Labor Force

Characteristics

by Race and

Ethnicity, 2007

U.S. Department of Labor

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

September 2008

Report 1005
This report was prepared by the Office of

Employment and Unemployment Statistics,

Division of Labor Force Statistics.

Layout by Phyllis Lott and edited by

Monica Gabor of the Office of Publications
Labor Force Characteristics

by Race and Ethnicity, 2007

U.S. Department of Labor 

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

September 2008

Report 1005
Page

Overview.......................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Employment..................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Education ......................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Occupation and industry .................................................................................................................................................. 1

Families and mothers....................................................................................................................................................... 2

Unemployment and not in the labor force ....................................................................................................................... 2

Earnings ........................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Tables

Table1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population by sex, age, race, and Hispan

or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages........................................................................................... 4

Table2. Employment-population ratios by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicit

1972-2007 annual averages................................................................................................................. 5

Table3. Employment status of persons 25 years and over by educational attainment, sex, rac

and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages..................................................................... 6

Table4. Employed persons by occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicit

2007 annual averages.......................................................................................................................... 9

Table5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicit

2007 annual averages.......................................................................................................................... 12

Table6. Employed persons by industry, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicit

2007 annual averages.......................................................................................................................... 23

Table7. Employment and unemployment in families by type of family, race, and Hispan

or Latino ethnicity, 2006 annual averages........................................................................................... 25

Table8. Labor force participation rates by presence and age of youngest child, sex, race, and Hispan

or Latino ethnicity, 1996-2006 annual averages................................................................................. 26

Table9. Unemployment rates by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicit

1972-2007 annual averages................................................................................................................. 29

Table 10. Unemployed persons by duration of unemployment, sex, race, and Hispanic

or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages........................................................................................... 30

Table 11. Unemployed persons by reason for unemployment, sex, race, and Hispanic

or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages........................................................................................... 31

Table 12. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, race, and Hispanic

or Latino ethnicity, 1979-2007 annual averages................................................................................. 32

Table 13. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by educational attainment,

sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages..................................................... 36

Table 14. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation, sex, race,

and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages..................................................................... 37

Technical Note ............................................................................................................................................................ 40

Contents

iii
Overview

Labor market characteristics vary dramatically 

according to race and ethnicity. While workers in all 

groups experience labor market difficulties, Blacks 

and Hispanics disproportionately suffer from serious labor 

market problems. This occurs despite gains in average 

educational attainment and increased representation in 

higher-paying occupations among these groups. Blacks 

and Hispanics are more likely than Whites or Asians to be 

unemployed. When employed, Blacks and Hispanics are 

much more likely than Whites or Asians to be working in 

lower-paying occupations. 

The labor market problems of Blacks and Hispanics are 

associated with many factors, not all of which are measurable. 

These include their lower average levels of schooling; their 

tendency to be employed in occupations that are subject to 

higher rates of unemployment; their greater concentration in 

the central cities of our urban areas, where job opportunities 

may be relatively limited; and the likelihood that they 

experience discrimination in the workplace. 

This report describes the labor force characteristics and 

earnings patterns for the major race and ethnicity groups and 

provides detailed data through a set of supporting tables. The 

data are obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS), 

a monthly survey of 60,000 households that is a rich source 

of information on the labor force. For definitions of terms 

and concepts used in this report, see the Technical Note. For 

further information about the CPS, see the explanatory note 

for the household survey online at: http://www.bls.gov/cps/

eetech_methods.pdf.

Employment

•	 Blacks are less likely to be employed than Whites, 

Asians, or Hispanics. In 2007, the employmentpopulation ratio (the proportion of the population 

that is employed) for Blacks was 58.4 percent, 

compared with 63.6 percent for Whites, 64.3 percent 

for Asians, and 64.9 percent for Hispanics. Since 

their most recent peaks in 2000, the employmentpopulation ratios for the major race and ethnicity 

groups have edged lower. (See tables 1 and 2.) 

•	 Among adult men (ages 20 and over), the 

employment-population ratio for Blacks, at 65.5 

percent, was lower than the rate for Whites (73.5 

percent) in 2007, continuing a long-term trend. In 

Labor Force Characteristics

by Race and Ethnicity, 2007

contrast, among adult women, this ratio was slightly 

higher for Blacks (59.8 percent) than for Whites 

(57.9 percent); this relationship for Black and White 

women has held since 1996, as it did in the 1970s.

•	 Hispanic men have had higher employmentpopulation ratios than Black, White, or Asian

men, while Hispanic women historically have 

had lower employment-population ratios than 

Black, White, or Asian women. The employmentpopulation ratios for adult Hispanic men and women 

were 80.7 and 55.6 percent, respectively, in 2007. 

The rates were 76.2 percent for adult Asian men and 

58.8 percent for adult Asian women.

•	 Minority teenagers (ages 16 to 19) tend to have 

relatively low employment-population ratios 

compared with Whites. In 2007, the ratios for Black 

and Asian teens (each 21.4 percent) and Hispanic 

teens (30.4 percent) were lower than that of White 

teens (38.3 percent).

Education

•	 Nine out of 10 Blacks and Asians in the labor force 

(25 years of age and over) had received at least 

a high school diploma―the same proportion as 

Whites―in 2007. In contrast, only two-thirds of 

Hispanics had completed high school. Asians were 

most likely to have graduated from college—58 

percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher compared 

with 34 percent of Whites, 24 percent of Blacks, and 

15 percent of Hispanics. (See table 3.) While Black 

and Hispanic workers remain less likely than Whites 

and Asians to have obtained a college degree, the 

proportion of college graduates for all groups has 

increased over time.

•	 For all groups, higher levels of education are

associated with a greater likelihood of being

employed and a lower likelihood of being unemployed. Nonetheless, at nearly every level of education, Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to be

unemployed than their Asian or White counterparts. 

Occupation and industry

•	 As Blacks’ and Hispanics’ education levels have 

risen, both groups have continued to move into 
high-skilled, relatively high-paying occupations. 

However, the proportions of the two groups 

holding management, professional, and related 

occupations―the highest-paying job category―

still are smaller than the proportions for Whites and 

Asians. In 2007, nearly half (49 percent) of Asian 

men worked in management, professional, and 

related occupations, compared with 33 percent of 

White men, 22 percent of Black men, and 14 percent 

of Hispanic men. (See table 4.)

•	 About 4 in 10 Black men were employed in service 

occupations and sales and office jobs in 2007, 

compared with about 3 in 10 of Hispanic, Asian, and 

White men. Black men also were more likely than 

other men to work in production, transportation, 

and material moving occupations. More than onehalf of Hispanic men were employed in two job 

groups in 2007―natural resources, construction, 

and maintenance occupations; and production, 

transportation, and material-moving occupations.

•	 Among women in 2007, Asians were more likely 

than other groups to be employed in managerial and 

professional occupations. Nearly half (47 percent) 

of Asian women were employed as managers and 

professionals, compared with about 40 percent of 

Whites, 31 percent of Blacks, and 23 percent of 

Hispanics. In contrast, nearly two-thirds (64 percent) 

of Hispanic women worked in service occupations 

and in sales and office jobs, compared with about 

60 percent of Blacks, 54 percent of Whites, and 45 

percent of Asians. 

•	 Blacks made up about 11 percent of all workers 

in 2007, but they accounted for about one-quarter 

or more of several specific occupations, including 

nursing aides (34 percent), security guards and bus 

drivers (about 30 percent each), and corrections 

officers (24 percent). Asians, who account for about 

5 percent of all workers, made up a disproportionate 

share of computer software engineers (29 percent), 

computer programmers (20 percent), computer 

scientists and system analysts (16 percent), and 

sewing machine operators (14 percent). Hispanics, 

who account for 14 percent of all workers, were 

substantially overrepresented in several job 

categories, including ground maintenance workers 

(44 percent), maids and housekeeping cleaners (40 

percent), cooks (31 percent), and construction and 

extraction workers (30 percent). (See table 5.)

•	 In terms of industry composition, Blacks were 

more likely than other race and ethnic groups to be 

employed in education and health services, transportation and utilities, and public administration. 

Hispanic men were very heavily concentrated in 

construction. Hispanics were more likely than other 

groups to be employed in the leisure and hospitality 

sector. Asians were more heavily represented in professional and business services and in durable goods 

manufacturing. (See table 6.) 

Families and mothers

•	 Asian families were more likely to have at least one 

employed member (90 percent) than Hispanic (87 

percent), White (83 percent), or Black (78 percent) 

families in 2006. (See table 7.)

•	 Families maintained by women (with no spouse 

present) are less likely to have an employed member 

than other families. Nearly one-half of Black 

families and almost one-quarter of Hispanic families 

were maintained by women in 2006. About 1 in 

every 7 Asian and White families was maintained 

by women.

•	 Historically, Black mothers with children under 

18 have been more likely than White mothers to 

be in the labor force. In 2006, about 77 percent of 

Black mothers, compared with 70 percent of White 

mothers, were labor force participants. In contrast, 

Hispanic women with children under 18 typically 

have lower levels of labor force participation than 

either Black or White mothers. Sixty-one percent of 

Hispanic mothers were in the labor force in 2006. 

Asian mothers (66 percent) were more likely than 

Hispanic mothers, but less likely than Black or White 

mothers, to be in the labor force. Since 1996, the 

participation rates of Black and Hispanic mothers 

have grown by 3.6 and 4.2 percentage points, 

respectively, while the rate for White mothers has 

remained about the same. (See table 8.)

Unemployment and not in the labor force

•	 Among the major race and ethnicity groups, 

Blacks had the highest unemployment rate, at 

8.3 percent in 2007, compared with 5.6 percent

for Hispanics, 4.1 percent for Whites, and 3.2 

percent for Asians. Historically, the jobless rate

for Blacks has been more than twice that for

Whites, while the unemployment rate for Hispanics 

has hovered between the rates for Whites and Blacks. 

(See tables 1 and 9.)

•	 The higher unemployment rates for Blacks and 

Hispanics occur across all major age and sex groups. 

In 2007, the rates for Black adult men and women 

were 7.9 and 6.7 percent, respectively, compared 

with 4.6 and 5.5 percent for Hispanic adult men and 

women, respectively. The unemployment rates were 

3.7 percent for White adult men and 3.6 percent 

for White adult women. Among teenagers, a group 

especially vulnerable to joblessness, Blacks had
the highest unemployment rate―29.4 percent in 

2007, compared with 18.1 percent for Hispanics, 

13.9 percent for Whites, and 12.7 percent for 

Asians. 

•	 Not only are Blacks more likely than other groups 

to be unemployed, those who are unemployed have 

spent more time looking for work. In 2007, the 

median duration of unemployment for Blacks was 

11.1 weeks, compared to 8.7 weeks for Asians, 7.9 

weeks for Whites, and 7.3 weeks for Hispanics. (See 

table 10.)

•	 Blacks and Asians who were unemployed were 

more likely than Whites or Hispanics to be outside 

the labor force before their job search (a category of 

the unemployed called reentrants). Blacks, Asians, 

and Hispanics were more likely than Whites to

be looking for their first job (new entrants). (See 

table 11.)

•	 Black men are more likely than other men to be 

out of the labor force, that is, neither employed 

nor unemployed. Among men age 25 to 54, the 

proportion of Blacks who did not participate in the 

labor force was 16.3 percent in 2007—about double 

that of their White, Asian, and Hispanic counterparts. 

Among women of the same age, the percentage of 

Blacks not in the labor force was about the same as 

that for Whites and was slightly lower than that for 

Asians or Hispanics.

•	 In 2007, Blacks made up 12 percent of the civilian 

noninstitutional population, but a much higher 

share (25 percent) of marginally attached workers. 

Hispanics and Asians were about proportionately 

represented among the marginally attached. 

Marginally attached workers are individuals who 

were not in the labor force, who wanted and were 

available for work, and who had looked for a job 

sometime in the prior 12 months (but not in the past 

month). Blacks also comprised a high proportion 

of discouraged workers―one-third in 2007. 

Discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally 

attached, were not currently looking for work 

specifically because they believed no jobs were 

available for them.

Earnings

•	 Earnings rise with education for all race and ethnicity 

groups. However, despite rising educational 

attainment and corresponding movement into 

higher-paying occupations, Blacks’ and Hispanics’ 

earnings remain considerably below those of Whites 

and Asians. In 2007, the median usual weekly 

earnings of full-time wage and salary workers were 

$830 for Asians, compared with $716 for Whites, 

$569 for Blacks, and $503 for Hispanics. Earnings 

of Black men ($600) and Hispanic men ($520) were 

76 and 66 percent, respectively, of the earnings

of their White counterparts ($788). Earnings of 

Black women ($533) also were less than those of 

White women ($626), but the ratio (85 percent) was 

higher than that of their male counterparts. Median 

earnings for Hispanic women were $473, about 76 

percent of White women’s earnings. (See tables 12 

and 13.)

•	 For men, the earnings disparity between Black or 

Hispanic workers and Asian or White workers 

occurs across all major occupational groups. For 

example, in 2007, median usual weekly earnings 

of Asian men ($1,342) and White men ($1,211) 

working full time in management, professional, and 

related occupations were well above the earnings of 

Hispanic men ($985) and Black men ($899) in those 

occupations. Toward the other end of the earnings 

spectrum, Hispanic and Black men employed in 

production, transportation, and material moving 

occupations had median earnings of $494 and 

$531 per week, respectively, which were less than 

the earnings of their White ($634) or Asian ($608) 

counterparts. (See table 14.)

•	 Among women, the earnings gap is generally 

smaller than that for men, and, in some major 

occupational categories, earnings levels are fairly 

close. In managerial and professional occupations, 

for example, earnings of Black women ($740)

and Hispanic women ($744) were around 85 percent 

of those of White women ($868). Asian women 

had the highest earnings in most occupational 

categories.
Table 1. Employment status of the civilian noninstitutional population by sex, age, race, and Hispanic 

or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages

(Numbers in thousands)

Employment status, sex, and age Total White Black or African Asian Hispanic or 

American Latino ethnicity

Total, both sexes

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 231,867 188,253 27,485 10,633 31,383 

Civilian labor force .......................... 153,124 124,935 17,496 7,067 21,602 

 Percent of population............... 66.0 66.4 63.7 66.5 68.8 

 Employed .................................... 146,047 119,792 16,051 6,839 20,382 

 Percent of population............... 63.0 63.6 58.4 64.3 64.9 

 Unemployed ................................ 7,078 5,143 1,445 229 1,220 

 Unemployment rate ................. 4.6 4.1 8.3 3.2 5.6 

Not in labor force............................. 78,743 63,319 9,989 3,566 9,781 

Men, 16 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 112,173 92,073 12,361 5,052 16,154 

Civilian labor force .......................... 82,136 68,158 8,252 3,796 13,005 

 Percent of population............... 73.2 74.0 66.8 75.1 80.5 

 Employed .................................... 78,254 65,289 7,500 3,677 12,310 

 Percent of population............... 69.8 70.9 60.7 72.8 76.2 

 Unemployed ................................ . 3,882 2,869 752 119 695 

 Unemployment rate ................. 4.7 4.2 9.1 3.1 5.3 

Not in labor force............................. 30,036 23,915 4,110 1,256 3,149 

Men, 20 years and over 

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 103,555 85,420 11,057 4,737 14,649 

Civilian labor force .......................... 78,596 65,214 7,867 3,718 12,403 

 Percent of population............... 75.9 76.3 71.2 78.5 84.7 

 Employed .................................... 75,337 62,806 7,245 3,608 11,827 

 Percent of population............... 72.8 73.5 65.5 76.2 80.7 

 Unemployed ................................ 3,259 2,408 622 110 576 

 Unemployment rate ................. 4.1 3.7 7.9 3.0 4.6 

Not in labor force............................. 24,959 20,206 3,189 1,019 2,246 

Women, 16 years and over 

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 119,694 96,180 15,124 5,581 15,229 

Civilian labor force .......................... 70,988 56,777 9,244 3,271 8,597 

 Percent of population............... 59.3 59.0 61.1 58.6 56.5 

 Employed .................................... 67,792 54,503 8,551 3,162 8,072 

 Percent of population............... 56.6 56.7 56.5 56.6 53.0 

 Unemployed ................................ 3,196 2,274 693 110 525 

 Unemployment rate ................. 4.5 4.0 7.5 3.4 6.1 

Not in labor force............................. 48,707 39,403 5,879 2,310 6,632 

Women, 20 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 111,330 89,790 13,788 5,265 13,791 

Civilian labor force .......................... 67,516 53,925 8,828 3,194 8,108 

 Percent of population............... 60.6 60.1 64.0 60.7 58.8 

 Employed .................................... 64,799 51,996 8,240 3,096 7,662 

 Percent of population............... 58.2 57.9 59.8 58.8 55.6 

 Unemployed ................................ 2,718 1,930 588 99 446 

 Unemployment rate ................. 4.0 3.6 6.7 3.1 5.5 

Not in labor force............................. 43,814 35,864 4,960 2,071 5,682 

Both sexes, 16 to 19 years

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 16,982 13,043 2,640 631 2,944 

Civilian labor force .......................... 7,012 5,795 801 155 1,091 

 Percent of population............... 41.3 44.4 30.3 24.5 37.1 

 Employed .................................... 5,911 4,990 566 135 894 

 Percent of population............... 34.8 38.3 21.4 21.4 30.4 

 Unemployed ................................ 1,101 805 235 20 197 

 Unemployment rate ................. 15.7 13.9 29.4 12.7 18.1 

Not in labor force............................. 9,970 7,248 1,839 476 1,853 

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.
Table 2. Employment-population ratios by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 1972-2007 annual averages

(Percent)

Year

Total White Black or African Asian Hispanic or

 American Latino ethnicity

 Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women

 

1972.............. 57.0 75.0 41.0 57.4 76.0 40.7 53.7 66.8 43.0 — — — — — —

1973.............. 57.8 75.5 42.0 58.2 76.5 41.8 54.5 67.5 43.8 — — — 55.6 76.0 37.3

1974.............. 57.8 74.9 42.6 58.3 75.9 42.4 53.5 65.8 43.5 — — — 56.2 75.7 38.4

1975.............. 56.1 71.7 42.0 56.7 73.0 42.0 50.1 60.6 41.6 — — — 53.4 71.5 37.4

1976.............. 56.8 72.0 43.2 57.5 73.4 43.2 50.8 60.6 42.8 — — — 53.8 71.1 38.6

1977.............. 57.9 72.8 44.5 58.6 74.1 44.5 51.4 61.4 43.3 — — — 55.4 73.6 39.1

1978.............. 59.3 73.8 46.4 60.0 75.0 46.3 53.6 63.3 45.8 — — — 57.2 74.9 41.3

1979.............. 59.9 73.8 47.5 60.6 75.1 47.5 53.8 63.4 46.0 — — — 58.3 75.6 42.5

1980.............. 59.2 72.0 47.7 60.0 73.4 47.8 52.3 60.4 45.7 — — — 57.6 73.5 42.4

1981.............. 59.0 71.3 48.0 60.0 72.8 48.3 51.3 59.1 45.1 — — — 57.4 72.4 43.0

1982.............. 57.8 69.0 47.7 58.8 70.6 48.1 49.4 56.0 44.2 — — — 54.9 68.9 41.3

1983.............. 57.9 68.8 48.0 58.9 70.4 48.5 49.5 56.3 44.1 — — — 55.1 69.4 41.1

1984.............. 59.5 70.7 49.5 60.5 72.1 49.8 52.3 59.2 46.7 — — — 57.9 72.1 44.2

1985.............. 60.1 70.9 50.4 61.0 72.3 50.7 53.4 60.0 48.1 — — — 57.8 72.1 43.8

1986.............. 60.7 71.0 51.4 61.5 72.3 51.7 54.1 60.6 48.8 — — — 58.5 72.5 44.7

1987.............. 61.5 71.5 52.5 62.3 72.7 52.8 55.6 62.0 50.3 — — — 60.5 74.0 47.4

1988.............. 62.3 72.0 53.4 63.1 73.2 53.8 56.3 62.7 51.2 — — — 61.9 75.3 48.8

1989.............. 63.0 72.5 54.3 63.8 73.7 54.6 56.9 62.8 52.0 — — — 62.2 75.8 48.8

1990.............. 62.8 72.0 54.3 63.7 73.3 54.7 56.7 62.6 51.9 — — — 61.9 74.9 48.6

1991.............. 61.7 70.4 53.7 62.6 71.6 54.2 55.4 61.3 50.6 — — — 59.8 72.1 47.3

1992.............. 61.5 69.8 53.8 62.4 71.1 54.2 54.9 59.9 50.8 — — — 59.1 71.2 46.8

1993.............. 61.7 70.0 54.1 62.7 71.4 54.6 55.0 60.0 50.9 — — — 59.1 71.7 46.3

1994.............. 62.5 70.4 55.3 63.5 71.8 55.8 56.1 60.8 52.3 — — — 59.5 71.7 47.2

1995.............. 62.9 70.8 55.6 63.8 72.0 56.1 57.1 61.7 53.4 — — — 59.7 72.1 47.3

1996.............. 63.2 70.9 56.0 64.1 72.3 56.3 57.4 61.1 54.4 — — — 60.6 73.3 47.9

1997.............. 63.8 71.3 56.8 64.6 72.7 57.0 58.2 61.4 55.6 — — — 62.6 74.5 50.2

1998.............. 64.1 71.6 57.1 64.7 72.7 57.1 59.7 62.9 57.2 — — — 63.1 74.7 51.0

1999.............. 64.3 71.6 57.4 64.8 72.8 57.3 60.6 63.1 58.6 — — — 63.4 75.3 51.7

2000.............. 64.4 71.9 57.5 64.9 73.0 57.4 60.9 63.6 58.6 64.8 73.3 57.1 65.7 77.4 53.6

2001.............. 63.7 70.9 57.0 64.2 72.0 57.0 59.7 62.1 57.8 64.2 72.7 56.4 64.9 76.2 53.3

2002.............. 62.7 69.7 56.3 63.4 70.8 56.4 58.1 61.1 55.8 63.2 71.3 55.8 63.9 74.5 52.9

2003.............. 62.3 68.9 56.1 63.0 70.1 56.3 57.4 59.5 55.6 62.4 70.9 54.9 63.1 74.3 51.2

2004.............. 62.3 69.2 56.0 63.1 70.4 56.1 57.2 59.3 55.5 63.0 71.6 55.1 63.8 75.1 51.8

2005.............. 62.7 69.6 56.2 63.4 70.8 56.3 57.7 60.2 55.7 63.4 71.8 55.9 64.0 75.8 51.5

2006.............. 63.1 70.1 56.6 63.8 71.3 56.6 58.4 60.6 56.5 64.2 72.7 56.5 65.2 76.8 52.8

2007.............. 63.0 69.8 56.6 63.6 70.9 56.7 58.4 60.7 56.5 64.3 72.8 56.6 64.9 76.2 53.0

NOTE: Beginning in 2003, estimates for White, Black or African 

American, and Asian race groups include persons who selected that 

race group only; previously, multi-racial persons were included in the 

group they identified as their main race. Asian estimates for 2000-02 

include Asians and Pacific Islanders; beginning in 2003, Asians are a 

separate category. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic 

or Latino may be of any race.
Table 3. Employment status of persons 25 years and over by educational attainment, sex, race, and Hispanic or 

Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages

(Numbers in thousands)

Employment status, sex, race, and Total, 25 years

Less than a High school Some college, AssociateBachelor’s

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and over high school graduates, no no degree degree degree and

diploma college higher

Total

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 194,458 26,633 61,373 32,853 16,978 56,620 

Civilian labor force .......................... 130,907 12,408 38,539 22,958 12,928 44,074 

 Percent of population............... 67.3 46.6 62.8 69.9 76.1 77.8 

 Employed .................................... 126,172 11,521 36,857 22,076 12,535 43,182 

 Employment-population ratio... 64.9 43.3 60.1 67.2 73.8 76.3 

 Unemployed ................................ 4,735 886 1,682 882 393 892 

 Unemployment rate ................. 3.6 7.1 4.4 3.8 3.0 2.0 

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 93,264 13,249 29,232 15,337 7,353 28,094 

Civilian labor force. ......................... 70,501 7,974 21,385 11,810 6,043 23,289 

 Percent of population............... 75.6 60.2 73.2 77.0 82.2 82.9 

 Employed .................................... .67,963 7,450 20,434 11,382 5,862 22,835 

 Employment-population ratio... 72.9 56.2 69.9 74.2 79.7 81.3 

 Unemployed ................................ 2,538 523 951 429 181 454 

 Unemployment rate ................. 3.6 6.6 4.4 3.6 3.0 1.9 

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 101,194 13,385 32,141 17,516 9,625 28,527 

Civilian labor force .......................... 60,406 4,434 17,154 11,148 6,886 20,784 

 Percent of population............... 59.7 33.1 53.4 63.6 71.5 72.9 

 Employed .................................... 58,209 4,071 16,423 10,695 6,674 20,346 

 Employment-population ratio... 57.5 30.4 51.1 61.1 69.3 71.3 

 Unemployed ................................ 2,198 363 731 454 212 438 

 Unemployment rate ................. 3.6 8.2 4.3 4.1 3.1 2.1 

White

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 159,265 21,102 50,340 26,927 14,080 46,815 

Civilian labor force. ......................... 106,963 10,106 31,354 18,578 10,709 36,215 

 Percent of population............... 67.2 47.9 62.3 69.0 76.1 77.4 

 Employed .................................... 103,477 9,446 30,140 17,936 10,419 35,535 

 Employment-population ratio... 65.0 44.8 59.9 66.6 74.0 75.9 

 Unemployed ................................ 3,487 660 1,214 642 290 681 

 Unemployment rate ................. 3.3 6.5 3.9 3.5 2.7 1.9 

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 77,307 10,815 24,169 12,695 6,172 23,456 

Civilian labor force .......................... 58,647 6,775 17,740 9,722 5,097 19,312 

 Percent of population............... 75.9 62.6 73.4 76.6 82.6 82.3 

 Employed .................................... 56,740 6,364 17,039 9,409 4,964 18,964 

 Employment-population ratio... 73.4 58.8 70.5 74.1 80.4 80.8 

 Unemployed ................................ 1,907 411 701 313 134 348 

 Unemployment rate ................. 3.3 6.1 4.0 3.2 2.6 1.8 

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 81,957 10,287 26,171 14,233 7,908 23,359 

Civilian labor force .......................... 48,316 3,331 13,614 8,856 5,612 16,903 

 Percent of population............... 59.0 32.4 52.0 62.2 71.0 72.4 

 Employed .................................... 46,737 3,082 13,102 8,527 5,455 16,571 

 Employment-population ratio... 57.0 30.0 50.1 59.9 69.0 70.9 

 Unemployed ................................ 1,579 249 512 329 157 332 

 Unemployment rate ................. 3.3 7.5 3.8 3.7 2.8 2.0 

See note at end of table.
Table 3. Employment status of persons 25 years and over by educational attainment, sex, race, and Hispanic or 

Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

(Numbers in thousands)

Employment status, sex, race, and Total, 25 years

Less than a High school Some college, AssociateBachelor’s

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and over high school graduates, no no degree degree degree and

diploma college higher

Black or African American

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 21,954 3,761 7,884 4,160 1,881 4,268 

Civilian labor force .......................... 14,721 1,470 5,158 3,093 1,459 3,540 

 Percent of population............... 67.1 39.1 65.4 74.4 77.6 83.0 

 Employed .................................... 13,811 1,293 4,783 2,912 1,389 3,435 

 Employment-population ratio... 62.9 34.4 60.7 70.0 73.8 80.5 

 Unemployed ................................ 910 177 375 181 70 106 

 Unemployment rate ................. 6.2 12.0 7.3 5.9 4.8 3.0 

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 9,677 1,666 3,596 1,802 758 1,855 

Civilian labor force .......................... 6,886 739 2,546 1,404 600 1,597 

 Percent of population............... 71.2 44.3 70.8 77.9 79.2 86.1 

 Employed .................................... 6,429 653 2,340 1,320 570 1,547 

 Employment-population ratio... 66.4 39.2 65.1 73.3 75.1 83.4 

 Unemployed ................................ 457 86 206 84 31 50 

 Unemployment rate ................. 6.6 11.7 8.1 6.0 5.1 3.2 

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 12,277 2,094 4,288 2,358 1,123 2,413 

Civilian labor force .......................... 7,835 731 2,613 1,689 859 1,943 

 Percent of population............... 63.8 34.9 60.9 71.6 76.5 80.5 

 Employed .................................... 7,382 641 2,443 1,592 819 1,888 

 Employment-population ratio... 60.1 30.6 57.0 67.5 72.9 78.2 

 Unemployed ................................ 453 91 170 97 40 55 

 Unemployment rate ................. 5.8 12.4 6.5 5.8 4.6 2.8 

Asian

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 9,109 999 1,858 893 609 4,750 

Civilian labor force .......................... 6,379 437 1,174 647 441 3,679 

 Percent of population............... 70.0 43.8 63.2 72.5 72.5 77.5 

 Employed .................................... 6,200 425 1,136 624 423 3,592 

 Employment-population ratio... 68.1 42.5 61.1 69.9 69.5 75.6 

 Unemployed ................................ 179 13 38 23 18 88 

 Unemployment rate ................. 2.8 2.9 3.2 3.5 4.0 2.4 

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 4,292 383 816 432 240 2,422 

Civilian labor force .......................... 3,454 216 610 358 197 2,072 

 Percent of population............... 80.5 56.6 74.8 83.0 82.0 85.6 

 Employed .................................... 3,361 210 595 344 188 2,025 

 Employment-population ratio... 78.3 55.0 72.9 79.7 78.3 83.6 

 Unemployed ................................ 92 6 16 14 9 47 

 Unemployment rate ................. 2.7 2.8 2.5 4.0 4.5 2.3 

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 4,818 617 1,042 461 369 2,328 

Civilian labor force .......................... 2,926 221 564 289 244 1,607 

 Percent of population............... 60.7 35.8 54.1 62.7 66.2 69.0 

 Employed .................................... 2,838 214 541 281 236 1,567 

 Employment-population ratio... 58.9 34.7 51.9 60.8 63.8 67.3 

 Unemployed ................................ 87 7 23 9 9 40 

 Unemployment rate ................. 3.0 3.1 4.0 3.0 3.6 2.5 

See note at end of table.


Table 3. Employment status of persons 25 years and over by educational attainment, sex, race, and Hispanic or 

Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

(Numbers in thousands)

Employment status, sex, race, and Total, 25 years

Less than a High school Some college, AssociateBachelor’s

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and over high school graduates, no no degree degree degree and

diploma college higher

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 24,791 9,643 7,191 3,176 1,489 3,292 

Civilian labor force .......................... 17,783 6,040 5,344 2,490 1,201 2,707 

 Percent of population............... 71.7 62.6 74.3 78.4 80.7 82.2 

 Employed .................................... 16,973 5,677 5,110 2,382 1,160 2,644 

 Employment-population ratio... 68.5 58.9 71.1 75.0 77.9 80.3 

 Unemployed ................................ 810 363 234 108 41 63 

 Unemployment rate ................. 4.6 6.0 4.4 4.4 3.5 2.3 

Men

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 12,721 5,144 3,742 1,556 671 1,607 

Civilian labor force .......................... 10,758 4,168 3,233 1,341 585 1,430 

 Percent of population............... 84.6 81.0 86.4 86.2 87.1 89.0 

 Employed .................................... 10,303 3,947 3,100 1,285 567 1,403 

 Employment-population ratio... 81.0 76.7 82.8 82.6 84.5 87.3 

 Unemployed ................................ 455 221 133 56 18 27 

 Unemployment rate ................. 4.2 5.3 4.1 4.2 3.0 1.9 

Women

Civilian noninstitutional population ..... 12,070 4,499 3,449 1,620 818 1,685 

Civilian labor force .......................... 7,025 1,872 2,111 1,149 617 1,277 

 Percent of population............... 58.2 41.6 61.2 70.9 75.4 75.8 

 Employed .................................... 6,670 1,730 2,010 1,097 593 1,241 

 Employment-population ratio... 55.3 38.5 58.3 67.7 72.5 73.6 

 Unemployed ................................ 355 141 101 52 24 36 

 Unemployment rate ................. 5.1 7.6 4.8 4.6 3.9 2.8 

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.
Table 4. Employed persons by occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages 

Black or Hispanic or

Occupation Total White African Asian Latino 

American ethnicity

Total, 16 years and over (thousands)...................................................... 146,047 119,792 16,051 6,839 20,382 

Percent.................................................................................................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Management, professional, and related occupations................................. 35.5 36.1 27.1 48.1 17.8 

Management, business, and financial operations................................... 14.8 15.5 10.1 15.8 7.7 

 Management occupations ................................................................... 10.6 11.3 6.1 10.1 5.6 

Business and financial operations occupations................................... 4.  4.  4.  5.  2.

Professional and related occupations..................................................... 20.7 20.6 16.9 32.4 10.0 

 Computer and mathematical occupations........................................... 2.4 2.1 1.5 9.0 0.9 

 Architecture and engineering occupations .......................................... 2.0 2.0 1.0 4.2 0.9 

 Life, physical, and social science occupations.................................... 0.9 0.9 0.5 2.6 0.3 

 Community and social services occupations....................................... 1.6 1.4 2.6 1.1 1.1 

 Legal occupations ............................................................................... 1.1 1.2 0.7 0.7 0.5 

 Education, training, and library occupations........................................ 5.8 6.0 5.1 4.6 3.2 

 Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations............... 1.9 2.0 1.0 1.6 1.2 

 Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations.............................. 5.0 4.8 4.6 8.7 2.0 

Service occupations ................................................................................... 16.5 15.5 23.3 16.0 24.1 

Healthcare support occupations ............................................................. 2.1 1.8 4.7 1.8 2.2 

Protective service occupations ............................................................... 2.1 2.0 3.6 1.0 1.5 

Food preparation and serving related occupations................................. 5.3 5.1 5.5 6.2 8.0 

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations............... 3.7 3.6 5.2 2.2 9.2 

Personal care and service occupations .................................................. 3.3 3.0 4.2 4.8 3.2 

Sales and office occupations...................................................................... 24.8 24.8 26.2 21.9 21.1 

Sales and related occupations................................................................ 11.4 11.6 10.3 11.4 9.3 

Office and administrative support occupations ....................................... 13.4 13.2 15.8 10.5 11.8 

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations................ 10.8 11.6 7.0 4.4 19.4 

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ............................................. 0.7 0.7 0.3 0.2 1.9 

Construction and extraction occupations................................................ 6.5 7.1 4.0 1.7 14.0 

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.................................. 3.6 3.8 2.7 2.4 3.6 

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations.................... 12.4 12.0 16.5 9.6 17.6 

Production occupations........................................................................... 6.4 6.3 7.4 6.5 9.4 

Transportation and material moving occupations ................................... 6.0 5.7 9.2 3.0 8.2 

See note at end of table.
10

Table 4. Employed persons by occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued 

 

Black or Hispanic or

Occupation Total White African Asian Latino 

American ethnicity

Men, 16 years and over (thousands)...................................................... 78,254 65,289 7,500 3,677 12,310 

Percent.................................................................................................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Management, professional, and related occupations................................. 32.7 33.2 22.3 49.3 14.3 

Management, business, and financial operations................................... 15.8 16.7 9.2 15.8 7.2 

 Management occupations ................................................................... 12.4 13.2 6.3 11.4 5.7 

Business and financial operations occupations................................... 3.  3.  2.  4.  1.

Professional and related occupations..................................................... 16.9 16.5 13.1 33.5 7.1 

 Computer and mathematical occupations........................................... 3.3 2.9 2.1 12.5 1.1 

 Architecture and engineering occupations .......................................... 3.2 3.3 1.6 6.2 1.3 

 Life, physical, and social science occupations.................................... 1.0 1.0 0.5 2.9 0.3 

 Community and social services occupations....................................... 1.1 1.1 2.0 0.8 0.6 

 Legal occupations ............................................................................... 1.0 1.1 0.5 0.4 0.3 

 Education, training, and library occupations........................................ 2.9 2.9 2.8 3.6 1.3 

 Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations............... 1.9 2.0 1.2 1.6 1.2 

 Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations.............................. 2.4 2.3 2.3 5.6 1.0 

Service occupations ................................................................................... 13.2 12.4 19.2 13.5 19.7 

Healthcare support occupations ............................................................. 0.4 0.3 1.0 0.8 0.4 

Protective service occupations ............................................................... 3.0 2.9 5.0 1.4 2.0 

Food preparation and serving related occupations................................. 4.3 4.0 5.2 6.5 7.6 

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations............... 4.2 4.0 6.0 2.6 8.7 

Personal care and service occupations .................................................. 1.3 1.1 2.0 2.2 1.0 

Sales and office occupations...................................................................... 16.9 16.7 18.7 18.4 13.2 

Sales and related occupations................................................................ 10.8 11.0 8.8 11.5 7.2 

Office and administrative support occupations ....................................... 6.2 5.7 10.0 6.9 6.0 

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations................ 19.3 20.4 14.0 7.4 31.0 

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ............................................. 1.0 1.1 0.4 0.2 2.5 

Construction and extraction occupations................................................ 11.9 12.7 8.1 3.1 22.8 

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.................................. 6.4 6.7 5.5 4.1 5.7 

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations.................... 17.9 17.3 25.7 11.4 21.7 

Production occupations........................................................................... 8.4 8.4 9.6 6.7 10.4 

Transportation and material moving occupations ................................... 9.5 9.0 16.1 4.7 11.3 

See note at end of table.
11

Table 4. Employed persons by occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued 

 

Black or Hispanic or

Occupation Total White African Asian Latino 

American ethnicity

 Women, 16 years and over (thousands) ............................................. 67,792 54,503 8,551 3,162 8,072 

 Percent................................................................................................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Management, professional, and related occupations................................. 38.6 39.5 31.2 46.8 23.1 

Management, business, and financial operations................................... 13.6 13.9 11.0 15.7 8.6 

 Management occupations ................................................................... 8.6 9.0 6.0 8.5 5.4 

Business and financial operations occupations................................... 5.  4.  5.  7.  3.

Professional and related occupations..................................................... 25.1 25.6 20.3 31.1 14.5 

 Computer and mathematical occupations........................................... 1.3 1.1 1.0 4.9 0.5 

 Architecture and engineering occupations .......................................... 0.6 0.6 0.4 1.8 0.3 

 Life, physical, and social science occupations.................................... 0.9 0.8 0.5 2.3 0.3 

 Community and social services occupations....................................... 2.0 1.9 3.1 1.4 1.8 

 Legal occupations ............................................................................... 1.3 1.4 0.8 1.0 0.8 

 Education, training, and library occupations........................................ 9.2 9.8 7.0 5.7 6.1 

 Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations............... 1.9 2.1 0.8 1.6 1.2 

 Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations.............................. 7.9 7.9 6.6 12.4 3.5 

Service occupations ................................................................................... 20.4 19.3 26.8 18.9 30.7 

Healthcare support occupations ............................................................. 4.1 3.6 7.9 2.9 4.8 

Protective service occupations ............................................................... 1.0 0.8 2.4 0.5 0.8 

Food preparation and serving related occupations................................. 6.4 6.5 5.8 5.9 8.6 

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations............... 3.2 3.1 4.5 1.9 10.0 

Personal care and service occupations .................................................. 5.6 5.3 6.2 7.8 6.5 

Sales and office occupations...................................................................... 33.8 34.4 32.7 26.0 33.1 

Sales and related occupations................................................................ 12.2 12.3 11.7 11.4 12.4 

Office and administrative support occupations ....................................... 21.6 22.1 21.0 14.7 20.7 

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations................ 1.0 1.0 0.8 0.9 1.8 

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ............................................. 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 1.0 

Construction and extraction occupations................................................ 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.6 

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations.................................. 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.2 

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations.................... 6.2 5.7 8.5 7.4 11.3 

Production occupations........................................................................... 4.2 3.9 5.4 6.3 8.0 

Transportation and material moving occupations ................................... 2.0 1.9 3.1 1.0 3.3 

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.
12

Table 5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages

Percent of total employed

Total

Occupation Black or Hispanic or (In White African Asian Latino thousands) American ethnicity

Total, 16 years and older............................................................................ 146,047 82.0 11.0 4.7 14.0 

Management, professional, and related occupations................................. 51,788 83.5 8.4 6.4 7.0 

Management, business, and financial operations occupations............... 21,577 85.8 7.5 5.0 7.3 

Management occupations ................................................................... 15,486 87.5 6.3 4.5 7.4 

Chief executives .............................................................................. 1,649 90.7 3.5 4.3 5.0 

General and operations managers .................................................. 971 89.8 4.6 3.6 7.9 

Legislators ....................................................................................... 19 ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Advertising and promotions managers ............................................ 77 88.3 5.6 3.0 3.1 

Marketing and sales managers........................................................ 848 89.4 5.1 3.5 5.8 

Public relations managers ............................................................... 63 90.5 3.7 4.0 4.2 

Administrative services managers................................................... 98 85.7 8.6 4.2 2.9 

Computer and information systems managers................................ 467 83.1 7.7 8.5 3.4 

Financial managers ......................................................................... 1,181 85.2 7.1 6.7 8.0 

Human resources managers ........................................................... 253 83.8 11.6 3.3 7.1 

Industrial production managers ....................................................... 264 89.0 4.7 3.7 9.8 

Purchasing managers...................................................................... 168 85.7 8.5 4.8 6.4 

Transportation, storage, and distribution managers ........................ 260 86.2 10.0 1.8 13.6 

Farm, ranch, and other agricultural managers................................. 204 97.1 0.6 1.1 5.3 

Farmers and ranchers ..................................................................... 742 96.9 1.1 0.5 2.3 

Construction managers.................................................................... 1,176 94.0 2.6 1.5 9.2 

Education administrators ................................................................. 810 84.6 12.6 1.0 7.4 

Engineering managers..................................................................... 114 87.7 2.8 8.1 1.5 

Food service managers ................................................................... 1,002 80.4 7.2 9.9 14.3 

Funeral directors.............................................................................. 43 ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Gaming managers ........................................................................... 7 ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Lodging managers........................................................................... 151 78.1 7.4 13.4 7.7 

Medical and health services managers ........................................... 536 81.7 11.3 5.1 7.4 

Natural sciences managers ............................................................. 12 ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Postmasters and mail superintendents............................................ 50 84.0 13.0 3.1 2.1 

Property, real estate, and community association managers .......... 594 86.2 7.1 4.7 9.5 

Social and community service managers ........................................ 331 80.4 13.5 4.0 8.6 

Managers, all other.......................................................................... 3,398 86.8 6.6 4.8 7.0 

Business and financial operations occupations................................... 6,091 81.5 10.5 6.4 7.2 

Agents and business managers of artists, performers,

and athletes ................................................................................... 41 ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products ................................ 7 ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Wholesale and retail buyers, except farm products......................... 200 84.5 7.2 5.1 7.9 

Purchasing agents, except wholesale, retail, and farm products..... 280 85.4 8.2 3.9 6.9 

Claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators............ 289 77.2 17.3 3.1 7.8 

Compliance officers, except agriculture, construction, health and

safety, and transportation............................................................... 139 84.9 8.9 4.5 8.0 

Cost estimators................................................................................ 115 94.8 0.2 4.6 5.1 

Human resources, training, and labor relations specialists ............. 793 80.2 14.2 3.6 7.5 

Logisticians...................................................................................... 55 80.0 11.7 7.6 2.7 

Management analysts...................................................................... 627 87.4 5.4 6.5 6.4 

Meeting and convention planners.................................................... 44 ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Other business operations specialists ............................................. 218 78.9 13.3 6.4 9.2 

Accountants and auditors ................................................................ 1,806 78.8 10.5 9.1 5.9 

Appraisers and assessors of real estate.......................................... 118 89.0 4.9 5.1 5.4 

Budget analysts ............................................................................... 62 77.4 11.7 9.8 2.4 

Credit analysts................................................................................. 30 ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Financial analysts ............................................................................ 109 79.8 4.0 14.7 5.8 

Personal financial advisors.............................................................. 373 85.8 7.6 6.0 6.5 

Insurance underwriters .................................................................... 94 79.8 14.3 6.1 2.5 

See footnotes at end of table.
13

Table 5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Percent of total employed

Total

Occupation Black or Hispanic or (In White African Asian Latino thousands) American ethnicity

Financial examiners......................................................................... 6 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Loan counselors and officers........................................................... 467 78.4 14.4 4.2 13.1 

Tax examiners, collectors, and revenue agents............................... 62 75.8 22.0 1.6 10.5 

Tax preparers................................................................................... 104 79.8 13.6 5.8 10.1 

Financial specialists, all other.......................................................... 52 86.5 8.7 4.0 9.8 

Professional and related occupations ..................................................... 30,210 81.8 9.0 7.3 6.8 

Computer and mathematical occupations .......................................... 3,441 73.3 7.2 17.8 5.2 

Computer scientists and systems analysts...................................... 825 74.1 8.8 15.5 5.6 

Computer programmers................................................................... 526 73.6 5.2 19.6 6.2 

Computer software engineers.......................................................... 907 64.1 4.9 29.4 2.8 

Computer support specialists .......................................................... 332 78.0 11.2 8.8 6.0 

Database administrators.................................................................. 104 76.9 5.8 16.2 3.8 

Network and computer systems administrators............................... 214 81.3 7.9 10.1 7.8 

Network systems and data communications analysts ..................... 383 81.2 7.4 9.1 6.9 

Actuaries.......................................................................................... 18 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Mathematicians................................................................................ 2 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Operations research analysts.......................................................... 87 79.3 13.1 5.3 7.8 

Statisticians...................................................................................... 41 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Miscellaneous mathematical science occupations .......................... 3 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Architecture and engineering occupations .......................................... 2,932 83.5 5.3 9.7 6.4 

Architects, except naval................................................................... 240 86.7 4.4 8.6 7.0 

Surveyors, cartographers, and photogrammetrists.......................... 45 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Aerospace engineers....................................................................... 123 79.7 6.6 13.4 3.1 

Agricultural engineers...................................................................... 4 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Biomedical engineers ...................................................................... 12 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Chemical engineers......................................................................... 75 78.7 10.3 11.6 4.3 

Civil engineers ................................................................................. 382 86.6 2.9 8.8 6.1 

Computer hardware engineers ........................................................ 79 69.6 5.6 22.8 4.9 

Electrical and electronics engineers ................................................ 347 78.1 6.9 13.5 4.1 

Environmental engineers................................................................. 36 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Industrial engineers, including health and safety............................. 161 86.3 4.4 8.0 3.0 

Marine engineers and naval architects............................................ 11 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Materials engineers ......................................................................... 38 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Mechanical engineers...................................................................... 296 83.8 4.2 12.1 3.8 

Mining and geological engineers, including mining

safety engineers............................................................................. 5 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Nuclear engineers............................................................................ 10 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Petroleum engineers........................................................................ 21 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Engineers, all other.......................................................................... 349 83.1 3.0 12.0 8.5 

Drafters............................................................................................ 187 88.8 5.3 4.1 8.8 

Engineering technicians, except drafters......................................... 420 83.3 8.3 5.9 11.2 

Surveying and mapping technicians................................................ 92 90.2 5.0 1.2 5.8 

Life, physical, and social science occupations .................................... 1,382 79.2 5.8 12.9 4.6 

Agricultural and food scientists........................................................ 32 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Biological scientists.......................................................................... 92 81.5 2.0 13.5 1.7 

Conservation scientists and foresters.............................................. 30 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Medical scientists............................................................................. 152 59.2 7.4 31.9 2.8 

Astronomers and physicists............................................................. 17 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Atmospheric and space scientists ................................................... 7 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Chemists and materials scientists ................................................... 118 73.7 6.8 18.3 5.1 

Environmental scientists and geoscientists ..................................... 98 87.8 5.4 3.9 0.3 

Physical scientists, all other............................................................. 119 68.1 6.4 23.5 2.8 

Economists ...................................................................................... 23 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Market and survey researchers ....................................................... 159 83.6 5.2 9.9 5.1 

See footnotes at end of table. 
14

Table 5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Percent of total employed

Total

Occupation Black or Hispanic or (In White African Asian Latino thousands) American ethnicity

Psychologists................................................................................... 185 88.1 7.0 4.6 3.5 

Sociologists...................................................................................... 7 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Urban and regional planners ........................................................... 30 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Miscellaneous social scientists and related workers ....................... 36 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Agricultural and food science technicians........................................ 23 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Biological technicians ...................................................................... 23 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Chemical technicians....................................................................... 62 83.9 7.4 6.0 14.5 

Geological and petroleum technicians............................................. 15 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Nuclear technicians ......................................................................... 2 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Other life, physical, and social science technicians......................... 151 81.5 4.9 11.1 4.9 

Community and social services occupations....................................... 2,265 75.9 18.4 3.2 9.5 

Counselors....................................................................................... 686 74.8 18.6 2.9 8.3 

Social workers ................................................................................. 673 71.8 22.9 3.2 11.9 

Miscellaneous community and social service specialists ................ 317 71.0 23.8 3.0 14.6 

Clergy .............................................................................................. 422 84.6 11.1 3.5 5.0 

Directors, religious activities and education..................................... 57 89.5 3.4 3.3 6.0 

Religious workers, all other.............................................................. 110 82.7 9.3 4.8 6.9 

Legal occupations................................................................................ 1,668 88.8 6.7 2.8 6.0 

Lawyers ........................................................................................... 1,001 90.8 4.9 2.6 4.3 

Judges, magistrates, and other judicial workers.............................. 68 86.8 9.1 0.1 8.1 

Paralegals and legal assistants ....................................................... 347 84.7 9.7 3.4 9.0 

Miscellaneous legal support workers............................................... 253 86.2 8.7 3.6 8.1 

Education, training, and library occupations........................................ 8,485 85.0 9.6 3.7 7.6 

Postsecondary teachers .................................................................. 1,261 81.2 5.6 11.7 4.2 

Preschool and kindergarten teachers.............................................. 667 80.7 14.3 3.0 10.4 

Elementary and middle school teachers.......................................... 2,943 86.6 10.3 1.6 6.9 

Secondary school teachers ............................................................. 1,158 90.4 7.1 1.4 7.0 

Special education teachers.............................................................. 363 88.4 8.7 1.4 4.5 

Other teachers and instructors ........................................................ 732 81.4 10.4 5.6 6.7 

Archivists, curators, and museum technicians................................. 42 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Librarians......................................................................................... 215 90.7 6.0 2.0 4.1 

Library technicians........................................................................... 52 82.7 11.9 4.1 9.9 

Teacher assistants........................................................................... 974 82.1 12.8 2.2 15.8 

Other education, training, and library workers................................. 78 83.3 11.2 5.3 6.0 

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations............... 2,789 88.0 5.7 3.9 8.7 

Artists and related workers .............................................................. 227 91.6 2.6 3.9 5.2 

Designers......................................................................................... 852 89.0 4.0 5.6 8.5 

Actors............................................................................................... 28 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Producers and directors................................................................... 149 91.9 4.7 1.9 7.4 

Athletes, coaches, umpires, and related workers............................ 253 87.0 8.2 1.4 7.6 

Dancers and choreographers .......................................................... 25 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Musicians, singers, and related workers.......................................... 170 87.1 9.5 2.0 13.2 

Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers,

all other .......................................................................................... 42 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Announcers...................................................................................... 51 74.5 22.8 0.6 9.5 

News analysts, reporters and correspondents ................................ 84 88.1 6.4 2.7 6.8 

Public relations specialists............................................................... 132 87.1 5.5 4.3 7.2 

Editors.............................................................................................. 163 87.7 5.8 3.7 6.3 

Technical writers .............................................................................. 51 88.2 4.3 6.4 3.6 

Writers and authors ......................................................................... 179 88.8 2.6 4.1 3.2 

Miscellaneous media and communication workers ......................... 73 80.8 3.6 12.7 35.5 

Broadcast and sound engineering technicians and

radio operators............................................................................... 89 85.4 9.1 4.3 9.3 

See footnotes at end of table.
15

Table 5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Percent of total employed

Total

Occupation Black or Hispanic or (In White African Asian Latino thousands) American ethnicity

Photographers ................................................................................. 173 90.2 5.7 1.9 10.3 

Television, video, and motion picture camera

operators and editors..................................................................... 47 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Media and communication equipment workers, all other................. – – – – –

Healthcare practitioner and technical occupations.............................. 7,248 79.9 10.2 8.2 5.6 

Chiropractors ................................................................................... 62 98.4 0.8 – 3.0 

Dentists............................................................................................ 184 82.1 5.4 10.9 3.4 

Dietitians and nutritionists................................................................ 100 73.0 15.8 9.3 5.3 

Optometrists .................................................................................... 34 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Pharmacists..................................................................................... 247 74.5 5.9 16.6 2.5 

Physicians and surgeons................................................................. 888 76.2 5.6 16.9 5.2 

Physician assistants ........................................................................ 87 85.1 7.2 5.6 8.2 

Podiatrists........................................................................................ 10 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Registered nurses............................................................................ 2,629 80.4 9.9 7.9 4.6 

Audiologists ..................................................................................... 15 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Occupational therapists ................................................................... 79 94.9 1.4 3.4 6.7 

Physical therapists........................................................................... 212 83.5 3.5 12.0 5.3 

Radiation therapists......................................................................... 13 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Recreational therapists.................................................................... 22 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Respiratory therapists...................................................................... 97 84.5 11.0 3.2 8.9 

Speech-language pathologists ........................................................ 122 91.0 6.3 1.8 4.5 

Therapists, all other......................................................................... 123 81.3 10.7 4.4 8.7 

Veterinarians.................................................................................... 56 98.2 1.0 0.6 6.3 

Health diagnosing and treating practitioners, all other..................... 21 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians ............................ 332 69.9 18.3 10.4 5.0 

Dental hygienists ............................................................................. 156 94.2 1.4 3.8 5.4 

Diagnostic related technologists and technicians............................ 287 87.1 8.0 3.3 8.4 

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics............................ 162 87.7 8.6 0.7 7.0 

Health diagnosing and treating practitioner

 support technicians........................................................................ 462 78.6 14.0 6.0 8.8 

Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses.......................... 533 70.9 22.4 3.9 5.8 

Medical records and health information technicians........................ 83 74.7 17.9 3.7 15.8 

Opticians, dispensing....................................................................... 54 94.4 2.7 0.5 14.6 

Miscellaneous health technologists and technicians ....................... 124 66.1 25.7 6.0 7.4 

Other healthcare practitioners and technical occupations............... 53 86.8 7.4 4.6 4.0 

Service occupations ................................................................................ 24,137 77.0 15.5 4.5 20.3 

Healthcare support occupations.......................................................... 3,138 69.5 24.0 3.9 14.0 

Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides................................... 1,879 59.7 33.6 4.2 13.8 

Occupational therapist assistants and aides ................................... 9 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Physical therapist assistants and aides........................................... 61 85.2 9.1 3.0 9.2 

Massage therapists.......................................................................... 134 88.8 2.7 5.1 6.9 

Dental assistants ............................................................................. 275 90.5 6.8 1.2 16.7 

Medical assistants and other healthcare support occupations ........ 781 81.0 11.8 3.9 15.6 

Protective service occupations............................................................ 3,071 76.4 18.9 2.1 10.0 

First-line supervisors/managers of correctional officers .................. 47 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

First-line supervisors/managers of police and detectives................ 116 87.1 11.2 0.8 10.6 

First-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and

prevention workers......................................................................... 56 91.1 4.2 2.2 10.6 

Supervisors, protective service workers, all other ........................... 97 78.4 18.2 1.7 11.9 

Fire fighters...................................................................................... 288 85.8 10.0 0.9 6.2 

Fire inspectors ................................................................................. 16 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Bailiffs, correctional officers, and jailers........................................... 444 73.2 23.9 0.4 7.3 

Detectives and criminal investigators .............................................. 135 82.2 14.9 3.0 11.2 

See footnotes at end of table.
16

Table 5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Percent of total employed

Total

Occupation Black or Hispanic or (In White African Asian Latino thousands) American ethnicity

Fish and game wardens .................................................................. 8 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Parking enforcement workers.......................................................... 11 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Police and sheriff’s patrol officers .................................................... 669 83.4 12.7 2.6 9.1 

Transit and railroad police ............................................................... 5 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Animal control workers .................................................................... 10 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Private detectives and investigators ................................................ 86 88.4 7.9 2.8 9.7 

Security guards and gaming surveillance officers ........................... 891 64.6 28.3 3.3 12.4 

Crossing guards............................................................................... 48 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Lifeguards and other protective service workers ............................. 144 84.0 12.2 0.8 9.5 

Food preparation and serving related occupations ............................. 7,699 79.5 11.5 5.5 21.2 

Chefs and head cooks..................................................................... 345 71.0 12.2 13.6 19.5 

First-line supervisors/managers of food preparation

and serving workers....................................................................... 610 79.7 13.9 2.9 16.3 

Cooks............................................................................................... 1,939 74.5 15.4 6.0 31.0 

Food preparation workers................................................................ 681 79.1 12.2 5.3 23.4 

Bartenders ....................................................................................... 375 90.9 3.3 3.1 10.9 

Combined food preparation and serving workers,

 including fast food.......................................................................... 302 79.8 12.4 4.2 12.6 

Counter attendants, cafeteria, food concession, and 

coffee shop .................................................................................... 323 83.0 10.6 3.7 14.7 

Waiters and waitresses.................................................................... 1,978 83.8 7.7 5.6 15.3 

Food servers, nonrestaurant............................................................ 182 70.3 20.9 6.4 16.9 

Dining room and cafeteria attendants and 

bartender helpers........................................................................... 392 79.1 10.9 5.5 27.9 

Dishwashers .................................................................................... 281 78.6 11.8 4.4 36.6 

Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop............. 284 82.4 9.8 5.7 11.9 

Food preparation and serving related workers, all other ................. 7 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations ........... 5,469 79.1 15.2 2.8 34.3 

First-line supervisors/managers of housekeeping

and janitorial workers..................................................................... 319 76.5 19.2 2.6 21.2 

First-line supervisors/managers of landscaping,

lawn service, and grounds keeping workers.................................. 234 91.9 4.3 2.0 19.3 

Janitors and building cleaners ......................................................... 2,080 74.2 19.2 3.2 28.0 

Maids and housekeeping cleaners .................................................. 1,427 76.2 17.6 3.3 40.4 

Pest control workers ........................................................................ 77 76.6 12.9 5.3 14.2 

Grounds maintenance workers........................................................ 1,332 88.3 7.5 1.7 44.4 

Personal care and service occupations............................................... 4,760 75.9 14.3 6.9 13.6 

First-line supervisors/managers of gaming workers ........................ 139 83.5 10.0 3.9 6.2 

First-line supervisors/managers of personal service workers.......... 157 77.7 9.3 11.7 5.5 

Animal trainers................................................................................. 31 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Nonfarm animal caretakers.............................................................. 140 94.3 1.7 1.0 13.4 

Gaming services workers ................................................................ 111 61.3 9.8 23.8 7.8 

Motion picture projectionists ............................................................ 6 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers..................................... 51 82.4 13.4 2.5 9.0 

Miscellaneous entertainment attendants and 

 related workers .............................................................................. 160 85.6 8.0 2.1 13.1 

Funeral service workers................................................................... 12 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Barbers ............................................................................................ 102 65.7 27.3 2.4 22.6 

Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists................................. 778 81.1 11.1 5.5 12.5 

Miscellaneous personal appearance workers.................................. 223 42.2 5.9 49.1 6.8 

Baggage porters, bellhops, and concierges .................................... 60 60.0 20.3 10.0 26.7 

Tour and travel guides ..................................................................... 47 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Transportation attendants................................................................ 148 72.3 18.5 7.7 9.8 

Child care workers........................................................................... 1,341 78.9 16.0 2.7 16.8 

Personal and home care aides........................................................ 766 67.4 22.5 6.2 18.8 

See footnotes at end of table.
17

Table 5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Percent of total employed

Total

Occupation Black or Hispanic or (In White African Asian Latino thousands) American ethnicity

Recreation and fitness workers ....................................................... 331 87.0 7.8 1.8 6.9 

Residential advisors......................................................................... 64 70.3 26.6 2.5 2.1 

Personal care and service workers, all other................................... 90 75.6 17.0 3.9 10.2 

Sales and office occupations .................................................................. 36,212 81.9 11.6 4.1 11.9 

Sales and related occupations ............................................................ 16,698 83.2 9.9 4.7 11.3 

First-line supervisors/managers of retail salesworkers.................... 3,445 84.7 8.0 5.3 9.6 

First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail 

 salesworkers.................................................................................. 1,333 85.1 7.2 5.8 8.8 

Cashiers........................................................................................... 3,022 73.2 17.4 5.8 17.0 

Counter and rental clerks................................................................. 158 77.2 15.9 3.1 11.0 

Parts salespersons .......................................................................... 132 89.4 7.9 0.3 11.9 

Retail salespersons ......................................................................... 3,492 82.9 10.9 4.1 12.2 

Advertising sales agents.................................................................. 219 89.5 7.2 1.4 7.7 

Insurance sales agents.................................................................... 538 87.7 7.7 3.1 8.2 

Securities, commodities, and financial services 

 sales agents................................................................................... 398 84.2 7.4 7.3 8.3 

Travel agents ................................................................................... 111 80.2 7.7 9.6 9.1 

Sales representatives, services, all other........................................ 590 86.4 8.5 3.3 8.4 

Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing ..................... 1,442 91.4 4.2 3.4 8.4 

Models, demonstrators, and product promoters.............................. 75 92.0 2.1 3.7 8.1 

Real estate brokers and sales agents ............................................. 1,050 88.5 5.3 5.0 10.1 

Sales engineers............................................................................... 40 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Telemarketers .................................................................................. 160 73.8 19.5 1.2 13.4 

Door-to-door salesworkers, news and street

 vendors, and related workers ....................................................... 265 82.6 10.5 3.9 17.5 

Sales and related workers, all other ................................................ 227 85.9 9.2 1.1 6.9 

Office and administrative support occupations.................................... 19,513 80.8 13.0 3.7 12.4 

First-line supervisors/managers of office and

 administrative support workers...................................................... 1,629 84.6 9.5 3.9 11.3 

Switchboard operators, including answering service....................... 50 82.0 14.6 0.5 6.5 

Telephone operators........................................................................ 40 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Communications equipment operators, all other............................. 8 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Bill and account collectors ............................................................... 216 71.8 24.3 2.1 14.4 

Billing and posting clerks and machine operators ........................... 442 77.1 14.9 4.4 11.6 

Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks................................. 1,490 86.6 7.3 3.8 9.5 

Gaming cage workers...................................................................... 13 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Payroll and timekeeping clerks........................................................ 181 84.0 8.8 4.7 12.2 

Procurement clerks.......................................................................... 28 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Tellers .............................................................................................. 472 82.4 10.5 4.9 13.3 

Brokerage clerks.............................................................................. 6 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Correspondence clerks.................................................................... 7 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Court, municipal, and license clerks ................................................ 99 80.8 11.7 5.3 11.1 

Credit authorizers, checkers, and clerks.......................................... 48 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Customer service representatives ................................................... 1,917 75.6 18.0 3.6 14.1 

Eligibility interviewers, government programs ................................. 68 69.1 21.0 6.8 11.0 

File clerks......................................................................................... 403 75.9 17.9 3.8 13.1 

Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks ................................................ 118 77.1 13.7 3.6 16.2 

Interviewers, except eligibility and loan ........................................... 141 75.9 17.6 3.6 13.3 

Library assistants, clerical................................................................ 113 79.6 8.7 10.4 12.6 

Loan interviewers and clerks ........................................................... 155 84.5 7.7 4.1 14.6 

New accounts clerks........................................................................ 17 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Order clerks ..................................................................................... 102 79.4 14.9 4.1 12.5 

Human resources assistants, except payroll and 

 timekeeping ................................................................................... 49 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Receptionists and information clerks............................................... 1,441 83.3 11.3 2.7 14.3 

See footnotes at end of table.
1

Table 5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Percent of total employed

Total

Occupation Black or Hispanic or (In White African Asian Latino thousands) American ethnicity

Reservation and transportation ticket agents and

 travel clerks.................................................................................... 144 74.3 15.3 3.3 15.3 

Information and record clerks, all other ........................................... 101 85.1 11.2 1.8 12.5 

Cargo and freight agents ................................................................. 21 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Couriers and messengers................................................................ 254 77.2 15.9 4.7 11.1 

Dispatchers...................................................................................... 286 83.6 11.6 1.0 12.0 

Meter readers, utilities ..................................................................... 42 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Postal service clerks........................................................................ 172 63.4 24.8 9.1 10.4 

Postal service mail carriers.............................................................. 364 75.8 15.9 6.1 7.5 

Postal service mail sorters, processors, and

 processing machine operators....................................................... 84 46.4 37.0 12.2 6.5 

Production, planning, and expediting clerks .................................... 258 88.8 6.5 2.6 10.2 

Shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks .............................................. 539 82.7 11.6 2.8 23.0 

Stock clerks and order fillers............................................................ 1,512 76.3 17.4 3.6 17.3 

Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, 

 recordkeeping................................................................................ 68 82.4 14.0 0.9 19.9 

Secretaries and administrative assistants ....................................... 3,401 87.0 9.0 2.2 9.3 

Computer operators......................................................................... 160 80.0 15.0 4.8 11.3 

Data entry keyers............................................................................. 449 73.7 16.5 7.3 10.7 

Word processors and typists ........................................................... 214 76.2 19.6 3.0 11.8 

Desktop publishers .......................................................................... 4 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Insurance claims and policy processing clerks................................ 283 80.2 15.4 1.7 13.8 

Mail clerks and mail machine operators, except 

 postal service................................................................................. 123 67.5 25.7 5.2 11.6 

Office clerks, general....................................................................... 1,097 77.6 14.0 5.5 13.8 

Office machine operators, except computer.................................... 48 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Proofreaders and copy markers ...................................................... 13 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Statistical assistants ........................................................................ 21 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Office and administrative support workers, all other........................ 603 80.6 12.9 4.1 9.7 

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 

 occupations ....................................................................................... 15,740 88.2 7.1 1.9 25.2 

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations.......................................... 960 89.5 4.9 1.7 40.4 

First-line supervisors/managers of farming, fishing, and 

 forestry workers ............................................................................. 42 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Agricultural inspectors ..................................................................... 14 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Animal breeders............................................................................... 8 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Graders and sorters, agricultural products ...................................... 81 72.8 15.9 4.3 50.2 

Miscellaneous agricultural workers.................................................. 683 90.9 3.4 1.5 45.9 

Fishers and related fishing workers................................................. 34 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Hunters and trappers....................................................................... 1 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Forest and conservation workers..................................................... 9 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Logging workers .............................................................................. 88 89.8 7.7 0.2 15.1 

Construction and extraction occupations............................................. 9,535 89.2 6.7 1.2 29.9 

First-line supervisors/managers of construction 

 trades and extraction workers........................................................ 918 93.0 3.8 0.7 15.9 

Boilermakers.................................................................................... 24 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons............................... 233 85.4 9.1 0.7 37.2 

Carpenters....................................................................................... 1,824 89.8 5.6 1.8 26.9 

Carpet, floor, and tile installers and finishers................................... 258 92.6 5.1 1.1 43.3 

Cement masons, concrete finishers and terrazzo 

 workers .......................................................................................... 112 83.9 12.9 0.4 52.1 

Construction laborers....................................................................... 1,771 86.0 8.6 1.7 44.6 

Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators ..................... 28 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Pile-driver operators ........................................................................ 5 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

See footnotes at end of table.
19

Table 5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Percent of total employed

Total

Occupation Black or Hispanic or (In White African Asian Latino thousands) American ethnicity

Operating engineers and other construction 

 equipment operators...................................................................... 411 89.8 7.4 0.4 15.1 

Drywall installers, ceiling tile installers, and tapers.......................... 232 93.1 3.5 0.2 53.6 

Electricians ...................................................................................... 912 90.6 5.9 1.2 14.3 

Glaziers............................................................................................ 52 90.4 4.9 2.3 17.4 

Insulation workers............................................................................ 52 94.2 4.5 0.6 36.0 

Painters, construction and maintenance.......................................... 714 88.5 5.6 1.5 41.0 

Paperhangers .................................................................................. 6 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters.......................... 697 88.5 8.3 1.0 23.0 

Plasterers and stucco masons......................................................... 82 98.8 – – 65.3 

Reinforcing iron and rebar workers.................................................. 12 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Roofers ............................................................................................ 269 92.9 4.9 0.1 45.1 

Sheet metal workers........................................................................ 143 90.9 4.8 2.2 15.9 

Structural iron and steel workers ..................................................... 88 87.5 5.2 2.2 9.6 

Helpers, construction trades............................................................ 117 82.1 14.0 0.4 39.2 

Construction and building inspectors............................................... 107 87.9 7.8 4.1 8.0 

Elevator installers and repairers ...................................................... 31 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Fence erectors................................................................................. 35 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Hazardous materials removal workers ............................................ 17 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Highway maintenance workers........................................................ 109 83.5 14.4 – 19.5 

Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators................. 12 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners................................ 5 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Miscellaneous construction and related workers............................. 48 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Derrick, rotary drill, and service unit operators, oil, 

 gas, and mining ............................................................................. 43 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Earth drillers, except oil and gas...................................................... 40 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and 

 blasters .......................................................................................... 4 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Mining machine operators ............................................................... 58 94.8 4.1 0.4 12.0 

Roof bolters, mining......................................................................... 4 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Roustabouts, oil and gas ................................................................. 5 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Helpers--extraction workers............................................................. 5 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Other extraction workers.................................................................. 50 92.0 6.2 – 32.9 

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations .............................. 5,245 86.1 8.3 3.1 13.8 

First-line supervisors/managers of mechanics,

 installers, and repairers ................................................................. 330 89.1 6.4 1.5 11.4 

Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers .............. 318 75.2 12.8 9.8 10.2 

Radio and telecommunications equipment

 installers and repairers .................................................................. 203 80.8 12.2 3.9 10.9 

Avionics technicians ........................................................................ 14 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Electric motor, power tool, and related repairers ............................. 27 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Electrical and electronics installers and

 repairers, transportation equipment............................................... 5 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Electrical and electronics repairers, industrial and utility ................. 14 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Electronic equipment installers and repairers, 

 motor vehicles................................................................................ 28 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Electronic home entertainment equipment installers 

 and repairers.................................................................................. 62 83.9 8.6 7.4 13.2 

Security and fire alarm systems installers ....................................... 64 85.9 5.9 5.6 12.4 

Aircraft mechanics and service technicians..................................... 126 84.9 7.8 2.8 11.7 

Automotive body and related repairers............................................ 155 89.0 5.0 4.4 24.9 

Automotive glass installers and repairers........................................ 16 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Automotive service technicians and mechanics .............................. 879 86.7 7.9 3.6 17.7 

Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists.................. 365 89.0 7.6 1.7 12.7 

Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service

 technicians and mechanics............................................................ 226 91.2 5.6 1.2 12.2 

See footnotes at end of table.
20

Table 5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Percent of total employed

Total

Occupation Black or Hispanic or (In White African Asian Latino thousands) American ethnicity

Small engine mechanics.................................................................. 68 94.1 4.4 – 8.8 

Miscellaneous vehicle and mobile equipment ` 

 mechanics, installers, and repairers .............................................. 88 83.0 8.9 2.3 16.5 

Control and valve installers and repairers ....................................... 20 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics 

 and installers.................................................................................. 403 89.1 6.3 2.2 13.7 

Home appliance repairers................................................................ 51 84.3 7.2 5.4 11.3 

Industrial and refractory machinery mechanics ............................... 426 86.4 8.3 2.6 11.4 

Maintenance and repair workers, general ....................................... 488 82.4 10.5 3.6 14.6 

Maintenance workers, machinery.................................................... 55 87.3 6.0 3.5 8.8 

Millwrights........................................................................................ 75 92.0 6.2 0.3 4.5 

Electrical power-line installers and repairers ................................... 103 91.3 6.0 0.3 6.3 

Telecommunications line installers and repairers ............................ 227 83.7 13.5 1.1 14.9 

Precision instrument and equipment repairers ................................ 58 91.4 3.8 3.3 12.5 

Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers... 61 86.9 5.2 2.3 12.7 

Commercial divers........................................................................... 7 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Locksmiths and safe repairers......................................................... 24 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Manufactured building and mobile home installers.......................... 18 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Riggers ............................................................................................ 8 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Signal and track switch repairers..................................................... 10 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers................... 22 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Other installation, maintenance, and repair workers ....................... 198 86.4 8.0 2.6 19.7 

Production, transportation, and material-moving occupations ................ 18,171 79.4 14.6 3.6 19.7 

Production occupations ....................................................................... 9,395 80.5 12.6 4.8 20.4 

First-line supervisors/managers of production and 

 operating workers .......................................................................... 941 82.6 11.6 4.8 10.2 

Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers ........ 10 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Electrical, electronics, and electromechanical assemblers.............. 205 67.3 13.1 16.7 20.0 

Engine and other machine assemblers ........................................... 14 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Structural metal fabricators and fitters............................................. 33 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators...................................... 1,071 77.6 15.3 5.1 18.6 

Bakers.............................................................................................. 192 84.4 6.8 5.7 24.5 

Butchers and other meat, poultry, and fish

 processing workers........................................................................ 281 80.4 13.1 4.0 41.1 

Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying

 machine operators and tenders..................................................... 16 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Food batchmakers........................................................................... 92 80.4 12.5 2.2 32.4 

Food cooking machine operators and tenders ................................ 7 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Computer control programmers and operators................................ 55 89.1 7.1 0.4 4.0 

Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators,

 and tenders, metal and plastic....................................................... 18 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders,

 metal and plastic............................................................................ 9 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, 

 metal and plastic............................................................................ 12 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, 

 operators, and tenders, metal and plastic...................................... 118 89.0 9.4 0.8 22.0 

Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and 

 and tenders, metal and plastic....................................................... 2 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine 

 tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic.................. 55 72.7 23.9 1.4 15.6 

Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, 

 and tenders, metal and plastic....................................................... 15 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and 

 tenders, metal and plastic.............................................................. 4 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Machinists........................................................................................ 422 88.2 5.0 5.2 13.9 

See footnotes at end of table.
21

Table 5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Percent of total employed

Total

Occupation Black or Hispanic or (In White African Asian Latino thousands) American ethnicity

Metal furnace and kiln operators and tenders ................................. 24 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Model makers and patternmakers, metal and plastic ...................... 15 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Molders and molding machine setters, operators, and

 tenders, metal and plastic.............................................................. 75 90.7 6.5 2.1 10.9 

Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, 

 metal and plastic............................................................................ 5 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Tool and die makers......................................................................... 80 97.5 – 1.3 5.7 

Welding, soldering, and brazing workers......................................... 577 87.0 7.3 2.8 20.3 

Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and 

 tenders, metal and plastic.............................................................. 13 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Lay-out workers, metal and plastic .................................................. 8 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and 

 tenders, metal and plastic.............................................................. 18 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners................................................ 7 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Metalworkers and plastic workers, all other..................................... 435 81.6 12.4 4.8 25.4 

Bookbinders and bindery workers ................................................... 47 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Job printers...................................................................................... 42 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Prepress technicians and workers................................................... 52 92.3 4.8 1.8 11.4 

Printing machine operators.............................................................. 222 81.5 11.7 4.6 16.2 

Laundry and dry-cleaning workers................................................... 229 69.4 21.0 7.6 30.9 

Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials ............................ 59 72.9 20.5 5.9 52.3 

Sewing machine operators .............................................................. 265 71.7 12.8 14.4 35.5 

Shoe and leather workers and repairers.......................................... 12 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1

 )

Shoe machine operators and tenders.............................................. 9 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1

 ) ( 1 )

Tailors, dressmakers, and sewers ................................................... 90 75.6 5.9 18.5 29.0 

Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders......... 5 (

 1 ) ( 1

 ) (

 1 ) ( 1 )

Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders .................. 6 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Textile knitting and weaving machine setters,

 operators, and tenders................................................................... 13 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine

 setters, operators, and tenders...................................................... 25 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, 

 and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers ......................................... 0 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Fabric and apparel patternmakers................................................... 5 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Upholsterers .................................................................................... 53 83.0 13.1 0.6 23.4 

Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers, all other.......................... 16 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters............................................. 91 85.7 4.4 3.6 19.3 

Furniture finishers............................................................................ 20 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Model makers and patternmakers, wood......................................... 1 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood.................. 52 88.5 9.5 – 24.9 

Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, 

 except sawing................................................................................ 30 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Woodworkers, all other.................................................................... 35 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers....................... 48 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Stationary engineers and boiler operators....................................... 95 75.8 15.5 1.8 9.2 

Water and liquid waste treatment plant and system

 operators........................................................................................ 72 81.9 16.4 – 6.6 

Miscellaneous plant and system operators...................................... 44 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Chemical-processing machine setters, operators,

 and tenders.................................................................................... 47 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Crushing, grinding, polishing, mixing, and blending 

 workers .......................................................................................... 118 77.1 15.7 4.8 19.4 

Cutting workers................................................................................ 94 86.2 10.1 3.0 26.9 

Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine

 setters, operators, and tenders...................................................... 32 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and 

 tenders........................................................................................... 14 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

See footnotes at end of table.
22

Table 5. Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Percent of total employed

Total

Occupation Black or Hispanic or (In White African Asian Latino thousands) American ethnicity

Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers ...................... 737 79.0 13.5 5.0 14.7 

Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers............................. 47 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Medical, dental, and ophthalmic laboratory technicians .................. 107 84.1 7.7 7.1 13.9 

Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders..................... 279 72.8 22.2 3.9 36.7 

Painting workers .............................................................................. 193 87.6 9.3 0.6 29.0 

Photographic process workers and processing 

 machine operators......................................................................... 64 79.7 10.0 9.4 11.9 

Semiconductor processors .............................................................. 3 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Cementing and gluing machine operators and tenders................... 16 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling 

 equipment operators and tenders.................................................. 12 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders.................. 5 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Etchers and engravers..................................................................... 8 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic................ 39 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders.................... 49 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Tire builders ..................................................................................... 15 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Helpers--production workers............................................................ 44 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Production workers, all other........................................................... 1,006 78.4 16.5 3.0 23.3 

Transportation and material-moving occupations................................ 8,776 78.2 16.8 2.3 19.0 

Supervisors, transportation and material-moving workers............... 225 78.7 15.1 2.7 10.3 

Aircraft pilots and flight engineers.................................................... 123 95.1 0.5 3.0 2.0 

Air traffic controllers and airfield operations specialists................... 33 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Ambulance drivers and attendants, except

 emergency medical technicians..................................................... 17 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Bus drivers....................................................................................... 578 69.7 26.8 1.1 11.3 

Driver/salesworkers and truck drivers.............................................. 3,460 82.7 13.8 1.4 17.5 

Taxi drivers and chauffeurs.............................................................. 333 61.6 24.3 12.8 18.8 

Motor vehicle operators, all other .................................................... 74 73.0 18.2 5.7 16.9 

Locomotive engineers and operators .............................................. 52 82.7 17.0 – 2.8 

Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators................................... 6 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1

 ) (

 1 )

Railroad conductors and yardmasters............................................. 53 86.8 8.8 3.4 11.3 

Subway, streetcar, and other rail transportation workers................. 18 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Sailors and marine oilers ................................................................. 15 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Ship and boat captains and operators............................................. 41 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Ship engineers................................................................................. 2 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Bridge and lock tenders................................................................... 3 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Parking lot attendants...................................................................... 90 66.7 22.1 7.6 34.9 

Service station attendants ............................................................... 90 81.1 8.2 8.7 15.8 

Transportation inspectors ................................................................ 43 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Other transportation workers ........................................................... 19 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Conveyor operators and tenders ..................................................... 6 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Crane and tower operators.............................................................. 61 86.9 12.4 – 12.6 

Dredge, excavating, and loading machine operators ...................... 61 91.8 3.7 0.3 12.3 

Hoist and winch operators ............................................................... 9 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Industrial truck and tractor operators............................................... 571 72.0 23.0 1.5 23.8 

Cleaners of vehicles and equipment................................................ 326 75.8 19.1 1.3 30.0 

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand.................. 1,877 76.9 17.9 1.9 20.1 

Machine feeders and offbearers...................................................... 29 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Packers and packagers, hand ......................................................... 406 75.4 15.6 4.7 41.2 

Pumping station operators............................................................... 23 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Refuse and recyclable material collectors ....................................... 79 72.2 23.8 0.7 24.1 

Shuttle car operators ....................................................................... 4 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1

 ) ( 1 )

Tank car, truck, and ship loaders ..................................................... 7 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

Material moving workers, all other................................................... 39 (

 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 ) ( 1 )

1 Percents are not shown where base is less than 50,000.

NOTE: Dashes indicate no data or data that do not meet publication criteria. 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. 
23

Table 6. Employed persons by industry, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages

 

Black or Hispanic or

Industry Total White African Asian Latino 

American ethnicity

Total, 16 years and over (thousands).................................................. 146,047 119,792 16,051 6,839 20,382 

Percent ................................................................................................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing ................................................................. 1.4 1.6 0.3 0.4 2.1 

Mining ........................................................................................................ 0.5 0.6 0.2 0.2 0.5 

Construction ............................................................................................... 8.1 8.9 4.2 2.6 14.7 

Manufacturing............................................................................................. 11.2 11.3 9.8 12.5 11.6 

Durable goods......................................................................................... 7.1 7.3 5.4 8.3 6.3 

Nondurable goods................................................................................... 4.1 4.0 4.4 4.2 5.3 

Wholesale and retail trade.......................................................................... 14.3 14.6 13.0 13.5 13.8 

Wholesale trade ...................................................................................... 3.0 3.1 2.2 2.8 3.1 

Retail trade.............................................................................................. 11.3 11.4 10.8 10.7 10.7 

Transportation and utilities ......................................................................... 5.2 4.9 8.3 4.3 5.1 

Information.................................................................................................. 2.4 2.4 2.6 2.6 1.7 

Financial activities ...................................................................................... 7.2 7.2 6.6 8.2 5.4 

Professional and business services ........................................................... 10.7 10.8 9.1 13.9 10.6 

Education and health services.................................................................... 21.0 20.3 26.5 21.7 14.4 

Leisure and hospitality................................................................................ 8.5 8.3 8.2 10.8 11.8 

Other services ............................................................................................ 4.8 4.8 4.5 5.9 5.5 

Other services, except private households ............................................. 4.2 4.2 3.9 5.5 4.2 

Private households.................................................................................. 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.4 1.4 

Public administration .................................................................................. 4.6 4.4 6.6 3.5 2.9 

Men, 16 years and over (thousands)................................................... 78,254 65,289 7,500 3,677 12,310 

Percent ................................................................................................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing ................................................................. 2.0 2.3 0.6 0.4 2.9 

Mining......................................................................................................... 0.8 0.9 0.4 0.4 0.7 

Construction ............................................................................................... 13.7 14.8 8.2 4.0 23.4 

Manufacturing............................................................................................. 14.6 14.8 13.4 14.2 12.8 

Durable goods......................................................................................... 9.8 10.1 8.0 10.1 7.5 

Nondurable goods................................................................................... 4.8 4.8 5.4 4.2 5.3 

Wholesale and retail trade.......................................................................... 14.7 14.8 14.4 14.1 13.1 

Wholesale trade ...................................................................................... 3.9 4.1 3.5 3.2 3.7 

Retail trade.............................................................................................. 10.8 10.8 10.9 10.9 9.4 

Transportation and utilities ......................................................................... 7.4 6.9 12.7 5.5 6.6 

Information.................................................................................................. 2.6 2.6 2.7 3.3 1.7 

Financial activities................................................................................. 6.0 6.0 5.2 7.9 3.9 

Professional and business services ........................................................... 11.5 11.4 9.9 16.4 11.1 

Education and health services.................................................................... 9.9 9.2 13.5 14.6 5.8 

Leisure and hospitality................................................................................ 7.7 7.4 7.9 11.0 11.1 

Other services ............................................................................................ 4.3 4.2 4.9 4.9 4.6 

Other services, except private households ............................................. 4.2 4.1 4.8 4.8 4.4 

Private households.................................................................................. 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 

Public administration .................................................................................. 4.8 4.6 6.2 3.4 2.5 

See footnotes at end of table.
24

Table 6. Employed persons by industry, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

 

Black or Hispanic or

Industry Total White African Asian Latino 

American ethnicity

Women, 16 years and over (thousands) ............................................. 67,792 54,503 8,551 3,162 8,072 

Percent ................................................................................................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing ................................................................. 0.7 0.8 0.1 0.4 0.9 

Mining......................................................................................................... 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.1 

Construction ............................................................................................... 1.7 1.8 0.7 0.9 1.5 

Manufacturing............................................................................................. 7.2 7.1 6.7 10.4 9.7 

Durable goods......................................................................................... 4.0 4.0 3.2 6.2 4.4 

Nondurable goods................................................................................... 3.2 3.1 3.5 4.2 5.3 

Wholesale and retail trade........................................................................... 13.9 14.2 11.7 12.9 14.9 

Wholesale trade ...................................................................................... 1.9 2.0 1.1 2.4 2.2 

Retail trade.............................................................................................. 12.0 12.3 10.6 10.5 12.7 

Transportation and utilities ......................................................................... 2.8 2.5 4.4 2.8 2.8 

Information.................................................................................................. 2.2 2.2 2.5 1.9 1.6 

Financial activities ...................................................................................... 8.6 8.7 7.8 8.7 7.5 

Professional and business services ........................................................... 9.8 10.0 8.4 10.9 9.8 

Education and health services.................................................................... 33.8 33.5 37.9 29.9 27.6 

Leisure and hospitality................................................................................ 9.4 9.4 8.5 10.5 13.0 

Other services ............................................................................................ 5.4 5.4 4.2 7.1 7.0 

Other services, except private households ............................................. 4.3 4.3 3.1 6.3 3.8 

Private households.................................................................................. 1.1 1.1 1.0 0.8 3.2 

Public administration .................................................................................. 4.5 4.1 7.0 3.7 3.5 

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.
25

Table 7. Employment and unemployment in families by type of family, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 

2006 annual averages

(Numbers in thousands)

Black or Hispanic or

Family type and employment status of family members Total White African Asian Latino 

American ethnicity

Total families .......................................................................................... 77,017 62,997 9,058 3,251 9,905 

With employed member(s) ........................................................................ 63,492 52,054 7,078 2,924 8,641 

As a percent of total families .................................................................. 82.4 82.6 78.1 89.9 87.2 

With unemployed member(s) .................................................................... 4,913 3,556 1,036 171 793 

As a percent of total families .................................................................. 6.4 5.6 11.4 5.3 8.0 

Some member(s) employed ................................................................... 3,419 2,582 596 137 544 

 As a percent of families with unemployed member(s)......................... 69.6 72.6 57.5 80.1 68.6 

 Some usually work full time ................................................................ 3,049 2,306 526 123 491 

As a percent of families with unemployed member(s) .................... 62.1 64.8 50.8 71.9 61.9 

Married-couple families .......................................................................... 57,509 49,791 4,005 2,601 6,570 

With employed member(s) ........................................................................ 48,196 41,476 3,396 2,352 5,969 

As a percent of total families .................................................................. 83.8 83.3 84.8 90.4 90.9 

With unemployed member(s) .................................................................... 2,968 2,401 352 129 461 

As a percent of total families .................................................................. 5.2 4.8 8.8 5.0 7.0 

Some member(s) employed ................................................................... 2,442 1,972 288 110 371 

 As a percent of families with unemployed member(s)......................... 82.3 82.1 81.8 85.3 80.5 

 Some usually work full time ................................................................ 2,221 1,789 268 99 339 

 As a percent of families with unemployed member(s) .................... 74.8 74.5 76.1 76.7 73.5 

Families maintained by women............................................................... 14,208 9,246 4,100 411 2,299 

With employed member(s) ......................................................................... 10,796 7,186 2,929 355 1,738 

As a percent of total families .................................................................. 76.0 77.7 71.4 86.4 75.6 

With unemployed member(s) ..................................................................... 1,429 808 553 20 231 

As a percent of total families................................................................... 10.1 8.7 13.5 4.9 10.0 

Some member(s) employed ................................................................... 675 404 237 12 111 

 As a percent of families with unemployed member(s)......................... 47.2 50.0 42.9 60.0 48.1 

 Some usually work full time ................................................................ 562 336 195 11 96 

 As a percent of families with unemployed member(s)..................... 39.3 41.6 35.3 55.0 41.6 

Families maintained by men .................................................................. 5,300 3,940 953 239 1,036 

With employed member(s) ......................................................................... 4,500 3,392 753 217 934 

As a percent of total families................................................................... 84.9 86.1 79.0 90.8 90.2 

With unemployed member(s) .................................................................... 516 347 131 22 100 

As a percent of total families .................................................................. 9.7 8.8 13.7 9.2 9.7 

Some member(s) employed ................................................................... 301 206 71 15 63 

 As a percent of families with unemployed member(s) ........................ 58.3 59.4 54.2 68.2 63.0 

 Some usually work full time ................................................................ 267 182 64 14 57 

 As a percent of families with unemployed member(s) .................... 51.7 52.4 48.9 63.6 57.0 

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.
26

Table 8. Labor force participation rates by presence and age of youngest child, sex, race, and Hispanic or

Latino ethnicity, 1996-2006 annual averages

(Percent)

Year

Total White Black or African American

 Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women

With no children under 18 years

1996.................... 60.1 66.8 53.5 60.5 67.6 53.6 56.9 61.5 52.3

1997.................... 60.4 67.0 53.8 60.8 67.8 53.8 57.3 61.2 53.5

1998.................... 60.3 67.0 53.9 60.6 67.6 53.8 58.0 62.0 54.2

1999.................... 60.4 66.8 54.1 60.7 67.5 53.9 58.3 62.1 54.6

2000.................... 60.6 67.0 54.3 60.9 67.7 54.3 58.4 62.5 54.5

2001.................... 60.4 66.7 54.3 60.8 67.4 54.3 57.9 61.7 54.4

2002.................... 60.0 66.2 53.9 60.4 66.8 54.0 56.8 61.0 52.7

2003.................... 59.7 65.4 54.1 60.1 66.1 54.1 56.5 60.0 53.2

2004.................... 59.6 65.3 54.0 60.0 66.1 54.0 56.4 59.5 53.5

2005.................... 59.8 65.5 54.2 60.1 66.2 54.1 57.3 60.8 53.9

2006.................... 60.0 65.8 54.2 60.4 66.5 54.2 57.1 60.5 53.9

With children under 18 years

1996.................... 81.1 94.5 70.8 81.8 95.3 70.7 78.5 89.7 73.3

1997.................... 81.8 94.6 71.9 82.4 95.4 71.7 79.6 89.6 75.0

1998.................... 81.8 94.6 71.8 82.2 95.3 71.3 81.0 90.4 76.7

1999.................... 82.0 94.6 72.2 82.3 95.4 71.5 82.0 89.3 78.5

2000.................... 82.1 94.7 72.3 82.3 95.3 71.6 82.2 90.3 78.2

2001.................... 81.9 94.6 72.1 82.2 95.3 71.5 81.8 89.7 77.9

2002.................... 81.6 94.3 71.8 81.9 94.8 71.1 81.9 90.3 77.7

2003.................... 81.2 94.1 71.1 81.4 94.7 70.3 81.5 89.7 77.5

2004.................... 80.7 94.1 70.4 81.1 94.8 69.8 80.5 88.4 76.5

2005.................... 80.7 94.1 70.5 81.1 94.8 69.8 80.4 88.7 76.3

2006.................... 81.0 94.1 70.9 81.4 94.9 70.2 80.5 88.1 76.9

With children 6 to 17 years

1996.................... 84.5 93.5 77.5 85.3 94.4 77.7 81.3 87.9 78.1

1997.................... 84.7 93.6 77.9 85.4 94.4 78.0 81.8 88.1 78.7

1998.................... 84.5 93.5 77.6 84.9 94.2 77.3 83.1 88.2 80.6

1999.................... 84.8 93.4 78.2 85.4 94.4 78.1 83.2 86.7 81.4

2000.................... 85.1 93.5 78.7 85.7 94.3 78.6 83.3 87.8 81.0

2001.................... 85.0 93.6 78.3 85.5 94.5 78.1 83.3 87.5 81.1

2002.................... 84.8 93.3 78.2 85.1 94.0 77.8 84.3 89.2 81.8

2003.................... 84.5 93.1 77.8 84.7 93.7 77.3 84.0 88.0 82.1

2004.................... 84.1 93.1 77.3 84.5 93.9 76.9 82.7 86.3 80.9

2005.................... 83.7 93.0 76.5 84.1 93.8 76.3 82.4 86.9 80.2

2006.................... 83.8 93.1 76.7 84.3 94.0 76.3 82.4 85.7 80.8

With children under 6 years

1996.................... 77.2 95.6 63.2 77.9 96.3 62.7 75.4 91.9 68.2

1997.................... 78.3 95.8 64.8 78.8 96.5 64.1 77.1 91.3 70.8

1998.................... 78.6 96.1 64.9 78.9 96.6 64.1 78.5 93.0 72.0

1999.................... 78.5 96.1 64.8 78.5 96.7 63.4 80.6 92.5 74.9

2000.................... 78.4 96.1 64.6 78.2 96.5 63.0 80.9 93.3 74.9

2001.................... 78.1 95.8 64.3 78.1 96.2 63.0 80.0 92.5 73.9

2002.................... 77.7 95.5 63.7 77.9 95.9 62.7 78.9 91.8 72.5

2003.................... 77.2 95.4 62.8 77.3 96.0 61.5 78.2 92.1 71.8

2004.................... 76.5 95.4 61.8 76.8 96.0 60.7 77.6 91.1 70.8

2005.................... 77.0 95.4 62.8 77.2 96.1 61.6 77.8 91.2 71.4

2006.................... 77.5 95.4 63.5 77.7 95.9 62.5 78.0 91.1 71.8

With children under 3 years

1996.................... 75.4 95.8 59.4 76.2 96.5 59.2 72.1 92.2 63.1

1997.................... 76.6 95.9 61.4 77.5 96.5 61.4 73.6 92.1 65.1

1998.................... 77.2 96.2 61.9 77.7 96.7 61.5 75.8 93.2 67.5

1999.................... 77.0 96.4 61.5 77.0 97.0 60.1 78.7 92.4 72.0

2000.................... 76.3 96.4 60.4 76.3 96.7 59.0 77.6 93.6 69.8

2001.................... 76.0 95.9 60.2 76.1 96.4 58.9 77.3 92.6 69.7

2002.................... 76.1 95.8 60.2 76.3 96.2 59.2 76.9 93.2 68.6

2003.................... 75.2 95.7 58.9 75.6 96.2 57.8 74.7 91.4 67.0

2004.................... 74.4 95.7 57.5 74.9 96.3 56.8 74.7 91.0 66.4

2005.................... 74.8 95.5 58.4 75.1 96.4 57.2 74.7 90.6 67.0

2006.................... 75.8 95.5 60.2 76.2 96.2 59.3 75.0 90.6 67.2

See note at end of table.
27

Table 8. Labor force participation rates by presence and age of youngest child, sex, race, and Hispanic or

Latino ethnicity, 1996-2006 annual averages—Continued 

(Percent)

Year

Asian Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Total Men Women Total Men Women

With no children under 18 years

1996...................................................... — — — 61.6 71.3 50.5

1997...................................................... — — — 62.6 72.1 51.4

1998...................................................... — — — 62.8 72.1 51.7

1999...................................................... — — — 62.5 71.6 52.2

2000...................................................... — — — 63.7 73.2 52.6

2001...................................................... — — — 63.0 72.4 52.6

2002...................................................... 61.2 67.8 55.0 63.9 72.7 53.2

2003...................................................... 59.7 66.4 53.7 62.8 72.1 51.5

2004...................................................... 59.1 65.0 53.5 63.5 72.6 52.5

2005...................................................... 59.9 66.0 54.3 63.0 72.1 51.9

2006...................................................... 60.0 66.2 54.1 63.7 73.0 52.2

With children under 18 years

1996...................................................... — — — 72.3 93.7 56.7

1997...................................................... — — — 74.0 93.4 59.6

1998...................................................... — — — 74.2 92.9 60.2

1999...................................................... — — — 74.6 93.8 60.3

2000...................................................... — — — 75.7 93.8 62.0

2001...................................................... — — — 75.7 93.6 62.0

2002...................................................... 78.3 93.2 66.6 75.8 93.2 62.7

2003...................................................... 78.9 93.5 67.0 75.1 93.4 61.2

2004...................................................... 77.9 93.8 64.9 74.9 93.9 60.4

2005...................................................... 77.9 93.1 65.6 74.5 94.2 59.6

2006...................................................... 78.3 93.2 66.3 75.3 94.2 60.9

With children 6 to 17 years

1996...................................................... — — — 77.3 92.3 66.7

1997...................................................... — — — 77.6 91.2 68.2

1998...................................................... — — — 77.5 90.6 68.1

1999...................................................... — — — 78.6 91.2 69.5

2000...................................................... — — — 79.3 91.5 70.5

2001...................................................... — — — 79.6 91.7 70.9

2002...................................................... 82.6 91.6 75.7 79.0 91.1 70.2

2003...................................................... 82.9 93.5 74.3 78.8 91.5 69.4

2004...................................................... 82.6 93.8 73.4 79.6 92.8 70.2

2005...................................................... 80.7 92.3 71.2 78.8 92.9 68.7

2006...................................................... 80.8 91.8 72.0 79.1 92.6 69.4

See note at end of table.
2

Table 8. Labor force participation rates by presence and age of youngest child, sex, race, and Hispanic or

Latino ethnicity, 1996-2006 annual averages—Continued 

(Percent)

Asian Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Year

Total Men Women Total Men Women

With children under 6 years

1996....................................................... — — — 68.5 94.8 48.7

1997....................................................... — — — 70.9 95.1 52.3

1998....................................................... — — — 71.3 94.9 53.0

1999....................................................... — — — 71.2 95.9 52.1

2000....................................................... — — — 72.5 95.7 54.5

2001....................................................... — — — 72.2 95.2 53.8

2002....................................................... 73.5 94.8 56.3 73.1 94.8 56.1

2003....................................................... 74.2 93.4 58.5 71.9 94.9 53.4

2004....................................................... 73.1 93.8 56.0 70.6 94.8 51.2

2005....................................................... 74.9 94.0 59.3 70.6 95.4 50.9

2006....................................................... 75.6 94.8 59.9 71.7 95.6 52.7

With children under 3 years

1996....................................................... — — — 66.2 94.6 44.7

1997....................................................... — — — 68.6 94.6 48.0

1998....................................................... — — — 69.5 95.0 48.9

1999....................................................... — — — 68.8 96.2 47.4

2000....................................................... — — — 70.4 96.2 50.0

2001....................................................... — — — 69.7 95.3 48.7

2002....................................................... 72.1 95.4 53.5 70.3 95.1 50.3

2003....................................................... 73.0 94.5 55.1 69.5 95.2 47.9

2004....................................................... 70.2 93.8 50.4 68.2 95.2 46.0

2005....................................................... 72.4 92.9 55.8 67.7 96.0 45.0

2006....................................................... 73.4 94.2 56.8 69.5 95.9 48.6

NOTE: Beginning in 2003, estimates for White, Black or African 

American, and Asian race groups include persons who selected that 

race group only; previously, multi-racial persons were included in the 

group they identified as their main race. Asian estimates for 2000-02 

include Asians and Pacific Islanders; beginning in 2003, Asians are a 

separate category. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic 

or Latino may be of any race.
29

Table 9. Unemployment rates by sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 1972-2007 annual averages

(Percent)

Both sexes White Black or African Asian Hispanic or

 American Latino ethnicity

Year

 Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women

 

1972.............. 5.6 5.0 6.6 5.1 4.5 5.9 10.4 9.3 11.8 — — — — — —

1973.............. 4.9 4.2 6.0 4.3 3.8 5.3 9.4 8.0 11.1 — — — 7.5 6.7 9.0 

1974.............. 5.6 4.9 6.7 5.0 4.4 6.1 10.5 9.8 11.3 — — — 8.1 7.3 9.4 

1975.............. 8.5 7.9 9.3 7.8 7.2 8.6 14.8 14.8 14.8 — — — 12.2 11.4 13.5 

1976.............. 7.7 7.1 8.6 7.0 6.4 7.9 14.0 13.7 14.3 — — — 11.5 10.8 12.7 

1977.............. 7.1 6.3 8.2 6.2 5.5 7.3 14.0 13.3 14.9 — — — 10.1 9.0 11.9 

1978.............. 6.1 5.3 7.2 5.2 4.6 6.2 12.8 11.8 13.8 — — — 9.1 7.7 11.3 

1979.............. 5.8 5.1 6.8 5.1 4.5 5.9 12.3 11.4 13.3 — — — 8.3 7.0 10.3 

1980.............. 7.1 6.9 7.4 6.3 6.1 6.5 14.3 14.5 14.0 — — — 10.1 9.7 10.7 

1981.............. 7.6 7.4 7.9 6.7 6.5 6.9 15.6 15.7 15.6 — — — 10.4 10.2 10.8 

1982.............. 9.7 9.9 9.4 8.6 8.8 8.3 18.9 20.1 17.6 — — — 13.8 13.6 14.1 

1983.............. 9.6 9.9 9.2 8.4 8.8 7.9 19.5 20.3 18.6 — — — 13.7 13.6 13.8 

1984.............. 7.5 7.4 7.6 6.5 6.4 6.5 15.9 16.4 15.4 — — — 10.7 10.5 11.1 

1985.............. 7.2 7.0 7.4 6.2 6.1 6.4 15.1 15.3 14.9 — — — 10.5 10.2 11.0 

1986.............. 7.0 6.9 7.1 6.0 6.0 6.1 14.5 14.8 14.2 — — — 10.6 10.5 10.8 

1987.............. 6.2 6.2 6.2 5.3 5.4 5.2 13.0 12.7 13.2 — — — 8.8 8.7 8.9 

1988.............. 5.5 5.5 5.6 4.7 4.7 4.7 11.7 11.7 11.7 — — — 8.2 8.1 8.3 

1989.............. 5.3 5.2 5.4 4.5 4.5 4.5 11.4 11.5 11.4 — — — 8.0 7.6 8.8 

1990.............. 5.6 5.7 5.5 4.8 4.9 4.7 11.4 11.9 10.9 — — — 8.2 8.0 8.4 

1991.............. 6.8 7.2 6.4 6.1 6.5 5.6 12.5 13.0 12.0 — — — 10.0 10.3 9.6 

1992.............. 7.5 7.9 7.0 6.6 7.0 6.1 14.2 15.2 13.2 — — — 11.6 11.7 11.4 

1993.............. 6.9 7.2 6.6 6.1 6.3 5.7 13.0 13.8 12.1 — — — 10.8 10.6 11.0 

1994.............. 6.1 6.2 6.0 5.3 5.4 5.2 11.5 12.0 11.0 — — — 9.9 9.4 10.7 

1995.............. 5.6 5.6 5.6 4.9 4.9 4.8 10.4 10.6 10.2 — — — 9.3 8.8 10.0 

1996.............. 5.4 5.4 5.4 4.7 4.7 4.7 10.5 11.1 10.0 — — — 8.9 7.9 10.2 

1997.............. 4.9 4.9 5.0 4.2 4.2 4.2 10.0 10.2 9.9 — — — 7.7 7.0 8.9 

1998.............. 4.5 4.4 4.6 3.9 3.9 3.9 8.9 8.9 9.0 — — — 7.2 6.4 8.2 

1999.............. 4.2 4.1 4.3 3.7 3.6 3.8 8.0 8.2 7.8 — — — 6.4 5.6 7.6 

2000.............. 4.0 3.9 4.1 3.5 3.4 3.6 7.6 8.0 7.1 3.6 3.6 3.6 5.7 5.0 6.8 

2001.............. 4.7 4.8 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.1 8.6 9.3 8.1 4.5 4.5 4.4 6.6 5.9 7.5 

2002.............. 5.8 5.9 5.6 5.1 5.3 4.9 10.2 10.7 9.8 5.9 6.1 5.7 7.5 7.2 8.0 

2003.............. 6.0 6.3 5.7 5.2 5.6 4.8 10.8 11.6 10.2 6.0 6.2 5.7 7.7 7.2 8.4 

2004.............. 5.5 5.6 5.4 4.8 5.0 4.7 10.4 11.1 9.8 4.4 4.5 4.3 7.0 6.5 7.6 

2005.............. 5.1 5.1 5.1 4.4 4.4 4.4 10.0 10.5 9.5 4.0 4.0 3.9 6.0 5.4 6.9 

2006.............. 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.0 4.0 4.0 8.9 9.5 8.4 3.0 3.0 3.1 5.2 4.8 5.9 

2007.............. 4.6 4.7 4.5 4.1 4.2 4.0 8.3 9.1 7.5 3.2 3.1 3.4 5.6 5.3 6.1 

NOTE: Beginning in 2003, estimates for White, Black or 

African American, and Asian race groups include persons who 

selected that race group only; previously, multi-racial persons 

were included in the group they identified as their main race. 

Asian estimates for 2000-02 include Asians and Pacific Islanders; 

beginning in 2003, Asians are a separate category. Persons whose

ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.
30

Table 10. Unemployed persons by duration of unemployment, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages 

 

Black or Hispanic or

Duration of unemployment Total White African Asian Latino 

American ethnicity

Total, 16 years and over (thousands)................................................. 7,078 5,143 1,445 229 1,220 

Percent.................................................................................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Less than 5 weeks...................................................................................... 35.9 37.9 28.6 35.2 40.6 

5 to 14 weeks ............................................................................................. 31.5 31.8 30.6 31.3 31.2 

15 to 26 weeks ........................................................................................... 15.0 14.5 17.5 12.5 13.9 

27 weeks and over ..................................................................................... 17.6 15.8 23.3 20.9 14.3 

Average (mean) duration, in weeks............................................................ 16.8 15.7 20.7 17.5 14.9 

Median duration, in weeks.......................................................................... 8.5 7.9 11.1 8.7 7.3 

Men, 16 years and over (thousands).................................................. 3,882 2,869 752 119 695 

Percent ................................................................................................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Less than 5 weeks...................................................................................... 35.3 37.3 27.3 34.0 41.1 

5 to 14 weeks ............................................................................................. 31.6 31.8 30.4 32.6 32.0 

15 to 26 weeks ........................................................................................... 14.9 14.4 17.7 12.4 13.4 

27 weeks and over ..................................................................................... 18.2 16.5 24.6 21.0 13.6 

Average (mean) duration, in weeks............................................................ 17.3 16.3 21.6 17.8 14.6 

Median duration, in weeks.......................................................................... 8.7 8.0 11.7 8.9 7.2 

Women, 16 years and over (thousands) ............................................ 3,196 2,274 693 110 525 

Percent ................................................................................................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Less than 5 weeks...................................................................................... 36.7 38.6 29.9 36.6 40.0 

5 to 14 weeks ............................................................................................. 31.4 31.7 30.9 30.0 30.2 

15 to 26 weeks ........................................................................................... 15.1 14.7 17.3 12.7 14.5 

27 weeks and over ..................................................................................... 16.8 15.0 21.9 20.7 15.3 

Average (mean) duration, in weeks............................................................ 16.2 15.1 19.8 17.2 15.5 

Median duration, in weeks.......................................................................... 8.4 7.8 10.4 8.5 7.5 

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.
31

Table 11. Unemployed persons by reason for unemployment, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages

 

Black or Hispanic or

Reason for unemployment Total White African Asian Latino 

American ethnicity

Total, 16 years and over (thousands)................................................. 7,078 5,143 1,445 229 1,220 

Percent ................................................................................................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs ............................ 49.7 51.8 44.1 41.6 52.1 

On temporary layoff............................................................................. 13.8 15.7 8.4 7.1 15.1 

Not on temporary layoff ....................................................................... 35.9 36.2 35.6 34.6 37.0 

Permanent job losers....................................................................... 25.2 25.8 23.3 24.6 22.6 

Persons who completed temporary jobs.......................................... 10.7 10.4 12.3 10.0 14.4 

Job leavers ................................................................................................. 11.2 11.6 9.6 10.9 9.1 

Reentrants.................................................................................................. 30.3 28.7 34.6 34.7 28.4 

New entrants .............................................................................................. 8.9 7.9 11.7 12.7 10.4 

Men, 16 years and over (thousands).................................................. 3,882 2,869 752 119 695 

Percent ................................................................................................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs ............................ 56.0 58.2 50.0 47.1 60.9 

On temporary layoff............................................................................. 15.9 18.0 9.2 6.7 18.4 

Not on temporary layoff ....................................................................... 40.2 40.2 40.8 41.2 42.4 

Permanent job losers....................................................................... 27.3 27.9 25.5 27.7 25.5 

Persons who completed temporary jobs.......................................... 12.8 12.3 15.2 12.6 17.0 

Job leavers ................................................................................................. 10.5 10.8 8.8 11.8 8.5 

Reentrants.................................................................................................. 24.6 23.4 28.1 31.1 21.3 

New entrants .............................................................................................. 8.8 7.7 13.3 9.2 9.4 

Women, 16 years and over (thousands) ............................................. 3,196 2,274 693 110 525 

Percent ................................................................................................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs ............................ 41.9 43.9 37.7 35.5 40.4 

On temporary layoff............................................................................. 11.3 12.7 7.6 7.3 10.7 

Not on temporary layoff ....................................................................... 30.7 31.2 30.2 27.3 29.7 

Permanent job losers....................................................................... 22.5 23.2 20.9 20.9 18.9 

Persons who completed temporary jobs.......................................... 8.2 8.0 9.2 6.4 11.0 

Job leavers ................................................................................................. 12.0 12.5 10.7 10.0 10.1 

Reentrants.................................................................................................. 37.1 35.4 41.8 38.2 37.7 

New entrants .............................................................................................. 8.9 8.3 10.0 17.3 11.8 

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.
32

Table 12. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, race, and Hispanic

or Latino ethnicity, 1979-2007 annual averages

Year Total White Black or African Asian Hispanic or Latino 

American ethnicity

Total, both sexes

1979......................................... $241 $248 $199 — $194

1980......................................... 262 269 212 — 209

1981......................................... 284 291 235 — 223

1982......................................... 302 310 245 — 240

1983......................................... 313 320 261 — 250

1984......................................... 326 336 269 — 259

1985......................................... 344 356 277 — 270

1986......................................... 359 371 291 — 277

1987......................................... 374 384 301 — 285

1988......................................... 385 395 314 — 290

1989......................................... 399 409 319 — 298

1990......................................... 412 424 329 — 304

1991......................................... 426 442 348 — 312

1992......................................... 440 458 357 — 321

1993......................................... 459 475 369 — 331

1994......................................... 467 484 371 — 324

1995......................................... 479 494 383 — 329

1996......................................... 490 506 387 — 339

1997......................................... 503 519 400 — 351

1998......................................... 523 545 426 — 370

1999......................................... 549 573 445 — 385

2000......................................... 576 590 474 $615 399

2001......................................... 596 610 491 639 417

2002......................................... 608 623 498 658 424

2003......................................... 620 636 514 693 440

2004......................................... 638 657 525 708 456

2005......................................... 651 672 520 753 471

2006......................................... 671 690 554 784 486

2007......................................... 695 716 569 830 503

See note at end of table.
33

Table 12. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, race, and Hispanic

or Latino ethnicity, 1979-2007 annual averages—Continued

Year Total White

Black or African

Asian Hispanic or Latino 

American ethnicity

Men

1979......................................... $292 $298 $227 — $219

1980......................................... 313 320 244 — 234

1981......................................... 340 350 268 — 251

1982......................................... 364 375 278 — 269

1983......................................... 379 387 294 — 274

1984......................................... 392 401 303 — 287

1985......................................... 407 418 305 — 296

1986......................................... 419 433 319 — 299

1987......................................... 434 450 327 — 306

1988......................................... 449 465 348 — 308

1989......................................... 468 482 348 — 315

1990......................................... 481 494 361 — 318

1991......................................... 493 506 375 — 323

1992......................................... 501 514 380 — 339

1993......................................... 510 524 392 — 346

1994......................................... 522 547 400 — 343

1995......................................... 538 566 411 — 350

1996......................................... 557 580 412 — 356

1997......................................... 579 595 432 — 371

1998......................................... 598 615 468 — 390

1999......................................... 618 638 488 — 406

2000......................................... 641 662 510 $685 417

2001......................................... 670 689 529 732 440

2002......................................... 679 702 524 756 451

2003......................................... 695 715 555 772 464

2004......................................... 713 732 569 802 480

2005......................................... 722 743 559 825 489

2006......................................... 743 761 591 882 505

2007......................................... 766 788 600 936 520

See note at end of table.
34

Table 12. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, race, and Hispanic

or Latino ethnicity, 1979-2007 annual averages—Continued

Year Total White

Black or African

Asian Hispanic or Latino 

American ethnicity

Women

1979......................................... $182 $184 $169 — $157

1980......................................... 201 203 185 — 172

1981......................................... 219 221 206 — 190

1982......................................... 239 242 217 — 203

1983......................................... 252 254 232 — 215

1984......................................... 265 268 241 — 223

1985......................................... 277 281 252 — 230

1986......................................... 291 294 264 — 241

1987......................................... 303 307 276 — 251

1988......................................... 315 318 288 — 260

1989......................................... 328 334 301 — 269

1990......................................... 346 353 308 — 278

1991......................................... 366 373 323 — 292

1992......................................... 380 387 335 — 302

1993......................................... 393 401 348 — 313

1994......................................... 399 408 346 — 305

1995......................................... 406 415 355 — 305

1996......................................... 418 428 362 — 316

1997......................................... 431 444 375 — 318

1998......................................... 456 468 400 — 337

1999......................................... 473 483 409 — 348

2000......................................... 493 502 429 $547 366

2001......................................... 512 522 454 563 388

2002......................................... 529 547 473 566 397

2003......................................... 552 567 491 598 410

2004......................................... 573 584 505 613 419

2005......................................... 585 596 499 665 429

2006......................................... 600 609 519 699 440

2007......................................... 614 626 533 731 473

See note at end of table.
35

Table 12. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, race, and Hispanic

or Latino ethnicity, 1979-2007 annual averages—Continued

Year Total White

Black or African

Asian Hispanic or Latino 

American ethnicity

Women’s earnings as a percent of men’s

1979......................................... 62.3 61.7 74.4 — 71.7

1980......................................... 64.2 63.4 75.8 — 73.5

1981......................................... 64.4 63.1 76.9 — 75.7

1982......................................... 65.7 64.5 78.1 — 75.5

1983......................................... 66.5 65.6 78.9 — 78.5

1984......................................... 67.6 66.8 79.5 — 77.7

1985......................................... 68.1 67.2 82.6 — 77.7

1986......................................... 69.5 67.9 82.8 — 80.6

1987......................................... 69.8 68.2 84.4 — 82.0

1988......................................... 70.2 68.4 82.8 — 84.4

1989......................................... 70.1 69.3 86.5 — 85.4

1990......................................... 71.9 71.5 85.3 — 87.4

1991......................................... 74.2 73.7 86.1 — 90.4

1992......................................... 75.8 75.3 88.2 — 89.1

1993......................................... 77.1 76.5 88.8 — 90.5

1994......................................... 76.4 74.6 86.5 — 88.9

1995......................................... 75.5 73.3 86.4 — 87.1

1996......................................... 75.0 73.8 87.9 — 88.8

1997......................................... 74.4 74.6 86.8 — 85.7

1998......................................... 76.3 76.1 85.5 — 86.4

1999......................................... 76.5 75.7 83.8 — 85.7

2000......................................... 76.9 75.8 84.1 79.9 87.8

2001......................................... 76.4 75.8 85.8 76.9 88.2

2002......................................... 77.9 77.9 90.3 74.9 88.0

2003......................................... 79.4 79.3 88.5 77.5 88.4

2004......................................... 80.4 79.8 88.8 76.4 87.3

2005......................................... 81.0 80.2 89.3 80.6 87.7

2006......................................... 80.8 80.0 87.8 79.3 87.1

2007......................................... 80.2 79.4 88.8 78.1 91.0

NOTE: Beginning in 2003, estimates for White, Black or African 

American, and Asian race groups include persons who selected that 

race group only; previously, multi-racial persons were included in the 

group they identified as their main race. Asian estimates for 2000-02 

include Asians and Pacific Islanders; beginning in 2003, Asians are a 

separate category. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic 

or Latino may be of any race.
36

Table 13. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by educational attainment, 

sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages

Educational attainment, race, and

Black or Hispanic or

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

Total White African Asian Latino

American ethnicity

Total, 25 years and over............................................... $738 $759 $596 $864 $525 

Less than a high school diploma ..................................... 428 437 400 418 406 

High school graduates, no college .................................. 604 624 504 538 524 

Some college, no degree................................................. 683 708 584 676 616 

Associate degree............................................................. 740 762 614 715 681 

Bachelor’s degree and higher ......................................... 1,072 1,099 877 1,142 923 

Men, 25 years and over............................................... 823 850 629 964 562 

Less than a high school diploma ..................................... 481 486 449 461 428 

High school graduates, no college .................................. 689 718 549 607 584 

Some college, no degree................................................. 784 815 632 742 684 

Associate degree............................................................. 857 883 671 744 794 

Bachelor’s degree and higher ......................................... 1,243 1,267 931 1,276 1,005 

Women, 25 years and over.......................................... 646 663 566 751 493 

Less than a high school diploma ..................................... 369 368 374 384 343 

High school graduates, no college .................................. 512 523 470 486 469 

Some college, no degree................................................. 592 603 543 595 543 

Associate degree............................................................. 640 659 576 655 592 

Bachelor’s degree and higher ......................................... 932 942 837 958 848 

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.
37

Table 14. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages

Black or Hispanic or

Occupation Total White African Asian Latino

American ethnicity

Total, 16 years and over................................................ $695 $716 $569 $830 $503 

Management, professional, and related occupations....... 996 1,010 787 1,163 844 

Management, business, and financial operations ......... 1,080 1,117 854 1,161 830 

Management occupations ......................................... 1,161 1,174 913 1,390 865 

Business and financial operations occupations......... 941 959 790 972 765 

Professional and related occupations ........................... 951 960 757 1,164 853 

Computer and mathematical occupations ................. 1,229 1,240 950 1,289 1,091 

Architecture and engineering occupations ................ 1,213 1,216 960 1,381 1,154 

Life, physical, and social science occupations .......... 1,053 1,060 899 1,127 940 

Community and social services occupations............. 755 773 672 766 739 

Legal occupations...................................................... 1,148 1,160 967 1,211 984 

Education, training, and library occupations.............. 841 858 719 931 789 

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and

media occupations................................................... 829 834 712 927 716 

Healthcare practitioner and technical

occupations.............................................................. 920 933 741 1,085 827 

Service occupations ......................................................... 454 457 437 481 393 

Healthcare support occupations.................................... 454 461 422 505 464 

Protective service occupations...................................... 719 758 592 585 737 

Food preparation and serving related

occupations ................................................................. 385 380 390 435 359 

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance

occupations ................................................................. 422 422 416 491 387 

Personal care and service occupations ........................ 434 437 415 476 387 

Sales and office occupations............................................ 598 608 519 653 513 

Sales and related occupations ...................................... 643 675 466 671 495 

Office and administrative support occupations ............. 581 585 547 637 519 

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance

occupations..................................................................... 670 677 602 743 503 

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ................... 372 377 347 322 338 

Construction and extraction occupations ...................... 646 654 592 705 506 

Installation, maintenance, and repair

occupations ................................................................. 749 757 636 807 620 

Production, transportation, and material moving

occupations..................................................................... 577 592 509 523 451 

Production occupations................................................. 581 598 503 509 446 

Transportation and material moving occupations.......... 570 586 514 604 457 

See note at end of table.
3

Table 14. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Black or Hispanic or

Occupation Total White African Asian Latino

American ethnicity

Men, 16 years and over ................................................ $766 $788 $600 $936 $520 

Management, professional, and related occupations....... 1,187 1,211 899 1,342 985 

Management, business, and financial operations ......... 1,261 1,292 979 1,373 922 

Management occupations ......................................... 1,337 1,352 990 1,527 932 

Business and financial operations occupations......... 1,131 1,149 958 1,126 895 

Professional and related occupations ........................... 1,148 1,152 843 1,327 1,024 

Computer and mathematical occupations ................. 1,294 1,328 967 1,336 1,210 

Architecture and engineering occupations ................ 1,258 1,258 962 1,464 1,163 

Life, physical, and social science occupations .......... 1,151 1,144 877 1,356 1,126 

Community and social services occupations............. 807 847 729 700 868 

Legal occupations...................................................... 1,579 1,625 1,255 1,591 1,356 

Education, training, and library occupations.............. 1,007 1,021 790 1,242 957 

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and

media occupations..................................................... 920 912 817 1,026 803 

Healthcare practitioner and technical

occupations.............................................................. 1,156 1,206 834 1,196 959 

Service occupations ......................................................... 515 526 490 505 414 

Healthcare support occupations.................................... 522 517 533 473 505 

Protective service occupations...................................... 754 791 619 580 773 

Food preparation and serving related

occupations ................................................................. 403 401 396 461 381 

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance

occupations ................................................................. 472 472 471 504 410 

Personal care and service occupations ........................ 578 603 489 561 492 

Sales and office occupations............................................ 714 742 552 699 578 

Sales and related occupations ...................................... 791 824 562 746 617 

Office and administrative support occupations ............. 619 637 547 647 514 

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance

occupations..................................................................... 674 681 603 767 507 

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ................... 382 386 325 451 344 

Construction and extraction occupations ...................... 648 655 591 712 506 

Installation, maintenance, and repair

occupations ................................................................. 750 758 630 827 620 

Production, transportation, and material moving

occupations..................................................................... 616 634 531 608 494 

Production occupations................................................. 641 659 556 602 501 

Transportation and material moving occupations.......... 596 611 519 619 487 

See note at end of table.
39

Table 14. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation, sex, race, and

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, 2007 annual averages—Continued

Black or Hispanic or

Occupation Total White African Asian Latino

American ethnicity

Women, 16 years and over ........................................... $614 $626 $533 $731 $473 

Management, professional, and related occupations....... 858 868 740 978 744 

Management, business, and financial operations .......... 908 924 784 997 757 

Management occupations ......................................... 963 972 857 1,149 800 

Business and financial operations occupations......... 832 842 747 931 725 

Professional and related occupations ........................... 835 844 707 969 729 

Computer and mathematical occupations ................. 1,047 1,048 881 1,142 879 

Architecture and engineering occupations ................ 981 985 953 958 1,012 

Life, physical, and social science occupations .......... 939 952 924 928 881 

Community and social services occupations............. 720 735 651 866 694 

Legal occupations...................................................... 930 932 935 1,103 807 

Education, training, and library occupations.............. 784 801 700 840 728 

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media

occupations.............................................................. 732 741 659 755 614 

Healthcare practitioner and technical

occupations.............................................................. 875 886 704 1,020 731 

Service occupations ......................................................... 406 403 412 442 362 

Healthcare support occupations.................................... 447 456 415 513 459 

Protective service occupations...................................... 588 616 522 728 629 

Food preparation and serving related

occupations ................................................................. 363 358 380 415 324 

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance

occupations ................................................................. 376 367 393 477 343 

Personal care and service occupations ........................ 402 402 404 406 365 

Sales and office occupations............................................ 550 558 512 605 494 

Sales and related occupations ...................................... 493 508 411 520 401 

Office and administrative support occupations ............. 570 574 547 629 521 

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance

occupations..................................................................... 539 545 567 431 377 

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ................... 348 348 369 308 320 

Construction and extraction occupations ...................... 573 568 696 553 487 

Installation, maintenance, and repair

occupations ................................................................. 726 746 684 508 623 

Production, transportation, and material moving

occupations..................................................................... 437 438 429 440 370 

Production occupations................................................. 443 449 418 435 378 

Transportation and material moving occupations.......... 424 417 473 475 351 

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.
40

Technical Note

The estimates in this report were obtained from the 

Current Population Survey (CPS), a national monthly sample survey of approximately 60,000 households that provides a wide range of information on the

labor force, employment, and unemployment. Earnings data 

are collected from one-fourth of the CPS monthly sample. 

The survey is conducted for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the U.S. Census Bureau, using a scientifically

selected national sample with coverage in all 50 States and 

the District of Columbia. 

Material in this report is in the public domain and, with 

appropriate credit, may be reproduced without permission. 

This information is available to sensory-impaired individuals 

upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; TDD message 

referral phone number: 1 (800) 877-8339.

Concepts and definitions

Civilian noninstitutional population. Included are persons 

16 years of age and older residing in the 50 States and the 

District of Columbia who are not inmates of institutions (for 

example, penal and mental facilities, homes for the aged), 

and who are not on active duty in the Armed Forces. 

Employed persons. All persons who, during the reference week, (a) did any work at all (at least 1 hour) as paid

employees, worked in their own business, profession, or on 

their own farm, or worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers in an enterprise operated by a member of the family, and 

(b) all those who were not working but who had jobs or businesses from which they were temporarily absent because of 

vacation, illness, bad weather, childcare problems, maternity 

or paternity leave, labor-management dispute, job training, 

or other family or personal reasons, whether or not they were 

paid for the time off or were seeking other jobs. 

Unemployed persons. All persons who had no employment 

during the reference week, were available for work, except 

for temporary illness, and had made specific efforts to find 

employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with 

the reference week. Persons who were waiting to be recalled 

to a job from which they had been laid off need not have been 

looking for work to be classified as unemployed. 

Duration of unemployment. This represents the length of time 

(through the current reference week) that persons classified 

as unemployed had been looking for work. For persons on 

layoff, duration of unemployment represents the number of 

full weeks they had been on layoff. Mean duration is the 

arithmetic average computed from single weeks of unemployment; median duration is the midpoint of a distribution 

of weeks of unemployment. 

Reason for unemployment. Unemployment also is categorized according to the status of individuals at the time they 

began to look for work. The reasons for unemployment are 

divided into four major groups: 

(1) Job losers, comprising (a) persons on temporary layoff, who have been given a date to return to work or who 

expect to return within 6 months (persons on layoff need 

not be looking for work to qualify as unemployed), (b) 

permanent job losers, whose employment ended involuntarily and who began looking for work, and (c) persons 

who completed temporary jobs, who began looking for 

work after the jobs ended; 

(2) Job leavers, persons who quit or otherwise terminated their employment voluntarily and immediately began 

looking for work; 

(3) Reentrants, persons who previously worked but who 

were out of the labor force prior to beginning their job 

search; and 

(4) New entrants, persons who had never worked. 

Labor force. This group comprises all persons classified as 

employed or unemployed in accordance with the criteria 

described above. 

Unemployment rate. This represents the number unemployed 

as a percent of the labor force. 

Participation rate. This represents the proportion of the population that is in the labor force. 

Employment-population ratio. This represents the proportion 

of the population that is employed. 

Not in the labor force. Included in this group are all persons 

in the civilian noninstitutional population who are neither 

employed nor unemployed. The marginally attached are persons not in the labor force who wanted and were available 

for work and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 

months (or since the end of their last job if they held one 

within the past 12 months). They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks 

preceding the survey. Discouraged workers are a subset of 

the marginally attached who were not currently looking for 

work specifically because they believed no jobs were available for them.
41

Occupation, industry, and class of worker. This information for the employed applies to the job held in the reference week. Persons with two or more jobs are classified in the 

job at which they worked the greatest number of hours. The

unemployed are classified according to their last job. Beginning in 2003, the occupational and industrial classification of 

CPS data is based on the 2002 Census Bureau occupational 

and industrial classification systems, which are derived from 

the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) and

the 2002 North American Industry Classification System 

(NAICS). (Consistent data are available back to 2000. Earlier 

data use a different classification system.) 

White, Black or African American, and Asian. These are 

terms used to describe the race of persons. Beginning in 

2003, persons in these categories are those who selected that 

race group only. (Previously, persons identified a group as 

their main race.) Persons in the remaining race categories—

American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other 

Pacific Islanders, and persons who selected more than one 

race category—are included in the estimates of total employment and unemployment but are not shown separately 

because the number of survey respondents is too small to 

develop estimates of sufficient quality. In the enumeration 

process, race is determined by the household respondent. 

More information on the 2003 changes in questions on race 

and Hispanic ethnicity is available online at http://www.bls.

gov/cps/rvcps03.pdf.

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. This 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. More information on 

the 2003 changes in questions on race and Hispanic ethnicity 

is available online at http://www.bls.gov/cps/rvcps03.pdf.

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). Earnings reported on a basis other than 

weekly (for example, annual, monthly, hourly) are converted 

to weekly. 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. Data refer to the 

sole or primary job of wage and salary workers (excluding all 

self-employed persons regardless of whether their businesses 

were incorporated). 

Median earnings. These figures indicate the value that divides the earnings distribution into two equal parts, one part 

having values above the median and the other having values 

below the median. The medians shown in this publication are 

calculated by linear interpolation of the $50 centered interval 

within which each median falls.

Family. A family is defined as a group of two or more persons residing together who are related by birth, marriage, 

or adoption; all such persons are considered as members of 

one family. Families are classified either as married-couple 

families or as families maintained by women or men without 

spouses. A family maintained by a woman or a man is one in 

which the householder is never married, widowed, divorced, 

or separated. 

Children. Data on children refer to one’s own children and 

include sons, daughters, stepchildren, and adopted children. 

Not included are nieces, nephews, grandchildren, other

related children, and all unrelated children living in the 

household.

Reliability of the estimates

Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and 

nonsampling error. When a sample, rather than an 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.

All other types of error are referred to as 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 data.

For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS 

and information on estimating standard errors, see the Household Data section of “Explanatory Notes and Estimates of 

Error” in Employment and Earnings, on the BLS Web site at 

http://www.bls.gov/cps/eetech_methods.pdf.
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