In most occupations, those working more than 44
hours per week earned substantially more than
those working 35 to 44 hours. Find out in which
occupations it may pay to put in long hours.
10 Occupational Outlook Quarterly
●
Spring 1999
Work more, earn more?
How hours of work affect
occupational earnings
by Daniel Hecker
U
sually, the more hours people work, the
more money they earn. But that is not always the case. In choosing an occupation, it is wise to consider the link between earnings and the hours of work required to make
those earnings. Some people value a high income over time for leisure or other activities and
may be willing to accept a long workweek. Others want a high
income but want to achieve that goal with a job that has high
hourly earnings rather than long hours. Still other workers may
be satisfied working shorter hours and earning more modest incomes.
This article, based on 1997 data from the Current Population
Survey, examines the occupations most and least likely to require standard and long hours. Within occupations, it shows
how much workers with long workweeks earned compared to
their counterparts with standard ones. It also ranks occupations
based on workers’ weekly earnings, providing a glimpse of
which reward more hours with a bigger paycheck.
Hours and earnings within occupations
Within every occupation, some workers put in longer hours
than others. Some people have a standard workweek, defined in
this article as 35 to 44 hours; other workers have an extended
Daniel Hecker is an economist in the Office of Employment Projections,
BLS, (202) 606-5713.
week, defined here as 45 to 99 hours. (Where data exist, some
occupations are further broken down into categories of 45 to 54
hours and 55 to 99 hours per week.)
The data are first examined without regard to earnings, revealing the proportion of men and women in different occupations who had extended workweeks. About 30 percent of men
usually worked more than 44 hours per week, and 10 percent
worked more than 54 hours per week. At least two-thirds of physicians, clergy, and workers in firefighting occupations had extended weeks. In contrast, about 7 percent of men working as
janitors and cleaners had extended workweeks. (See table 1.)
Fewer women than men had extended workweeks—15 percent usually worked more than 44 hours per week, and 3 percent
worked more than 45 hours. Occupations in which at least half
the women worked extended weeks were physicians, lawyers,
and marketing, advertising, and public relations managers. Occupations in which 7 percent or fewer women worked extended
weeks include nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants; bookkeepers, accounting, and auditing clerks; and secretaries. (See
table 2.)
Earnings data show that in some occupations, workers with
extended workweeks reported a large earnings premium—that
is, they earned more money for working longer hours. In half the
cases, workers with extended workweeks earned at least 32 percent more each week than did those with standard workweeks.
However, within some occupations, there was little or no difference in earnings between those who had an extended workweek
and those who worked standard weeks.
Among men, for example, some retail sales workers who had
Occupational Outlook Quarterly
●
Spring 1999
11
Table 1
Usual weekly hours of men employed full time, by detailed occupation, 1997
Average
hours
Occupation
Physicians1
Clergy
Extractive occupations
Firefighting occupations
Farm workers
Managers, food service and lodging establishments
Sales workers, motor vehicles and boats
Lawyers
Managers, marketing, advertising, and public relations
Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations
Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs
Administrators, education and related fields
Financial managers
Truckdrivers
Real estate sales occupations
Teachers, college and university
Securities and financial services sales occupations
Supervisors, mechanics and repairers
Managers, service organizations n.e.c.2
Insurance sales occupations
Sales representatives, mining, manufacturing, and wholesale trade
Tool and die makers
Other financial officers
Teachers, secondary school
Industrial engineers
Supervisors, production occupations
Sales occupations, other business services
Operations and systems researchers and analysts
Accountants and auditors
Teachers, elementary school
Electrical and electronic engineers
Supervisors, construction occupations
Sales workers, furniture, radio, TV, and appliances
Computer systems analysts and scientists
Machinists
Civil engineers
Designers
Industrial machinery repairers
Officials and administrators, public administration
Production inspectors, checkers, and examiners
Automotive mechanics
Supervisors, administrative support occupations
Welders and cutters
12 Occupational Outlook Quarterly
●
Spring 1999
52
52
51
51
51
50
49
49
48
48
48
47
47
47
47
47
46
46
46
46
46
46
45
45
45
45
44
44
44
44
44
44
43
43
43
43
43
43
43
43
43
43
43
Percent distribution by
weekly hours-worked group
55-99
35-44
45-54
32
31
58
33
50
35
40
37
38
47
54
52
42
58
52
57
47
55
55
52
55
54
52
61
60
65
64
65
66
69
70
75
66
67
72
70
70
76
74
74
74
74
80
25
28
12
26
23
33
34
37
37
33
24
26
39
23
28
24
38
26
29
36
31
32
35
26
29
26
26
25
26
23
23
16
28
26
23
21
23
18
18
19
21
22
16
44
40
31
41
28
32
26
25
24
21
23
22
19
19
21
19
15
19
16
13
14
14
13
13
10
9
10
10
9
8
7
9
6
7
5
9
7
6
8
7
5
5
4
(continued) Usual weekly hours of men employed full time, by detailed occupation, 1997
Occupation
Computer programmers
Police and detectives, public service
Sales workers, other commodities
Metalworking and plastics working machine operators
Electrical and electronic equipment repairers
Cooks
Machine operators, assorted materials
Industrial truck and tractor equipment operators
Construction trades
Engineering technologists and technicians
Electricians
Construction laborers
Mail carriers and postal clerks
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Assemblers
Guards and police, except public service
Carpenters
Traffic, shipping, and receiving clerks
Laborers, except construction
Janitors and cleaners
Average
hours
43
43
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
42
41
Percent distribution by
weekly hours-worked group
55-99
35-44
45-54
70
81
78
80
82
82
83
84
84
83
85
87
81
84
86
86
86
85
89
93
25
13
16
16
13
11
12
13
10
14
11
10
18
10
11
9
9
13
8
5
5
6
5
4
6
7
4
3
5
3
4
3
2
5
3
5
4
3
3
2
1Hours
for physicians exclude those working more than 74 hours a week because almost all have
very low earnings and are presumed to be interns rather than licensed physicians.
2n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
an extended workweek earned 76 percent more than their counterparts who put in a standard week. In contrast, male elementary school teachers who worked extended weeks earned
slightly less than those who worked standard ones. (See table 3.)
Among women, sales representatives for financial and business services working an extended week earned 62 percent
more than their standard workweek counterparts. But secondary
school teachers with an extended workweek earned 3 percent
more than those with a standard workweek. (See table 4.)
Some occupational groups had a greater proportion of workers with extended weeks earning more per hour or per week or
both than those with standard weeks. Weekly earnings of men
with an extended workweek exceeded by at least a third the
earnings of men with a standard workweek in 13 of 16 occupations in the executive, administrative, and managerial; management related; and sales occupations groups. Hourly earnings
also were higher in those groups for men in 13 of 16 occupations.
Among women, sales occupations showed the greatest dif-
ferential in weekly earnings between those working extended
weeks and those working standard weeks; in 3 of 4 occupations,
women earned at least 50 percent more. Women sales workers
with extended weeks also earned more per hour. In professional
specialty occupations, prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers with extended weeks earned 56 percent more per week and
12 percent more per hour.
In some occupations, the earnings of men and women reflected little or no weekly premium for additional hours
worked. For example, men and women elementary and secondary teachers earned little more per week and much less per hour
for working extended weeks. There were also relatively small
differences in weekly earnings and lower hourly earnings for
both women and men in computer, engineering, and most administrative support occupations.
Within the extended workweek categories of 45 to 54 hours
and 55 to 99 hours, those working 55 to 99 hours earned more
per week than did those working 45 to 54 hours in most occupa-
Occupational Outlook Quarterly
●
Spring 1999
13
Table 2
Usual weekly hours of women employed full time, by detailed occupation, 1997
Average
hours
Occupation
Physicians1
Lawyers
Managers, marketing, advertising, and public relations
Managers, food service and lodging establishments
Teachers, college and university
Private household occupations
Teachers, secondary school
Administrators, education, and related fields
Teachers, elementary school
Financial managers
Managers, service organizations n.e.c.2
Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations
Managers, medicine and health
Sales representatives, mining, manufacturing, and wholesale trade
Engineers
Operations and systems researchers and analysts
Sales representatives, finance and business services
Computer systems analysts and scientists
Other financial officers
Teachers, special education
Supervisors, administrative support occupations
Accountants and auditors
Teachers, prekindergarten and kindergarten
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants
Registered nurses
Bookkeepers, accounting, and auditing clerks
Sales workers, retail and personal services
Secretaries
49
46
45
45
45
44
44
44
44
44
43
43
43
43
43
43
42
42
42
42
42
41
41
41
41
41
40
40
Percent distribution by
weekly hours-worked group
55-99
35-44
45-54
49
46
50
60
61
80
66
65
68
67
72
70
73
74
70
76
76
78
81
81
84
83
87
93
90
93
92
95
26
36
37
28
22
12
25
25
24
26
21
22
20
20
25
13
18
20
13
15
13
15
10
4
8
6
6
4
26
18
12
12
16
8
8
10
8
7
7
7
7
6
6
10
6
3
6
4
3
2
3
3
1
1
2
1
1Hours
for physicians exclude those working more than 74 hours a week because almost all have
very low earnings and are presumed to be interns rather than licensed physicians.
2n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
tions where data were available. However, only male managers
in marketing, advertising, and public relations earned more per
hour. (See tables 5 and 6.)
Analysis of hours and earnings
There are several explanations for higher median earnings per
week or per hour for those who have an extended workweek.
Workers paid by the hour earn more per week the longer they
work; and if they are paid more per hour for every hour they
work beyond 40, they earn more per hour, as well. For salaried
14 Occupational Outlook Quarterly
●
Spring 1999
workers, including most managerial and sales occupations, analyzing the difference between weekly earnings of standard- and
extended-week workers is more complex.
Hourly earners include most production workers in mining,
manufacturing, and construction; most retail sales workers;
cooks; truckdrivers; guards; and nursing aides. Clerical workers, police, and technicians, even if they receive an annual salary, may also be paid for working more than a standard week. In
most of these occupations, workers with an extended workweek
have higher weekly and hourly earnings. However, in some
Some hourly
earners make more
per hour for
working over 40
hours per week.
occupations, such as electricians and nursing aides, orderlies,
and attendants, median hourly rates are lower. Lower rates
might be consistent with additional pay per hour for overtime
hours if certain workers—for example, younger workers or
those in low-wage establishments—with extended weeks have
lower base hourly rates than do those with standard weeks.
Commission sales workers or piecework production workers
who work longer hours may produce more and may therefore
earn more per week. Because they are not paid overtime, however, they are not likely to receive additional pay per hour for
working more than 40 hours per week.
For example, workers selling insurance, real estate, automobiles, and other large items usually receive at least part of their
pay as commissions based on the value of the products they sell.
Those with extended workweeks who receive a commission
earn substantially more per week than do their counterparts
with a standard workweek. Almost all earn more per hour, as
well. But to do so, they must make more sales per hour, get larger
commissions or bonuses for being top sellers, or have other
characteristics associated with high earnings.
Other workers with extended weeks also may have higher
earnings because they may be more likely to have greater responsibilities, higher skill levels, more education, high-wage
employers, or other characteristics associated with higher pay
than do workers with standard weeks. This includes workers in
managerial and professional occupations such as medical and
health managers, prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers,
and college faculty.
Most managerial and professional workers receive a weekly
or annual salary in return for at least 35 to 40 hours of work per
week. In some cases, it is understood that an extended workweek is part of the job. For these workers, overtime pay is less
common, but they may receive other compensation—such as
bonuses, extra benefits, or stock options—not included in these
data.
In some of these occupations, workers with extended weeks
do not make much more per week and therefore earn much less
per hour. This may be because of more modest earnings differentials between job titles within an occupation or because of large
earnings differentials with little connection between hours
worked and earnings. For example, many teacher salaries increase with years of tenure, are higher in public than in private
schools, and vary widely by geographic area. But experienced
teachers or those in high-paying school systems might not work
longer hours.
Although managerial and professional workers are not likely
to receive extra pay for overtime, they may work an extended
week for other reasons. It may take more than 44 hours per week
to perform their job adequately, or their employer might require
them to work more hours. If they are seeking a promotion or a
bonus, extra hours may eventually yield a higher income.
Occupational rankings
Which occupations pay the most per week, and how do these
occupations compare with others? Tables 7 and 8 rank occupations by earnings for men and women and show how rankings
for those in the standard- and extended-week groups compare
with those of all full-time workers.
(Continued on page 19)
Occupational Outlook Quarterly
●
Spring 1999
15
Table 3
Usual weekly and hourly earnings of men employed full-time,
by occupation and hours-worked group, 1997
Hours-worked group
35-99
35-44
Weekly
premium,
45-99 over
35-44
Weekly Hourly
earnings earnings (percent)
45-99
Occupation
Weekly
earnings
Hourly
Weekly Hourly
earnings earnings earnings
Median all employed
$ 581
$13.32 $ 505 $12.72 $ 775 $15.14
Executive, administrative, and managerial occupations
Officials and administrators, public administration
Financial managers
Managers, marketing, advertising, and public relations
Administrators, education and related fields
Managers, food service and lodging establishments
Managers, service organizations n.e.c.1
53
889
872
991
1,062
951
555
728
19.69
21.01
21.05
22.26
21.15
10.80
16.01
747
833
752
832
839
407
587
19.01
21.09
19.16
20.80
21.18
10.35
14.24
1,039
1,073
1,159
1,230
1,146
606
917
20.21
20.72
22.45
22.96
21.12
10.99
17.84
39
29
54
48
37
49
56
784
792
932
18.55
18.58
20.69
703
707
751
17.67
17.75
19.26
962
942
1,159
19.80
19.63
23.41
37
33
54
886
993
962
999
901
954
922
1,470
935
721
772
591
1,262
791
20.39
23.35
23.23
23.66
20.45
22.53
21.49
28.09
20.70
16.77
17.79
11.71
26.09
19.11
824
961
950
955
873
919
867
1,134
818
721
758
432
1,057
744
20.80
24.51
24.25
24.44
22.20
23.15
21.44
28.36
20.78
18.44
19.20
11.09
27.05
19.10
982
1,053
1,006
1,108
934
1,048
1,052
1,631
1,145
720
794
624
1,400
911
19.67
21.20
19.70
21.47
19.01
21.44
21.53
27.96
20.58
13.56
15.25
12.02
25.76
19.13
19
10
6
16
7
14
21
44
40
—
5
44
32
22
666
641
872
16.15
15.44
20.66
635
618
842
16.06
15.44
21.11
828
767
922
16.44
15.45
19.92
30
24
10
Sales occupations
602
Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations
616
Insurance sales occupations
754
Real estate sales occupations
720
Sales occupations, other business services
684
Sales representatives, mining, manufacturing, and wholesale trade 735
Sales workers, motor vehicles and boats
590
Sales workers, furniture, radio, TV, and appliance
500
Sales workers, other retail commodities
390
13.10
13.10
17.67
16.15
15.04
16.68
12.12
11.74
9.42
485
502
630
633
528
664
451
455
329
12.26
12.59
16.39
15.99
13.14
16.79
11.31
11.65
8.53
752
732
1,076
857
832
838
668
602
578
14.55
13.76
19.88
19.05
16.99
16.54
12.50
11.78
11.57
55
46
71
35
58
26
48
32
76
Administrative support occupations, including clerical
Supervisors, administrative support occupations
Mail carriers and postal clerks
12.48
15.66
16.97
487
651
679
12.29
16.09
17.05
674
752
775
13.46
15.24
16.20
38
16
14
Management related occupations
Accountants and auditors
Other financial officers
Professional speciality occupations
Engineers
Civil engineers
Electrical and electronic engineers
Industrial engineers
Computer systems analysts and scientists
Operations and systems researchers and analysts
Physicians2
Teachers, college and university
Teachers, elementary school
Teachers, secondary school
Clergy
Lawyers
Designers
Technicians and related support occupations
Engineering technologists and techncians
Computer programmers
16 Occupational Outlook Quarterly
●
Spring 1999
513
688
689
(continued) Usual weekly and hourly earnings of men employed full time,
by occupation and hours-worked group, 1997
Hours-worked group
Occupation
Weekly Hourly
earnings earnings
Weekly
premium,
45-99 over
Weekly Hourly
Weekly Hourly 35-44
earnings earnings earnings earnings (percent)
(continued)
Administrative support occupations, including clerical
Traffic, shipping, and receiving clerks
$410
$10.12
$396 $10.04 $514
Service occupations
Firefighting occupations
Police and detectives, public service
Guards and police, except public service
Cooks
Janitors and cleaners
377
725
713
353
303
334
9.19
14.46
16.79
8.76
7.37
8.46
352
634
654
334
287
325
9.02
15.94
16.49
8.57
7.21
8.45
Farming, forestry, and fishing occupations
Farm workers
306
278
6.97
5.87
290
247
Precision production, craft, and repair occupations
Supervisors, mechanics and repairers
Automotive mechanics
Industrial machinery repairers
Electrical and electronic equipment repairers
Supervisors, construction occupations
Carpenters
Electricians
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Mining and petroleum occupations
Supervisors, production occupations
Tool and die makers
Machinists
573
769
496
567
632
672
490
639
618
663
667
786
578
13.49
16.70
11.76
13.50
15.40
15.40
12.01
15.66
15.08
14.01
15.45
17.37
13.39
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors
Metalworking and plastics working machine operators
Machine operators, assorted materials
Welders and cutters
Assemblers
Production inspectors, checkers, and examiners
448
486
453
495
413
563
Transportation and material moving occupations
Truckdrivers
Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs
Industrial truck and tractor equipment operators
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers
Construction laborers
Laborers, except construction
35-99
35-44
45-99
$10.62
30
528
767
920
486
413
430
10.23
13.82
18.58
9.37
7.92
8.56
50
21
41
46
44
32
7.22
6.15
341
313
6.20
5.60
18
27
534
683
469
534
612
624
477
623
606
573
610
648
527
13.48
17.20
11.81
13.50
15.35
15.62
12.06
15.85
15.30
14.25
15.29
16.16
13.29
693
831
588
678
787
772
593
770
704
825
800
913
655
13.57
16.18
11.68
13.49
16.04
15.01
11.70
14.89
14.14
13.43
15.95
18.82
13.48
30
22
25
27
29
24
24
24
16
44
31
41
24
10.81
11.79
10.96
12.07
10.30
12.83
416
446
422
475
392
506
10.46
11.12
10.64
11.99
10.10
12.56
740
621
592
612
640
654
12.21
12.96
12.08
12.27
12.62
13.21
78
39
40
29
63
29
505
508
413
419
11.30
11.05
8.43
10.34
442
420
372
405
11.19
10.52
9.59
10.24
623
618
445
568
11.46
11.36
8.29
11.01
41
47
20
40
350
388
362
8.66
9.56
8.88
333
373
352
8.54
9.47
8.94
457
498
425
9.26
10.09
8.61
37
34
21
1n.e.c.
= not elsewhere classified
for physicians exclude those working more than 74 hours a week because almost all have very low earnings
and are presumed to be interns rather than licensed physicians.
2Earnings
Occupational Outlook Quarterly
●
Spring 1999
17
Table 4
Usual weekly and hourly earnings of women employed full time,
by occupation and hours-worked group, 1997
Hours-worked group
35-99
35-44
45-99
Weekly
premium,
45-99 over
35-44
(percent)
Occupation
Weekly
earnings
Hourly
Weekly
earnings earnings
Hourly
earnings
Weekly
earnings
Hourly
earnings
Median all employed
$435
$10.75 $ 408
$10.38
$ 658
$13.16
61
Executive, administrative, and managerial occupations
Financial managers
Managers, marketing, advertising, and public relations
Administrators, education and related fields
Managers, medicine and health
Managers, food service and lodging establishments
Managers, service organizations n.e.c.1
622
655
732
660
624
407
598
14.62
15.30
16.23
15.41
15.12
9.07
14.29
571
593
637
580
562
349
535
14.19
14.43
15.95
14.68
14.21
8.91
14.04
789
895
827
843
904
475
784
15.48
17.25
16.85
17.08
17.22
9.29
15.31
38
51
30
45
61
36
47
Management related occupations
Accountants and auditors
Other financial officers
579
590
577
13.89
14.13
13.76
544
561
535
13.59
13.98
13.45
729
726
728
14.99
15.34
15.01
34
29
36
664
837
852
1,106
707
808
405
657
695
680
957
16.07
20.20
20.59
24.53
17.85
18.57
9.86
15.31
16.33
16.54
21.33
634
801
834
1,071
692
727
383
630
685
669
807
16.19
20.50
20.87
27.92
17.79
18.53
9.62
16.07
17.52
17.05
20.23
772
976
940
1,135
898
969
598
725
707
720
1,184
15.45
19.44
19.82
21.76
18.54
18.65
10.76
14.09
13.95
14.22
23.34
22
22
13
6
30
33
56
15
3
8
47
Technicians and related support occupations
499
12.38
486
12.28
699
14.44
44
Sales occupations
Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations
Sales representatives, finance and business services
Sales representatives, mining, manufacturing,
and wholesale trade
Sales workers, retail and personal services
357
438
513
8.84
10.27
12.31
317
386
457
8.27
9.83
11.75
602
566
741
12.18
11.62
15.26
90
47
62
580
271
13.34
6.89
516
266
12.88
6.78
787
425
16.02
8.22
53
60
Administrative support occupations, including clerical
Supervisors, administrative support occupations
Secretaries
Bookkeepers, accounting, and auditing clerks
404
525
411
421
10.23
12.81
10.43
10.49
398
505
409
416
10.19
12.78
10.47
10.50
528
654
446
480
10.98
12.88
9.39
10.28
33
30
9
15
Professional speciality occupations
Engineers, all specialties
Computer systems analysts and scientists
Physicians2
Registered nurses
Teachers, college and university
Teachers, prekindergarten and kindergarten
Teachers, elementary school
Teachers, secondary school
Teachers, special education
Lawyers
18 Occupational Outlook Quarterly
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Spring 1999
(continued) Usual weekly and hourly earnings of women employed full time,
by occupation and hours-worked group, 1997
Hours-worked group
35-99
35-44
45-99
Weekly
premium,
45-99 over
35-44
(percent)
Occupation
Weekly
earnings
Hourly
Weekly
earnings earnings
Hourly
earnings
Weekly
earnings
Hourly
earnings
Service occupations, including private household
Private household occupations
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants
$286
223
298
$7.14
5.53
7.37
$282
218
295
$7.16
5.58
7.48
$342
283
356
$ 6.63
5.10
6.60
21
30
21
Precision production, craft, and repair occupations
384
9.61
369
9.35
627
13.09
70
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors
313
7.85
307
7.74
416
8.48
36
Transportation and material moving occupations
371
9.10
342
8.98
572
10.03
67
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers
299
7.52
294
7.45
406
8.48
38
1n.e.c.
= not elsewhere classified
2Earnings for physicians exclude those working more than 74 hours a week because almost all have very low earnings
and are presumed to be interns rather than licensed physicians.
Note: There were no reliable data for farming, forestry, and fishing occupations.
For many salaried
workers, putting in
longer hours does not
result in earning more
per hour.
(Continued from page 15)
Rankings differed most for men in executive, administrative,
and managerial; management related; professional specialty;
and sales occupations. Regardless of hours worked, top earners
for both men and women included physicians and lawyers. The
lowest earners in all hours-worked groups include, for men, farm
workers, laborers, janitors and cleaners, guards, and cooks, and
for women, nursing aides and private household workers.
For men in most executive, administrative, and managerial;
management related; and sales occupations, rankings were
lower for the standard-week group but higher for the extendedweek group. For example, male insurance sales workers ranked
20th in data for all workers, 27th in the standard-week group, and
9th in the extended-week group. But men with a standard workweek ranked higher than all workers and those with extended
hours in most other occupations, including professional specialty occupations.
Among women, rankings for those with a standard workweek
differed little from those for all workers. Women in most executive, administrative, and managerial occupations ranked higher
if they worked an extended week. Elementary, secondary, and
special education teachers ranked lower.
Despite the overall lower weekly earnings associated with a
standard workweek, standard-week workers in some occupations had high median earnings—defined here as a median exceeding that for all workers with an extended workweek—of
Occupational Outlook Quarterly
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Spring 1999
19
Table 5
Usual weekly and hourly earnings of men employed full time, with an extended workweek,
by occupation and hours-worked group, 1997
Hours-worked group
45-99
45-54
Occupation
Weekly Hourly
earnings earnings
Median all employed
$ 775 $15.14 $ 747
Executive, administrative, and managerial occpations
Financial managers
Managers, marketing, advertising, and public relations
Administrators, education and related fields
Managers, food service and lodging establishments
Weekly
earnings
55-99
Hourly
earnings
Weekly Hourly
earnings earnings
$15.56 $ 847 $13.93
Weekly
premium
55-99 over
45-54
(percent)
13
1,039
1,159
1,230
1,146
606
20.21
22.45
22.96
21.12
10.99
993
1,074
1,114
1,086
553
20.83
22.83
22.94
22.95
11.41
1,149
1,350
1,442
1,221
652
19.27
22.22
22.97
19.82
10.71
16
26
29
12
18
962
19.80
938
20.00
1,097
19.25
17
982
1,053
1,631
1,145
794
624
1,400
19.67
21.20
27.96
20.58
15.25
12.02
25.76
971
1,034
1,525
1,057
795
641
1,327
20.73
21.79
30.17
21.70
16.73
13.74
26.36
1,018
1,106
1,744
1,194
793
611
1,562
17.23
18.99
27.55
19.75
13.43
10.02
24.91
5
7
14
13
—
-5
18
828
16.44
819
16.82
869
14.79
6
Sales occupations
752
Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations
732
Sales representatives, mining, manufacturing, and wholesale trade 838
Sales workers, motor vehicles and boats
668
14.55
13.76
16.54
12.50
725
674
844
645
15.09
14.16
17.54
13.26
820
816
823
694
13.49
13.28
13.82
11.86
13
21
-2
8
Administrative support occupations, including clerical
674
13.46
660
14.04
768
12.46
16
Service occupations
Cooks
528
413
10.23
7.92
483
397
10.20
8.10
646
458
10.30
7.45
34
15
Farming, forestry, and fishing occupations
Farm workers
341
313
6.20
5.60
314
280
6.55
5.67
366
347
5.85
5.46
17
24
Precision production, craft, and repair occupations
Supervisors, production occupations
693
800
13.57
15.95
651
784
13.60
16.71
817
824
13.50
14.54
25
5
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors
Machine operators, assorted materials
740
592
12.21
12.08
582
582
12.23
12.27
709
649
12.10
11.04
22
12
Transportation and material moving occupations
Truckdrivers
623
618
11.46
11.36
592
589
12.21
12.10
670
664
10.65
10.48
13
13
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers
457
9.26
451
9.50
512
8.22
14
Management related occupations
Professional specialty occupations
Engineers
Physicians
Teachers, college and university
Teachers, secondary school
Clergy
Lawyers
Technicians and related support occupations
20 Occupational Outlook Quarterly
●
Spring 1999
Table 6
Usual weekly and hourly earnings of women employed full time with an extended workweek,
by occupation and hours-worked group, 1997
Hours-worked group
Occupation
Weekly
earnings
Hourly
earnings
Weekly Hourly
earnings earnings
Weekly
premium,
55-99 over
Weekly Hourly 45-54
earnings earnings (percent)
Median all employed
$658
$13.16
$642
$13.52
$723
$11.95
13
Executive, administrative, and managerial occupations
789
15.48
764
16.23
862
14.55
13
Management related occupations
729
14.99
708
15.17
779
13.37
10
Professional specialty occupations
Teachers, elementary school
772
725
15.45
14.09
767
700
16.27
14.53
796
782
13.20
13.22
4
12
Sales occupations
Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations
602
566
12.18
11.62
589
551
12.34
11.66
691
667
11.60
11.37
17
21
Administrative support occupations, including clerical
528
10.98
515
11.11
616
10.02
20
Service occupations, including private household
342
6.63
327
7.03
380
6.04
16
45-99
Weekly and
hourly earnings
vary by
occupation,
hours-worked
group, and sex.
45-54
55-99
more than $775 for men and $658 for women. The following
tabulations show these occupations for both men and women:
Median weekly
Men, by occupation
earnings
Physicians*
$1,134
Lawyers*
1,057
Electrical and electronic engineers*
955
Civil engineers*
950
Computer systems analysts and scientists*
919
Industrial engineers*
873
Operations and systems researchers and analysts*
867
Computer programmers
842
Administrators, education and related fields
839
Officials and administrators, public administration
833
Managers, marketing, advertising and public relations 832
Teachers, college and university
818
Women, by occupation
Physicians*
$1,071
Computer systems analysts and engineers*
834
Lawyers*
807
Engineers*
801
Teachers, college and university*
727
Registered nurses
692
Teachers, secondary school
685
Teachers, special education
669
Occupations marked with an asterisk (*) denote those in
which standard-week workers also had medians greater than the
Occupational Outlook Quarterly
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Spring 1999
21
Table 7
Earnings rankings of men based on usual weekly earnings, by occupation and hours-worked group, 1997
Hours-worked group
35-99 35-44 45-99
Occupation
Executive, administrative, and managerial occupations
Officials and administrators, public
administration
13 10 10
Financial managers
5 14
4
Managers, marketing, advertising,
and public relations
3 11
3
Administrators, education and related fields 8
9
6
Managers, food serving and lodging
establishments
43 50 47
Managers, service organizations n.e.c.
22 34 18
Management related occupations
Accountants and auditors
Other financial officers
Professional speciality occupations
Civil engineers
Electrical and electronic engineers
Industrial engineers
Computer systems analysts and scientists
Operations and systems researchers
and analysts
Physicians
Teachers, college and university
Teachers, elementary school
Teachers, secondary school
Clergy
Lawyers
Designers
15
10
18
15
14
5
6
4
12
7
4
3
6
5
13
8
15
12
11
1
9
24
18
38
2
16
7
1
12
17
13
47
2
16
11
1
7
36
27
43
2
20
Technicians and related support occupations
Engineering technologists and techncians 33
Computer programmers
14
30
8
33
16
Sales occupations
Supervisors and proprietors, sales
occupations
37
Insurance sales occupations
20
Real estate sales occupations
25
Sales occupations, other business services 29
Sales represenatives, mining, manufacturing,
and wholesale trade
21
Sales workers, motor vehicles and boats
39
Sales workers, furniture, radio, TV, and
appliances
45
Sales workers, other retail commodities
55
40
27
26
37
35
9
21
23
21
45
22
39
44
58
48
52
Administrative support occupations, including clerical
Supervisors, administrative support
occupations
28 23 34
22 Occupational Outlook Quarterly
●
Spring 1999
Occupation
Hours-worked group
35-99 35-44 45-99
(continued)
Administrative support occupations, including clerical
Mail carriers and postal clerks
27 20 29
Traffic, shipping, and receiving clerks
54 52 54
Service occupations
Firefighting occupations
Police and detectives, public service
Guards and police, except public service
Cooks
Janitors and cleaners
23
26
58
60
59
25
22
57
60
59
32
17
56
60
58
Farming, forestry, and fishing occupations
Farm workers
61
61
61
Precision production, craft, and repair occupations
Supervisors, mechanics and repairers
19 19
Automotive mechanics
46 43
Industrial machinery repairers
41 36
Electrical and electronic equipment
repairers
35 31
Supervisors, construction occupations
30 28
Carpenters
48 41
Electricians
34 29
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
36 33
Mining and petroleum occupations
32 35
Supervisors, production occupations
31 32
Tool and die makers
17 24
Machinists
40 38
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors
Metalworking and plastics working
machine operators
49
Machine operators, assorted materials
50
Welders and cutters
47
Assemblers
52
Production inspectors, checkers,
and examiners
42
28
30
49
31
37
25
26
19
40
46
48
42
53
44
50
46
42
39
41
Transportation and material moving occupations
Truckdrivers
44 49
Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs
53 55
Industrial truck and tractor equipment
operators
51 51
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers
Construction laborers
56 54
Laborers, except construction
57 56
n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
24
51
38
45
57
53
55
59
Table 8
Earnings rankings of women based on usual weekly earnings, by
occupation and hours-worked group, 1997
Hours-worked group
Occupation
35-99 35-44 45-99
Executive, administrative, and managerial occupations
Financial managers
12 11
8
Managers, marketing, advertising, and
public relations
6
9 10
Administrators, education and related fields 10 12
9
Managers, medicine and health
13 13
6
Managers, food service and lodging
establishments
23 24 23
Managers, service organizations n.e.c.
14 15 12
Management related occupations
Accountants and auditors
Other financial officers
15
17
14
16
15
14
Professional speciality occupations
Engineers, all specialties
Computer systems analysts and scientists
Physicians
Registered nurses
Teachers, college and university
Teachers, prekindergarten and kindergarten
Teachers, elementary school
Teachers, secondary school
Teachers, special education
Lawyers
5
3
1
7
5
24
11
8
9
2
4
2
1
6
5
23
10
7
8
3
3
5
2
7
4
20
16
18
17
1
20
22
21
19
19
13
16
26
17
26
11
25
Administrative support occupations,
including clerical
Supervisors, administrative support
occupations
18
Secretaries
22
Bookkeepers, accounting, and auditing clerks 21
18
21
20
19
24
22
Service occupations, including private household
Private household occupations
27 27
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants
25 25
27
26
Sales occupations
Supervisors and proprietors, sales
occupations
Sales representatives, finance and
business services
Sales representatives, mining,
manufacturing, and wholesale trade
Sales workers, retail and personal services
median for all those working 55 hours or more—$847 for men
and $723 for women.
However, these occupations also have other characteristics
associated with higher pay. Most notably, all usually require a
college degree. Physicians and lawyers need a professional degree, and most college teaching jobs require a doctoral or professional degree. With the exception of registered nurse, which
requires an associate degree, the other occupations usually require at least a bachelor’s degree.
Data and methodology
The Current Population Survey is the monthly household survey that provides basic measurements of the labor force and
employment. In this article, data reflect usual weekly earnings
and usual weekly hours in a worker’s primary job. The data
cover wage and salary workers (those who work for someone
else and receive a paycheck), excluding self-employed workers
(those who earn a profit from their own businesses). Self-employed workers, who made up about 8 percent of employed
workers in 1997, are more likely than wage and salary workers
to have an extended workweek.
Classification by hours worked categories permits comparisons within occupations for workers with different numbers of
work hours. It also allows comparisons between occupations for
workers with roughly the same number of work hours per week.
Because the primary focus is comparisons by hours worked per
week, data are presented only for occupations in which there
were enough respondents with extended weeks to provide statistically reliable earnings data for this category. Data are presented separately by sex because women usually earn less than
men, even in the same occupation, and have shorter workweeks.
Unlike surveys of employers, these data show hours actually
worked—not just hours paid for—but do not show the schedule
of hours. Although schedules vary, a typical 35- to 44-hour
week consists of 5 work days of between 7 and nearly 9 hours.
An extended workweek might be at least 9 hours a day or extra
hours on an additional work day. For most jobs, work is performed between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
However, some jobs include evening, night, or weekend work;
shifts that change periodically from days to evenings or nights;
an irregular schedule arranged by the employer; or split shifts,
involving two distinct periods each day.
n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified
Occupational Outlook Quarterly
●
Spring 1999
23