T here is considerable variation between the wages that workers earn.
While this variation is most commonly attributed to the workers different occupations and industries, other factors, such as gender, race, level of education and age also play a role. This article shows that education is a positive and highly significant predictor of earned income. Workers in the Mountain states and West North Central states tend to earn less than their counterparts in the Pacific region. The March CPS Supplement asks respondents detailed questions about their work and income during the previous year in addition to the standard CPS questions about demographics, education, labor market activity, etc. It provides a rich source of information on the income and work activities of a large sample of the civilian noninstitutional population.