Technical information:  (202) 691-6378       USDL 08-0066
               http://www.bls.gov/cps/
                                             For release:  10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902       Thursday, January 17, 2008


             USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:
                             FOURTH QUARTER 2007

   Median weekly earnings of the nation's 108.3 million full-time wage
and salary workers were $700 in the fourth quarter of 2007, the Bureau
of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.
This was 2.6 percent higher than a year earlier compared with a gain
of 4.0 percent in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
(CPI-U) over the same period.

   Data on usual weekly 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 Technical Note.)  Highlights
from the fourth-quarter data are:

   --Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of
     $618 per week, or 79.8 percent of the $774 median for men.
     The female-to-male earnings ratios were higher among Hispanics
     (92.1 percent) and blacks (90.0 percent) than among whites 
     (79.0 percent) or Asians (75.6 percent).  (See table 1.)

   --Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were
     $599 per week, 74.9 percent of the median for white men ($800).
     The difference was less among women, as black women's median
     earnings ($539) were 85.3 percent of those for their white
     counterparts ($632).  Overall, median earnings of Hispanics
     who worked full time ($507) were lower than those of blacks
     ($574), whites ($722), and Asians ($856).  (See table 1.)

   --Among men, those age 55 to 64 and age 45 to 54 had the highest
     median weekly earnings, $930 and $927, respectively.  Among
     women, earnings were highest for those age 55 to 64 ($702).
     (See table 2.)

   --Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time
     in managerial, professional, and related occupations had the
     highest median weekly earnings--$1,223 for men and $861 for women.
     Persons employed in service jobs earned the least.  (See table 3.)

   --Full-time workers age 25 and over without a high school diploma
     had median weekly earnings of $424 compared with $610 for high
     school graduates (no college) and $1,086 for those holding at
     least a bachelor's degree.  Among college graduates with advanced
     degrees (professional or master's degree and above), the highest
     earning 10 percent of male workers made $2,910 or more per week
     compared with $2,095 or more for their female counterparts.  (See
     table 4.)

Annual Averages for 2006 and 2007

   In addition to the data for the fourth quarter, this release includes
2006 and 2007 annual average weekly earnings for major demographic and
occupational groups and 2007 annual average data for educational attain-
ment 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 2008 online version of Employment and Earnings at
http://www.bls.gov/opub/ee/home.htm.





                                  - 2 -


Technical 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 scientifically
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 nonsampling
error.  When a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed, there
is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true" population
values they represent.  The exact difference, or sampling error, varies de-
pending 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 informa-
tion on estimating standard errors, see the Household Data section of the
"Explanatory Notes and Estimates of Error" at http://www.bls.gov/cps/eetech_
methods.pdf.

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.


                                  - 3 -


   Medians (and other quantiles) of weekly earnings. The median (or upper
limit of the second quartile) is the amount which divides a given earnings
distribution into two equal groups, one having earnings above the median
and the other having earnings below the median.  Ten percent of a given
distribution have earnings below the upper limit of the first decile (90
percent have higher earnings); 25 percent have earnings below the upper
limit of the first quartile (75 percent have higher earnings); 75 percent
have earnings below the upper limit of the third quartile (25 percent have
higher earnings); and 90 percent have earnings below the upper limit of the
ninth decile (10 percent have higher earnings).

   The estimating procedure places each reported or calculated weekly
earnings value into $50-wide intervals which are centered around multiples
of $50.  The actual value is estimated through the linear interpolation of
the interval in which the quantile boundary lies.

   Over-the-year changes in the medians (and other quantile boundaries)
for specific groups may not necessarily be consistent with the movements
estimated for the overall quantile boundary.  The most common reasons for
this possible anomaly are:  (1) There could be a change in the relative
weights of the subgroups.  For example, the medians of both 16-to-24 year
olds and those 25 years and over may rise; but if the lower-earning 16-to-
24 group accounts for a greatly increased share of the total, the overall
median could actually fall.  (2) There could be a large change in the shape
of the distribution of reported earnings, particularly near a quantile
boundary.  This could be caused by survey observations that are clustered
at rounded values, such as $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 busi-
nesses 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 or Latino ethnicity. Refers to persons who identified themselves
in the enumeration process as being Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino.  Persons
whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.





     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                                                    
                                                                           2006        2007                                                   
                                                                                                    IV          IV          IV          IV    
                                                                                                   2006        2007        2006        2007   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                SEX AND AGE                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                              
       Total, 16 years and over.......................................   106,903     108,318        $682        $700        $326        $322  
                                                                                                                                              
         Men, 16 years and over.......................................    60,060      60,482         749         774         358         356  
           16 to 24 years.............................................     6,355       6,150         429         459         205         211  
           25 years and over..........................................    53,705      54,332         800         831         383         382  
                                                                                                                                              
         Women, 16 years and over.....................................    46,843      47,835         609         618         291         284  
           16 to 24 years.............................................     4,736       4,744         403         421         193         194  
           25 years and over..........................................    42,108      43,091         638         649         305         298  
                                                                                                                                              
                RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                              
         White........................................................    86,726      87,601         702         722         336         332  
           Men........................................................    49,906      50,071         765         800         366         368  
           Women......................................................    36,820      37,530         620         632         297         291  
                                                                                                                                              
         Black or African American....................................    12,840      12,959         569         574         272         264  
           Men........................................................     6,028       6,100         605         599         289         276  
           Women......................................................     6,813       6,859         521         539         249         248  
                                                                                                                                              
         Asian........................................................     4,780       5,200         809         856         387         394  
           Men........................................................     2,689       2,883         912         968         436         445  
           Women......................................................     2,091       2,317         726         732         347         337  
                                                                                                                                              
         Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.................................    15,884      16,298         489         507         234         233  
           Men........................................................    10,187      10,117         504         520         241         239  
           Women......................................................     5,697       6,181         446         479         214         221  
     
        NOTE:  Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not
     presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.  Updated population controls are
     introduced annually with the release of January data.
     
     
     
     
     
          Table 2.  Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity,
     and sex, fourth quarter 2007 averages, not seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                               
                                                                           Total                Men                Women       
                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                               
              Age, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity         Number of            Number of            Number of          
                                                                  workers      Median   workers     Median   workers    Median 
                                                                     (in       weekly     (in       weekly     (in      weekly 
                                                                  thousands)  earnings thousands)  earnings thousands) earnings
                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                               
                                 TOTAL                                                                                         
                                                                                                                               
       16 years and over...........................................  108,318      $700    60,482      $774    47,835      $618 
         16 to 24 years............................................   10,894       441     6,150       459     4,744       421 
           16 to 19 years..........................................    1,479       355       896       378       583       328 
           20 to 24 years..........................................    9,416       464     5,254       479     4,161       443 
         25 years and over.........................................   97,423       741    54,332       831    43,091       649 
           25 to 54 years..........................................   80,495       733    45,270       814    35,225       643 
             25 to 34 years........................................   26,138       642    15,040       689    11,098       590 
             35 to 44 years........................................   27,165       769    15,433       868    11,732       676 
             45 to 54 years........................................   27,192       792    14,797       927    12,395       676 
           55 years and over.......................................   16,928       797     9,062       912     7,866       672 
             55 to 64 years........................................   14,535       825     7,719       930     6,816       702 
             65 years and over.....................................    2,394       639     1,343       757     1,050       556 
                                                                                                                               
                                 White                                                                                         
       16 years and over...........................................   87,601       722    50,071       800    37,530       632 
         16 to 24 years............................................    8,808       444     5,070       463     3,738       422 
         25 years and over.........................................   78,792       762    45,000       859    33,792       663 
           25 to 54 years..........................................   64,564       752    37,256       839    27,308       659 
           55 years and over.......................................   14,228       820     7,744       944     6,484       683 
                                                                                                                               
                       Black or African American                                                                               
       16 years and over...........................................   12,959       574     6,100       599     6,859       539 
         16 to 24 years............................................    1,362       414       668       420       694       407 
         25 years and over.........................................   11,597       599     5,432       625     6,165       575 
           25 to 54 years..........................................    9,935       597     4,694       626     5,241       572 
           55 years and over.......................................    1,662       613       737       623       924       598 
                                                                                                                               
                                 Asian                                                                                         
       16 years and over...........................................    5,200       856     2,883       968     2,317       732 
         16 to 24 years............................................      342       518       184       491       158       542 
         25 years and over.........................................    4,858       895     2,699     1,037     2,159       755 
           25 to 54 years..........................................    4,132       904     2,306     1,055     1,826       764 
           55 years and over.......................................      726       847       393       945       334       685 
                                                                                                                               
                      Hispanic or Latino ethnicity                                                                             
       16 years and over...........................................   16,298       507    10,117       520     6,181       479 
         16 to 24 years............................................    2,168       399     1,405       406       764       376 
         25 years and over.........................................   14,129       528     8,712       567     5,418       495 
           25 to 54 years..........................................   12,747       524     7,901       562     4,845       494 
           55 years and over.......................................    1,383       562       810       606       572       504 
     
        NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because
     data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.
     Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
     
     
     
     
     
          Table 3.  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     
                                                                                 2006          2007          2006          2007    
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
                                     TOTAL                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                   
       Management, professional, and related occupations...................     38,414        39,787          $972        $1,002   
         Management, business, and financial operations occupations........     15,608        16,081         1,018         1,067   
         Professional and related occupations..............................     22,806        23,707           950           966   
       Service occupations.................................................     14,669        14,708           426           460   
       Sales and office occupations........................................     25,637        25,678           594           596   
         Sales and related occupations.....................................     10,002        10,125           639           647   
         Office and administrative support occupations.....................     15,636        15,553           578           582   
       Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations........     12,777        12,520           658           689   
         Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations........................        633           711           392           388   
         Construction and extraction occupations...........................      7,318         7,118           617           660   
         Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.................      4,827         4,691           744           774   
       Production, transportation, and material moving occupations.........     15,406        15,624           554           579   
         Production occupations............................................      8,244         8,627           569           587   
         Transportation and material moving occupations....................      7,162         6,998           535           566   
                                                                                                                                   
                                      Men                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                   
       Management, professional, and related occupations...................     18,735        19,308         1,150         1,223   
         Management, business, and financial operations occupations........      8,615         8,698         1,201         1,274   
         Professional and related occupations..............................     10,120        10,609         1,119         1,169   
       Service occupations.................................................      7,336         7,292           488           520   
       Sales and office occupations........................................      9,687         9,554           704           708   
         Sales and related occupations.....................................      5,599         5,469           788           813   
         Office and administrative support occupations.....................      4,088         4,085           620           604   
       Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations........     12,204        12,045           664           695   
         Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations........................        507           579           396           410   
         Construction and extraction occupations...........................      7,110         6,937           619           661   
         Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.................      4,587         4,528           748           779   
       Production, transportation, and material moving occupations.........     12,098        12,284           601           617   
         Production occupations............................................      5,865         6,176           628           646   
         Transportation and material moving occupations....................      6,233         6,108           567           594   
                                                                                                                                   
                                     Women                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                   
       Management, professional, and related occupations...................     19,679        20,480           859           861   
         Management, business, and financial operations occupations........      6,993         7,382           874           887   
         Professional and related occupations..............................     12,686        13,097           851           848   
       Service occupations.................................................      7,333         7,416           397           415   
       Sales and office occupations........................................     15,950        16,124           544           552   
         Sales and related occupations.....................................      4,403         4,656           484           478   
         Office and administrative support occupations.....................     11,548        11,468           567           576   
       Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations........        573           476           547           550   
         Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations........................        125           132           385           339   
         Construction and extraction occupations...........................        208           181           515           622   
         Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.................        240           163           675           674   
       Production, transportation, and material moving occupations.........      3,308         3,340           423           433   
         Production occupations............................................      2,379         2,450           437           445   
         Transportation and material moving occupations....................        929           890           399           404   
     
        NOTE:  Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
     
     
     
     
     
          Table 4. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected
     characteristics, fourth quarter 2007 averages, not seasonally adjusted
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                       Number of                  Upper limit of:                 
                                                                        workers                                                   
                              Characteristic                              (in                                                     
                                                                       thousands)   First     First     Second    Third     Ninth 
                                                                                   decile   quartile  quartile  quartile   decile 
                                                                                                      (median)                    
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
                SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY                                                                       
                                                                                                                                  
       Total, 16 years and over.......................................  108,318      $336      $470      $700    $1,076    $1,616 
         Men..........................................................   60,482       361       505       774     1,215     1,842 
         Women........................................................   47,835       314       421       618       928     1,349 
                                                                                                                                  
         White........................................................   87,601       342       482       722     1,107     1,653 
           Men........................................................   50,071       371       516       800     1,245     1,876 
           Women......................................................   37,530       316       428       632       937     1,368 
                                                                                                                                  
         Black or African American....................................   12,959       312       401       574       842     1,204 
           Men........................................................    6,100       319       412       599       873     1,263 
           Women......................................................    6,859       305       394       539       805     1,158 
                                                                                                                                  
         Asian........................................................    5,200       363       520       856     1,360     1,907 
           Men........................................................    2,883       398       612       968     1,532     2,024 
           Women......................................................    2,317       320       467       732     1,134     1,730 
                                                                                                                                  
         Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.................................   16,298       292       365       507       769     1,152 
           Men........................................................   10,117       303       381       520       818     1,219 
           Women......................................................    6,181       279       338       479       718     1,015 
                                                                                                                                  
                          EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
       Total, 25 years and over.......................................   97,423       354       496       741     1,135     1,691 
         Less than a high school diploma..............................    8,354       280       323       424       594       810 
         High school graduates, no college (1)........................   28,354       325       429       610       870     1,174 
         Some college or associate degree.............................   26,987       371       497       697       996     1,368 
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2).............................   33,729       525       746     1,086     1,601     2,297 
           Bachelor's degree only.....................................   22,134       496       695       994     1,498     2,078 
           Advanced degree............................................   11,594       621       884     1,259     1,830     2,691 
                                                                                                                                  
         Men, 25 years and over.......................................   54,332       384       550       831     1,272     1,888 
           Less than a high school diploma............................    5,639       290       354       482       642       902 
           High school graduates, no college (1)......................   16,400       364       493       697       972     1,326 
           Some college or associate degree...........................   14,161       407       575       799     1,149     1,532 
           Bachelor's degree and higher (2)...........................   18,132       592       846     1,265     1,875     2,599 
             Bachelor's degree only...................................   11,994       555       771     1,164     1,749     2,388 
             Advanced degree..........................................    6,139       708       980     1,466     2,047     2,910 
                                                                                                                                  
         Women, 25 years and over.....................................   43,091       326       445       649       961     1,393 
           Less than a high school diploma............................    2,715       256       298       365       468       614 
           High school graduates, no college (1)......................   11,954       296       381       516       705       941 
           Some college or associate degree...........................   12,826       341       441       606       843     1,138 
           Bachelor's degree and higher (2)...........................   15,596       492       669       937     1,330     1,866 
             Bachelor's degree only...................................   10,141       469       623       858     1,194     1,729 
             Advanced degree..........................................    5,456       590       802     1,087     1,527     2,095 
     
        1 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
        2 Includes persons with bachelor's, master's, professional, and doctoral degrees.
        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.  Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because
     data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.
     Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
     
     
     
     
     
          Table 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      
                                                                                 2006           2007           2006           2007     
                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                       
                                  SEX AND AGE                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                       
       Total, 16 years and over............................................      22,556         22,140           $208           $214   
                                                                                                                                       
         Men, 16 years and over............................................       7,176          7,191            193            206   
           16 to 24 years..................................................       3,697          3,556            151            165   
           25 years and over...............................................       3,479          3,635            261            266   
                                                                                                                                       
         Women, 16 years and over..........................................      15,380         14,949            215            218   
           16 to 24 years..................................................       4,651          4,589            150            151   
           25 years and over...............................................      10,729         10,360            258            259   
                                                                                                                                       
                  RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX                                                                          
                                                                                                                                       
         White.............................................................      18,818         18,630            209            216   
           Men.............................................................       5,816          5,881            191            205   
           Women...........................................................      13,002         12,749            218            224   
                                                                                                                                       
         Black or African American.........................................       2,237          2,092            197            204   
           Men.............................................................         807            792            206            226   
           Women...........................................................       1,430          1,300            192            191   
                                                                                                                                       
         Asian.............................................................         954            847            217            204   
           Men.............................................................         364            288            208            185   
           Women...........................................................         590            559            220            213   
                                                                                                                                       
         Hispanic or Latino ethnicity......................................       2,458          2,736            206            209   
           Men.............................................................         775          1,038            215            227   
           Women...........................................................       1,683          1,697            202            197   
     
        NOTE:  Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are
     not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.  Updated population
     controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
     
     
     
     
     
              Table 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        
                                                                      2006        2007                                                   
                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                              2006        2007        2006        2007   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
                             SEX AND AGE                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                         
       Total, 16 years and over..................................   106,106     107,339        $671        $695        $321        $323  
                                                                                                                                         
         Men, 16 years and over..................................    59,747      60,298         743         766         356         356  
           16 to 24 years........................................     6,559       6,458         418         443         200         206  
           25 years and over.....................................    53,188      53,840         797         823         381         383  
                                                                                                                                         
         Women, 16 years and over................................    46,358      47,041         600         614         287         286  
           16 to 24 years........................................     4,802       4,792         395         409         189         190  
           25 years and over.....................................    41,556      42,249         627         646         300         301  
                                                                                                                                         
             RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                         
         White...................................................    86,055      86,653         690         716         330         333  
           Men...................................................    49,650      49,889         761         788         364         367  
           Women.................................................    36,405      36,764         609         626         292         291  
                                                                                                                                         
         Black or African American...............................    12,745      13,061         554         569         265         265  
           Men...................................................     6,025       6,186         591         600         283         279  
           Women.................................................     6,720       6,874         519         533         248         248  
                                                                                                                                         
         Asian...................................................     4,840       5,155         784         830         375         386  
           Men...................................................     2,717       2,858         882         936         422         435  
           Women.................................................     2,123       2,297         699         731         335         340  
                                                                                                                                         
         Hispanic or Latino ethnicity............................    15,693      16,201         486         503         233         234  
           Men...................................................    10,007      10,248         505         520         242         242  
           Women.................................................     5,686       5,953         440         473         211         220  
     
        NOTE:  Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are
     not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.  Updated population
     controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
     Table 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                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                 2006          2007          2006          2007    
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
                                     TOTAL                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                   
       Management, professional, and related occupations...................     37,824        39,147          $967          $996   
         Management, business, and financial operations occupations........     15,447        15,977         1,045         1,080   
         Professional and related occupations..............................     22,378        23,170           928           951   
       Service occupations.................................................     14,749        14,716           422           454   
       Sales and office occupations........................................     25,688        25,702           589           598   
         Sales and related occupations.....................................     10,336        10,448           628           643   
         Office and administrative support occupations.....................     15,351        15,253           572           581   
       Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations........     12,512        12,486           653           670   
         Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations........................        716           739           387           372   
         Construction and extraction occupations...........................      7,166         7,227           619           646   
         Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.................      4,630         4,520           742           749   
       Production, transportation, and material moving occupations.........     15,332        15,289           557           577   
         Production occupations............................................      8,391         8,389           559           581   
         Transportation and material moving occupations....................      6,942         6,900           556           570   
                                                                                                                                   
                                      Men                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                   
       Management, professional, and related occupations...................     18,686        19,222         1,154         1,187   
         Management, business, and financial operations occupations........      8,536         8,684         1,231         1,261   
         Professional and related occupations..............................     10,149        10,538         1,109         1,148   
       Service occupations.................................................      7,275         7,371           494           515   
       Sales and office occupations........................................      9,753         9,725           696           714   
         Sales and related occupations.....................................      5,777         5,773           761           791   
         Office and administrative support occupations.....................      3,976         3,952           619           619   
       Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations........     11,989        12,028           660           674   
         Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations........................        569           601           401           382   
         Construction and extraction occupations...........................      6,995         7,071           621           648   
         Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.................      4,425         4,357           744           750   
       Production, transportation, and material moving occupations.........     12,045        11,951           601           616   
         Production occupations............................................      5,979         5,992           621           641   
         Transportation and material moving occupations....................      6,066         5,959           581           596   
                                                                                                                                   
                                     Women                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                   
       Management, professional, and related occupations...................     19,138        19,924           840           858   
         Management, business, and financial operations occupations........      6,910         7,293           881           908   
         Professional and related occupations..............................     12,228        12,632           816           835   
       Service occupations.................................................      7,473         7,345           390           406   
       Sales and office occupations........................................     15,935        15,976           538           550   
         Sales and related occupations.....................................      4,560         4,675           487           493   
         Office and administrative support occupations.....................     11,375        11,301           557           570   
       Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations........        524           457           518           539   
         Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations........................        147           138           342           348   
         Construction and extraction occupations...........................        172           156           533           573   
         Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.................        205           163           697           726   
       Production, transportation, and material moving occupations.........      3,288         3,338           426           437   
         Production occupations............................................      2,412         2,396           432           443   
         Transportation and material moving occupations....................        876           942           414           424   
     
        NOTE:  Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
     
     
     
     
     
          Table 8.  Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics,
     2007 annual averages
                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                    Upper limit of:                      
                                                                   Number of                                                             
                            Characteristic                          workers                                                              
                                                                      (in        First       First       Second      Third       Ninth   
                                                                   thousands)    decile     quartile    quartile    quartile     decile  
                                                                                                        (median)                         
                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                         
                                TOTAL                                                                                                    
       Total, 25 years and over..................................    96,089        $353        $495        $738      $1,133      $1,668  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................     8,746         278         326         428         603         839  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................    27,997         324         428         604         860       1,175  
         Some college or associate degree........................    26,190         373         499         704       1,002       1,391  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................    33,157         519         740       1,072       1,578       2,287  
           Bachelor's degree only................................    21,673         492         690         987       1,470       2,045  
           Advanced degree.......................................    11,484         619         863       1,236       1,843       2,594  
                                                                                                                                         
                                 Men                                                                                                     
       Total, 25 years and over..................................    53,840         385         547         823       1,258       1,887  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................     5,990         290         356         481         656         915  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................    16,253         368         493         689         968       1,326  
         Some college or associate degree........................    13,715         412         581         810       1,150       1,537  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................    17,883         587         832       1,243       1,866       2,592  
           Bachelor's degree only................................    11,699         540         767       1,147       1,717       2,379  
           Advanced degree.......................................     6,183         683         961       1,446       2,068       2,918  
                                                                                                                                         
                                Women                                                                                                    
       Total, 25 years and over..................................    42,249         323         444         646         960       1,392  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................     2,756         248         297         369         483         624  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................    11,744         295         382         512         698         938  
         Some college or associate degree........................    12,475         337         446         609         845       1,151  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................    15,274         486         667         932       1,313       1,841  
           Bachelor's degree only................................     9,974         458         622         860       1,212       1,666  
           Advanced degree.......................................     5,300         584         779       1,069       1,473       2,046  
                                                                                                                                         
                             White, total                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                         
       Total, 25 years and over..................................    77,470         363         508         759       1,154       1,737  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................     7,170         281         331         437         612         860  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................    22,509         333         450         624         892       1,222  
         Some college or associate degree........................    21,035         381         512         729       1,035       1,432  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................    26,755         538         754       1,099       1,628       2,318  
           Bachelor's degree only................................    17,511         504         708       1,010       1,512       2,117  
           Advanced degree.......................................     9,244         632         875       1,248       1,878       2,709  
                                                                                                                                         
                              White men                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                         
       Total, 25 years and over..................................    44,493         394         573         850       1,293       1,903  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................     5,105         293         362         486         666         921  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................    13,421         380         511         718         998       1,368  
         Some college or associate degree........................    11,310         427         600         841       1,177       1,569  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................    14,657         604         855       1,267       1,889       2,714  
           Bachelor's degree only................................     9,663         576         793       1,170       1,758       2,424  
           Advanced degree.......................................     4,995         707         980       1,472       2,114       3,054  
                                                                                                                                         
                             White women                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                         
       Total, 25 years and over..................................    32,976         328         456         663         975       1,417  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................     2,065         247         296         368         480         629  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................     9,088         299         390         523         716         954  
         Some college or associate degree........................     9,725         342         454         621         863       1,161  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................    12,098         490         676         942       1,328       1,872  
           Bachelor's degree only................................     7,849         463         631         870       1,228       1,727  
           Advanced degree.......................................     4,250         587         791       1,072       1,487       2,076  
                                                                                                                                         
                   Black or African American, total                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                         
       Total, 25 years and over..................................    11,697         317         417         596         871       1,247  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................       988         261         310         400         552         726  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................     4,033         299         381         504         694         963  
         Some college or associate degree........................     3,663         338         441         594         828       1,151  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................     3,013         469         628         877       1,246       1,685  
           Bachelor's degree only................................     2,098         443         602         815       1,161       1,576  
           Advanced degree.......................................       915         528         727       1,046       1,439       1,903  
                                                                                                                                         
                    Black or African American men                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                         
       Total, 25 years and over..................................     5,500        $332        $447        $629        $936      $1,348  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................       538         275         322         449         616         788  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................     2,002         321         408         549         768       1,043  
         Some college or associate degree........................     1,637         360         484         645         908       1,234  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................     1,323         441         649         931       1,376       1,867  
           Bachelor's degree only................................       931         423         618         875       1,253       1,713  
           Advanced degree.......................................       392         496         757       1,125       1,540       2,077  
                                                                                                                                         
                   Black or African American women                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                         
       Total, 25 years and over..................................     6,197         307         401         566         815       1,171  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................       450         252         299         374         490         611  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................     2,031         286         355         470         621         857  
         Some college or associate degree........................     2,026         326         418         552         751       1,034  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................     1,690         482         619         837       1,171       1,547  
           Bachelor's degree only................................     1,167         461         596         771       1,103       1,477  
           Advanced degree.......................................       523         566         709       1,003       1,338       1,774  
                                                                                                                                         
                             Asian, total                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                         
       Total, 25 years and over..................................     4,832         369         524         864       1,363       1,906  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................       306         243         318         418         563         811  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................       824         292         392         538         758       1,065  
         Some college or associate degree........................       795         342         485         696         960       1,341  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................     2,907         492         756       1,142       1,633       2,196  
           Bachelor's degree only................................     1,722         457         696       1,006       1,520       1,918  
           Advanced degree.......................................     1,185         628         899       1,334       1,869       2,477  
                                                                                                                                         
                 Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, total                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                         
       Total, 25 years and over..................................    13,885         294         377         525         802       1,206  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................     4,682         277         316         406         545         734  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................     4,188         297         382         524         749       1,046  
         Some college or associate degree........................     2,830         341         456         633         916       1,269  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................     2,185         419         625         923       1,387       1,958  
           Bachelor's degree only................................     1,577         402         591         858       1,264       1,863  
           Advanced degree.......................................       608         525         771       1,141       1,647       2,377  
                                                                                                                                         
                        Hispanic or Latino men                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                         
       Total, 25 years and over..................................     8,753         306         394         562         853       1,265  
         Less than a high school diploma.........................     3,441         287         336         428         588         795  
         High school graduates, no college (1)...................     2,609         318         412         584         832       1,146  
         Some college or associate degree........................     1,527         377         500         714       1,009       1,419  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................     1,176         449         654       1,005       1,556       2,290  
           Bachelor's degree only................................       854         415         609         927       1,411       2,011  
           Advanced degree.......................................       322         611         871       1,248       1,887       2,521  
                                                                                                                                         
                       Hispanic or Latino women                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                         
       Total, 25 years and over..................................     5,131         279         344         493         734       1,094  
         Less than a high school diploma (1).....................     1,241         239         289         343         438         566  
         High school graduates, no college.......................     1,578         275         339         469         629         830  
         Some college or associate degree........................     1,303         312         414         564         775       1,080  
         Bachelor's degree and higher (2)........................     1,009         400         597         848       1,225       1,651  
           Bachelor's degree only................................       723         390         563         795       1,129       1,522  
           Advanced degree.......................................       286         449         730         987       1,446       2,001  
     
        1 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
        2 Includes persons with a bachelor's, master's, professional, and doctoral degrees.
        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.
     Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not pre-
     sented for all races.  Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.  Updated population controls
     are introduced annually with the release of January data.