earnings for men and women by detailed occupational
categories will appear in the January 2003 issue of Employment and Earnings.
      
   


Explanatory Note
     
     
     The estimates in this release were obtained from the Current
Population Survey (CPS), which provides the basic information on the labor
force, employment, and unemployment.  The survey is conducted monthly for
the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau from a scienti-
fically selected national sample of about 60,000 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:  202-691-5200; TDD message referral 
phone number:  1-800-877-8339.
     
Reliability
     
     Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsam-
pling error.  When a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed,
there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true"
population values they represent.  The exact difference, or sampling error,
varies depending on the particular sample selected, and this variability is
measured by the standard error of the estimate.  There is about a 90-percent
chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will
differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true" population value
because of sampling error.  BLS analyses are generally conducted at the
90-percent level of confidence.

     The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error.  Nonsampling error
can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of the
population, inability to obtain information for all respondents in
the sample, inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct
information, and errors made in the collection or processing of the data.

     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, 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).

                                  - 2 -

     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 all self-employed persons, regardless of
whether or not their 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 other Hispanic origin or descent.
Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race; hence, they are included in
the numbers for the white and black populations.
      
   

   

 Table 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages,
 not seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                              Number of workers              Median weekly earnings          
                                                                (in thousands)                                               
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                       Characteristic                                                 In current dollars    In constant (1982) 
                                                                                                                 dollars       
                                                                IV         IV                                                
                                                               2001       2002                                               
                                                                                        IV         IV         IV         IV    
                                                                                       2001       2002       2001       2002   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
                        SEX AND AGE                                                                                          
                                                                                                                             
 Total, 16 years and over..................................    98,396     97,747       $605       $615       $330       $327 
                                                                                                                             
    Men, 16 years and over.................................    55,317     54,808        683        692        372        368 
      16 to 24 years.......................................     6,228      6,026        400        393        218        209 
      25 years and over....................................    49,089     48,782        731        742        398        395 
                                                                                                                             
    Women, 16 years and over...............................    43,079     42,940        517        543        282        289 
      16 to 24 years.......................................     4,783      4,506        361        383        196        204 
      25 years and over....................................    38,296     38,434        550        577        299        307 
                                                                                                                             
               RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX                                                                                
                                                                                                                             
    White..................................................    81,096     80,524        621        634        338        337 
      Men..................................................    46,626     46,129        703        717        383        382 
      Women................................................    34,470     34,395        533        565        290        301 
                                                                                                                             
    Black..................................................    12,381     12,242        486        497        265        265 
      Men..................................................     5,945      5,884        525        522        286        278 
      Women................................................     6,436      6,357        450        470        245        250 
                                                                                                                             
    Hispanic origin........................................    11,817     11,822        419        436        228        232 
      Men..................................................     7,270      7,345        437        460        238        245 
      Women................................................     4,547      4,477        398        408        217        217 

      NOTE:   Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other races"
 group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.
   
   







 Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic origin, and sex, 
 fourth quarter 2002 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.........................................    97,747       $615     54,808       $692     42,940       $543 
   16 to 24 years..........................................    10,531        389      6,026        393      4,506        383 
     16 to 19 years........................................     1,650        308        971        318        679        290 
     20 to 24 years........................................     8,881        405      5,055        409      3,826        400 
   25 years and over.......................................    87,216        655     48,782        742     38,434        577 
     25 to 54 years........................................    74,590        654     41,957        738     32,633        578 
       25 to 34 years......................................    23,537        595     13,536        642     10,002        533 
       35 to 44 years......................................    27,221        680     15,558        766     11,662        580 
       45 to 54 years......................................    23,831        710     12,863        805     10,969        609 
     55 years and over.....................................    12,626        655      6,825        769      5,801        569 
       55 to 64 years......................................    11,094        681      5,963        797      5,131        585 
       65 years and over...................................     1,532        516        862        595        670        418 
                                                                                                                             
                           White                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
 16 years and over.........................................    80,524        634     46,129        717     34,395        565 
   16 to 24 years..........................................     8,700        396      5,044        400      3,656        389 
   25 years and over.......................................    71,824        679     41,085        765     30,739        592 
     25 to 54 years........................................    60,989        680     35,180        762     25,808        595 
     55 years and over.....................................    10,836        672      5,905        794      4,931        579 
                                                                                                                             
                           Black                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
 16 years and over.........................................    12,242        497      5,884        522      6,357        470 
   16 to 24 years..........................................     1,381        320        716        317        664        324 
   25 years and over.......................................    10,861        519      5,168        574      5,693        490 
     25 to 54 years........................................     9,592        515      4,565        562      5,027        487 
     55 years and over.....................................     1,269        586        603        613        666        537 
                                                                                                                             
                      Hispanic origin                                                                                        
                                                                                                                             
 16 years and over.........................................    11,822        436      7,345        460      4,477        408 
   16 to 24 years..........................................     1,928        342      1,263        339        665        352 
   25 years and over.......................................     9,894        470      6,082        497      3,812        420 
     25 to 54 years........................................     8,961        471      5,539        497      3,421        420 
     55 years and over.....................................       933        453        543        495        390        417 

      NOTE:   Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other races"
 group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.
   
   






  Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, quarterly averages, 
  not seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
                                                                    Number of workers               Median weekly earnings    
                                                                      (in thousands)                                        
                      Occupation and sex                                                                                    
                                                                                                                            
                                                                    IV              IV                IV              IV      
                                                                   2001            2002              2001            2002     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                            TOTAL                                                                                           
                                                                                                                            
   Managerial and professional specialty....................      32,102          32,602             $866            $889   
     Executive, administrative, and managerial..............      15,360          15,904              869             885   
     Professional specialty.................................      16,742          16,699              863             892   
   Technical, sales, and administrative support.............      27,498          26,881              532             559   
     Technicians and related support........................       3,807           3,670              694             718   
     Sales occupations......................................       9,965           9,834              580             611   
     Administrative support, including clerical.............      13,726          13,377              494             506   
   Service occupations......................................      11,039          10,974              395             395   
     Private household......................................         368             323              283             259   
     Protective service.....................................       2,260           2,239              671             672   
     Service, except private household and protective.......       8,411           8,413              365             361   
   Precision production, craft, and repair..................      11,832          11,517              649             626   
     Mechanics and repairers................................       4,148           4,008              676             665   
     Construction trades....................................       4,566           4,569              623             606   
     Other precision production, craft, and repair..........       3,118           2,940              645             628   
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers.....................      14,438          14,120              466             481   
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..........       5,725           5,507              458             480   
     Transportation and material moving occupations.........       4,625           4,551              572             573   
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers....       4,087           4,062              382             401   
   Farming, forestry, and fishing...........................       1,487           1,653              355             359   
                                                                                                                            
                             Men                                                                                            
                                                                                                                            
   Managerial and professional specialty....................      15,947          15,935            1,046           1,082   
     Executive, administrative, and managerial..............       7,979           8,227            1,111           1,109   
     Professional specialty.................................       7,968           7,708            1,005           1,063   
   Technical, sales, and administrative support.............      10,573          10,649              677             705   
     Technicians and related support........................       1,828           1,888              811             842   
     Sales occupations......................................       5,489           5,493              691             739   
     Administrative support, including clerical.............       3,256           3,267              592             569   
   Service occupations......................................       5,353           5,174              473             472   
     Private household......................................          16              22           (1)             (1)      
     Protective service.....................................       1,834           1,853              704             723   
     Service, except private household and protective.......       3,503           3,299              391             389   
   Precision production, craft, and repair..................      10,854          10,624              672             646   
     Mechanics and repairers................................       3,949           3,836              679             674   
     Construction trades....................................       4,477           4,479              627             606   
     Other precision production, craft, and repair..........       2,428           2,309              729             688   
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers.....................      11,295          11,032              503             509   
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..........       3,799           3,648              516             531   
     Transportation and material moving occupations.........       4,272           4,128              582             588   
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers....       3,224           3,256              391             410   
   Farming, forestry, and fishing...........................       1,296           1,394              372             381   
                                                                                                                            
                            Women                                                                                           
                                                                                                                            
   Managerial and professional specialty....................      16,155          16,667              742             754   
     Executive, administrative, and managerial..............       7,381           7,676              710             731   
     Professional specialty.................................       8,774           8,991              767             772   
   Technical, sales, and administrative support.............      16,926          16,233              482             500   
     Technicians and related support........................       1,979           1,782              599             601   
     Sales occupations......................................       4,476           4,341              441             455   
     Administrative support, including clerical.............      10,470          10,110              479             496   
   Service occupations......................................       5,686           5,800              354             351   
     Private household......................................         352             301              284             258   
     Protective service.....................................         426             386              527             523   
     Service, except private household and protective.......       4,908           5,114              348             346   
   Precision production, craft, and repair..................         979             893              486             509   
     Mechanics and repairers................................         200             173              615             593   
     Construction trades....................................          89              90           (1)             (1)      
     Other precision production, craft, and repair..........         690             631              463             464   
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers.....................       3,143           3,088              374             386   
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors..........       1,926           1,858              371             386   
     Transportation and material moving occupations.........         353             423              457             421   
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers....         864             806              361             365   
   Farming, forestry, and fishing...........................         191             259              299             301   

    1 Data not shown where base is less than 100,000.
      
   






 Table 4. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected
 characteristics, fourth quarter 2002 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..................................    97,747       $299       $412       $615       $931     $1,391 
   Men.....................................................    54,808        319        452        692      1,044      1,559 
   Women...................................................    42,940        280        380        543        790      1,128 
                                                                                                                             
   White...................................................    80,524        306        423        634        960      1,430 
     Men...................................................    46,129        328        470        717      1,086      1,602 
     Women.................................................    34,395        286        389        565        807      1,147 
                                                                                                                             
   Black...................................................    12,242        268        348        497        736        990 
     Men...................................................     5,884        286        375        522        771      1,045 
     Women.................................................     6,357        250        330        470        681        954 
                                                                                                                             
   Hispanic................................................    11,822        251        314        436        646        953 
     Men...................................................     7,345        273        329        460        679      1,005 
     Women.................................................     4,477        227        293        408        604        863 
                                                                                                                             
                   EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT                                                                                    
                                                                                                                             
   Total, 25 years and over................................    87,216        316        443        655        972      1,443 
     Less than a high school diploma.......................     7,879        245        301        389        522        732 
     High school graduates, no college.....................    26,623        297        396        545        769      1,018 
     Some college or associate degree......................    24,527        336        459        633        897      1,220 
     College graduates, total..............................    28,187        477        663        944      1,401      1,910 
       Bachelor's degree only..............................    18,473        441        617        871      1,263      1,757 
       Advanced degree.....................................     9,714        579        766      1,126      1,628      2,300 
                                                                                                                             
     Men, 25 years and over................................    48,782        349        495        742      1,117      1,629 
       Less than a high school diploma.....................     5,149        277        324        420        588        794 
       High school graduates, no college...................    15,100        330        452        619        867      1,163 
       Some college or associate degree....................    12,886        383        523        740      1,002      1,356 
       College graduates, total............................    15,646        510        745      1,119      1,598      2,285 
         Bachelor's degree only............................    10,082        482        702      1,019      1,467      1,988 
         Advanced degree...................................     5,564        600        856      1,327      1,869      2,601 
                                                                                                                             
     Women, 25 years and over..............................    38,434        291        397        577        828      1,157 
       Less than a high school diploma.....................     2,730        212        272        323        415        555 
       High school graduates, no college...................    11,523        273        348        470        623        827 
       Some college or associate degree....................    11,641        306        406        553        754      1,023 
       College graduates, total............................    12,541        440        599        811      1,130      1,515 
         Bachelor's degree only............................     8,390        410        553        750      1,018      1,389 
         Advanced degree...................................     4,150        531        711        939      1,341      1,767 

      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                                                                                      
                                                                                                                            
                                                                    IV              IV                IV              IV      
                                                                   2001            2002              2001            2002     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                         SEX AND AGE                                                                                        
                                                                                                                            
  Total, 16 years and over..................................      21,540          21,914             $180            $186   
                                                                                                                            
     Men, 16 years and over.................................       6,727           6,808              175             170   
       16 to 24 years.......................................       3,487           3,662              139             134   
       25 years and over....................................       3,241           3,146              228             237   
                                                                                                                            
     Women, 16 years and over...............................      14,813          15,106              183             193   
       16 to 24 years.......................................       4,754           4,789              132             135   
       25 years and over....................................      10,059          10,317              218             231   
                                                                                                                            
                RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX                                                                              
                                                                                                                            
     White..................................................      18,502          18,806              180             187   
       Men..................................................       5,656           5,785              175             169   
       Women................................................      12,846          13,021              183             194   
                                                                                                                            
     Black..................................................       2,067           2,089              178             178   
       Men..................................................         724             668              181             182   
       Women................................................       1,343           1,421              176             176   
                                                                                                                            
     Hispanic origin........................................       2,133           2,198              180             186   
       Men..................................................         721             721              193             194   
       Women................................................       1,412           1,477              173             183   

       NOTE:  Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other
  races" group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.
   
   

 Table 6.  Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, annual averages
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                              Number of workers              Median weekly earnings          
                                                                (in thousands)                                               
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                       Characteristic                                               In current dollars    In constant (1982) 
                                                                                                               dollars       
                                                               2001       2002                                               
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                     2001       2002       2001       2002   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                             
                        SEX AND AGE                                                                                          
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
 Total, 16 years and over..................................   99,599     98,366      $597       $610       $325       $328   
                                                                                                                             
    Men, 16 years and over.................................   55,928     55,226       672        685        366        367   
      16 to 24 years.......................................    6,554      6,248       392        394        214        211   
      25 years and over....................................   49,374     48,979       722        737        393        395   
                                                                                                                             
    Women, 16 years and over...............................   43,671     43,139       511        531        279        285   
      16 to 24 years.......................................    5,098      4,835       354        367        193        197   
      25 years and over....................................   38,573     38,304       542        572        296        307   
                                                                                                                             
               RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX                                                                                
                                                                                                                             
    White..................................................   82,149     81,122       612        627        334        337   
      Men..................................................   47,279     46,569       694        709        378        380   
      Women................................................   34,871     34,553       521        550        284        295   
                                                                                                                             
    Black..................................................   12,533     12,305       487        499        265        267   
      Men..................................................    5,925      5,924       518        524        282        281   
      Women................................................    6,607      6,381       451        474        246        254   
                                                                                                                             
    Hispanic origin........................................   11,790     11,790       414        424        226        227   
      Men..................................................    7,230      7,227       438        453        239        243   
      Women................................................    4,561      4,563       385        396        210        212   

      NOTE:   Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other races"
 group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.
   
    

 Table 7.  Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, annual averages
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                                        Number of workers           Median weekly earnings   
                                                                          (in thousands)                                     
                        Occupation and sex                                                                                   
                                                                                                                             
                                                                       2001           2002            2001           2002     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
                              TOTAL                                                                                          
                                                                                                                             
   Managerial and professional specialty.........................     32,221         32,288           $859           $884    
     Executive, administrative, and managerial...................     15,795         15,890            867            891    
     Professional specialty......................................     16,426         16,398            854            879    
   Technical, sales, and administrative support..................     28,145         27,446            521            551    
     Technicians and related support.............................      3,753          3,607            673            693    
     Sales occupations...........................................     10,173         10,055            574            602    
     Administrative support, including clerical..................     14,219         13,784            486            503    
   Service occupations...........................................     11,143         11,263            377            385    
     Private household...........................................        354            330            255            277    
     Protective service..........................................      2,166          2,283            629            647    
     Service, except private household and protective............      8,622          8,650            349            355    
   Precision production, craft, and repair.......................     12,030         11,518            629            633    
     Mechanics and repairers.....................................      4,153          4,011            665            675    
     Construction trades.........................................      4,501          4,390            611            609    
     Other precision production, craft, and repair...............      3,376          3,117            622            621    
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers..........................     14,568         14,237            467            484    
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors...............      6,073          5,655            457            476    
     Transportation and material moving occupations..............      4,505          4,562            573            581    
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.........      3,990          4,020            389            401    
   Farming, forestry, and fishing................................      1,493          1,613            354            364    
                                                                                                                             
                               Men                                                                                           
                                                                                                                             
   Managerial and professional specialty.........................     16,265         16,014          1,038          1,059    
     Executive, administrative, and managerial...................      8,349          8,343          1,060          1,084    
     Professional specialty......................................      7,916          7,672          1,021          1,038    
   Technical, sales, and administrative support..................     10,733         10,709            667            702    
     Technicians and related support.............................      1,870          1,794            783            840    
     Sales occupations...........................................      5,599          5,666            692            744    
     Administrative support, including clerical..................      3,264          3,249            576            585    
   Service occupations...........................................      5,331          5,375            438            449    
     Private household...........................................         15             24           (1)            (1)     
     Protective service..........................................      1,783          1,877            658            690    
     Service, except private household and protective............      3,532          3,474            374            380    
   Precision production, craft, and repair.......................     11,018         10,603            648            650    
     Mechanics and repairers.....................................      3,951          3,820            670            679    
     Construction trades.........................................      4,407          4,297            613            610    
     Other precision production, craft, and repair...............      2,660          2,485            684            673    
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers..........................     11,310         11,178            501            513    
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors...............      3,954          3,754            512            523    
     Transportation and material moving occupations..............      4,149          4,198            587            592    
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.........      3,207          3,226            401            412    
   Farming, forestry, and fishing................................      1,271          1,347            366            378    
                                                                                                                             
                              Women                                                                                          
                                                                                                                             
   Managerial and professional specialty.........................     15,956         16,274            732            756    
     Executive, administrative, and managerial...................      7,446          7,548            706            737    
     Professional specialty......................................      8,510          8,726            749            773    
   Technical, sales, and administrative support..................     17,411         16,737            473            490    
     Technicians and related support.............................      1,883          1,813            580            590    
     Sales occupations...........................................      4,574          4,389            429            441    
     Administrative support, including clerical..................     10,954         10,535            469            488    
   Service occupations...........................................      5,812          5,888            335            343    
     Private household...........................................        340            306            255            277    
     Protective service..........................................        383            406            509            500    
     Service, except private household and protective............      5,089          5,175            332            339    
   Precision production, craft, and repair.......................      1,012            915            479            482    
     Mechanics and repairers.....................................        201            192            594            594    
     Construction trades.........................................         94             92            437            577    
     Other precision production, craft, and repair...............        717            631            451            447    
   Operators, fabricators, and laborers..........................      3,258          3,060            368            385    
     Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors...............      2,119          1,901            369            387    
     Transportation and material moving occupations..............        356            365            439            451    
     Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers.........        783            794            342            360    
   Farming, forestry, and fishing................................        222            266            308            308    

   1 Data not shown where base is less than 50,000.
   
   

     Table 8. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected
     characteristics, 2002 annual averages 
                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                         
                                                          Number                       Upper limit of:                   
                                                            of                                                           
                  Educational attainment,                 workers                                                        
                       sex, and race                        (in       First      First     Second      Third      Ninth  
                                                        thousands)   decile    quartile   quartile   quartile    decile  
                                                                                          (median)                       
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                         
                           TOTAL                                                                                         
                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                         
     Total, 25 years and over..........................   87,283       $313       $437       $650       $971     $1,442  
       Less than a high school diploma.................    8,121        239        297        388        529        735  
       High school graduates, no college...............   26,583        295        391        538        760      1,026  
       Some college or associate degree................   24,313        333        452        631        892      1,219  
       College graduates, total........................   28,266        476        660        943      1,391      1,914  
         Bachelor's degree only........................   18,698        444        619        879      1,266      1,787  
         Advanced degree...............................    9,568        570        760      1,100      1,598      2,294  
                                                                                                                         
                            Men                                                                                          
                                                                                                                         
     Total, 25 years and over..........................   48,979        346        494        737      1,107      1,614  
       Less than a high school diploma.................    5,323        264        321        423        595        802  
       High school graduates, no college...............   15,050        328        445        618        867      1,163  
       Some college or associate degree................   12,864        379        519        734      1,002      1,370  
       College graduates, total........................   15,741        516        743      1,094      1,579      2,281  
         Bachelor's degree only........................   10,318        491        699      1,005      1,461      1,983  
         Advanced degree...............................    5,423        600        856      1,267      1,849      2,611  
                                                                                                                         
                           Women                                                                                         
                                                                                                                         
     Total, 25 years and over..........................   38,304        289        391        572        819      1,159  
       Less than a high school diploma.................    2,798        209        266        323        415        544  
       High school graduates, no college...............   11,533        270        343        460        617        821  
       Some college or associate degree................   11,449        304        400        546        747        997  
       College graduates, total........................   12,525        435        600        810      1,129      1,548  
         Bachelor's degree only........................    8,380        405        565        756      1,036      1,429  
         Advanced degree...............................    4,145        528        696        930      1,310      1,766  
                                                                                                                         
                         White men                                                                                       
                                                                                                                         
     Total, 25 years and over..........................   41,235        358        510        760      1,140      1,655  
       Less than a high school diploma.................    4,460        265        324        432        603        814  
       High school graduates, no college...............   12,506        342        469        643        893      1,193  
       Some college or associate degree................   10,786        390        544        757      1,032      1,421  
       College graduates, total........................   13,483        539        759      1,127      1,618      2,301  
         Bachelor's degree only........................    8,857        509        720      1,036      1,497      2,078  
         Advanced degree...............................    4,626        612        869      1,288      1,874      2,684  
                                                                                                                         
                        White women                                                                                      
                                                                                                                         
     Total, 25 years and over..........................   30,593       $295       $402       $586       $836     $1,178  
       Less than a high school diploma.................    2,121        210        267        324        420        557  
       High school graduates, no college...............    9,235        277        354        472        630        836  
       Some college or associate degree................    8,999        312        409        562        760      1,020  
       College graduates, total........................   10,237        446        608        821      1,142      1,570  
         Bachelor's degree only........................    6,732        415        577        764      1,051      1,460  
         Advanced degree...............................    3,506        535        699        937      1,321      1,773  
                                                                                                                         
                         Black men                                                                                       
                                                                                                                         
     Total, 25 years and over..........................    5,244        302        402        569        804      1,141  
       Less than a high school diploma.................      626        260        311        400        548        719  
       High school graduates, no college...............    1,991        293        382        505        698        936  
       Some college or associate degree................    1,583        328        431        598        799      1,060  
       College graduates, total........................    1,044        427        592        835      1,186      1,637  
         Bachelor's degree only........................      760        421        578        777      1,092      1,539  
         Advanced degree...............................      283        466        670        947      1,477      1,911  
                                                                                                                         
                        Black women                                                                                      
                                                                                                                         
     Total, 25 years and over..........................    5,718        263        342        492        711        988  
       Less than a high school diploma.................      513        207        256        313        393        503  
       High school graduates, no college...............    1,839        243        309        409        552        751  
       Some college or associate degree................    1,987        284        369        500        672        895  
       College graduates, total........................    1,378        404        573        759      1,006      1,359  
         Bachelor's degree only........................      996        372        522        711        955      1,229  
         Advanced degree...............................      383        518        683        892      1,193      1,571  

           NOTE:  See note table 4.