News
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Technical information:
Media contact:
(202) 691-6378
http://www.bls.gov/cps/
(202) 691-5902
1
United States
Department
of Labor
Washington, D.C. 20212
USDL 08-0066
For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Thursday, January 17, 2008
USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS:
FOURTH QUARTER 2007
Median weekly earnings of the nation’s 108.3 million full-time wage and salary workers were $700 in
the fourth quarter of 2007, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.
This was 2.6 percent higher than a year earlier compared with a gain of 4.0 percent in the Consumer Price
Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) over the same period.
Data on usual weekly earnings are collected as part of the Current Population Survey, a nationwide
sample survey of households in which respondents are asked, among other things, how much each wage
and salary worker usually earns. (See the Technical Note.) Highlights from the fourth-quarter data are:
• Women who usually worked full time had median earnings of $618 per week, or 79.8 percent of
the $774 median for men. The female-to-male earnings ratios were higher among Hispanics (92.1
percent) and blacks (90.0 percent) than among whites (79.0 percent) or Asians (75.6 percent).
(See table 1.)
• Median earnings for black men working at full-time jobs were $599 per week, 74.9 percent of the
median for white men ($800). The difference was less among women, as black women’s median
earnings ($539) were 85.3 percent of those for their white counterparts ($632). Overall, median
earnings of Hispanics who worked full time ($507) were lower than those of blacks ($574), whites
($722), and Asians ($856). (See table 1.)
• Among men, those age 55 to 64 and age 45 to 54 had the highest median weekly earnings, $930
and $927, respectively. Among women, earnings were highest for those age 55 to 64 ($702). (See
table 2.)
• Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time in managerial, professional, and
related occupations had the highest median weekly earnings—$1,223 for men and $861 for women.
Persons employed in service jobs earned the least. (See table 3.)
• Full-time workers age 25 and over without a high school diploma had median weekly earnings of
$424 compared with $610 for high school graduates (no college) and $1,086 for those holding at
least a bachelor’s degree. Among college graduates with advanced degrees (professional or master’s
degree and above), the highest earning 10 percent of male workers made $2,910 or more per week
compared with $2,095 or more for their female counterparts. (See table 4.)
2
Annual Averages for 2006 and 2007
In addition to the data for the fourth quarter, this release includes 2006 and 2007 annual average weekly
earnings for major demographic and occupational groups and 2007 annual average data for educational attainment groups (tables 6, 7, and 8). Annual average data on median usual earnings for men and women by
detailed occupational categories will appear in the January 2008 online version of Employment and
Earnings at http://www.bls.gov/opub/ee/home.htm.
Technical Note
The estimates in this release were obtained from the Current
Population Survey (CPS), which provides the basic information on the
labor force, employment, and unemployment. The survey is conducted
monthly for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S.Census Bureau
from a scientifically selected national sample of about 60,000 households,
with coverage in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The earnings
data are collected from one-quarter of the CPS monthly sample and are
limited to wages and salaries. The data, therefore, exclude selfemployment income.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; TDD message
referral phone number: 1-800-877-8339.
Reliability
Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and
nonsampling error. When a sample, rather than the entire population,
is surveyed, there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from
the "true" population values they represent. The exact difference, or
sampling error, varies depending on the particular sample selected, and
this variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate. There
is about a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based
on a sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true"
population value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are generally
conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.
The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling
error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a
segment of the population, inability to obtain information for all
respondents in the sample, inability or unwillingness of respondents to
provide correct information, and errors made in the collection or
processing of the data.
For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and
information on estimating standard errors, see the Household Data
section of the “Explanatory Notes and Estimates of Error” at http://
www.bls.gov/cps/eetech_methods.pdf.
Definitions
The principal definitions used in connection with the earnings series
are described briefly below.
Usual weekly earnings. Data represent earnings before taxes and
other deductions and include any overtime pay, commissions, or tips
usually received (at the main job in the case of multiple jobholders.) Prior
to 1994, respondents were asked how much they usually earned per
week. Since January 1994, respondents have been asked to identify the
easiest way for them to report earnings (hourly, weekly, biweekly, twice
monthly, monthly, annually, other) and how much they usually earn in
the reported time period. Earnings reported on a basis other than weekly
are converted to a weekly equivalent. The term “usual” is as perceived
by the respondent. If the respondent asks for a definition of usual,
interviewers are instructed to define the term as more than half the weeks
worked during the past 4 or 5 months.
Medians (and other quantiles) of weekly earnings. The median (or
upper limit of the second quartile) is the amount which divides a given
earnings distribution into two equal groups, one having earnings above
the median and the other having earnings below the median. Ten percent
of a given distribution have earnings below the upper limit of the first
decile (90 percent have higher earnings); 25 percent have earnings below
the upper limit of the first quartile (75 percent have higher earnings); 75
percent have earnings below the upper limit of the third quartile (25
percent have higher earnings); and 90 percent have earnings below the
upper limit of the ninth decile (10 percent have higher earnings).
The estimating procedure places each reported or calculated weekly
earnings value into $50-wide intervals which are centered around
multiples of $50. The actual value is estimated through the linear
interpolation of the interval in which the quantile boundary lies.
Over-the-year changes in the medians (and other quantile boundaries)
for specific groups may not necessarily be consistent with the movements
estimated for the overall quantile boundary. The most common reasons
for this possible anomaly are: (1) There could be a change in the relative
weights of the subgroups. For example, the medians of both 16-to-24
year olds and those 25 years and over may rise; but if the lower-earning
16-to-24 group accounts for a greatly increased share of the total, the
overall median could actually fall. (2) There could be a large change in the
shape of the distribution of reported earnings, particularly near a quantile
boundary. This could be caused by survey observations that are
clustered at rounded values, such as $250, $300, $400. An estimate
lying in a $50-wide centered interval containing such a cluster or “spike”
tends to change more slowly than one in other intervals.
Wage and salary workers. Workers who receive wages, salaries,
commissions, tips, payment in kind, or piece rates. The group includes
employees in both the private and public sectors but, for the purposes
of the earnings series, excludes all self-employed persons, regardless
of whether or not their businesses are incorporated.
Full-time workers. Workers who usually work 35 hours or more per
week at their sole or principal job.
Part-time workers. Workers who usually work fewer than 35 hours
per week at their sole or principal job.
Constant dollars. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
(CPI-U) is used to convert current dollars to constant (1982) dollars.
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. Refers to persons who identified
themselves in the enumeration process as being Spanish, Hispanic, or
Latino. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino
may be of any race.
Table 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages,
not seasonally adjusted
Number of workers
(in thousands)
Characteristic
Median weekly earnings
In current dollars
In constant (1982) dollars
IV
2006
IV
2007
Total, 16 years and over .....................................................................................
106,903
108,318
$682
$700
$326
$322
Men, 16 years and over ..................................................................................
16 to 24 years .............................................................................................
25 years and over .......................................................................................
60,060
6,355
53,705
60,482
6,150
54,332
749
429
800
774
459
831
358
205
383
356
211
382
Women, 16 years and over ............................................................................
16 to 24 years .............................................................................................
25 years and over .......................................................................................
46,843
4,736
42,108
47,835
4,744
43,091
609
403
638
618
421
649
291
193
305
284
194
298
White ..............................................................................................................
Men .............................................................................................................
Women .......................................................................................................
86,726
49,906
36,820
87,601
50,071
37,530
702
765
620
722
800
632
336
366
297
332
368
291
Black or African American ..............................................................................
Men .............................................................................................................
Women .......................................................................................................
12,840
6,028
6,813
12,959
6,100
6,859
569
605
521
574
599
539
272
289
249
264
276
248
Asian ...............................................................................................................
Men .............................................................................................................
Women .......................................................................................................
4,780
2,689
2,091
5,200
2,883
2,317
809
912
726
856
968
732
387
436
347
394
445
337
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity .............................................................................
Men .............................................................................................................
Women .......................................................................................................
15,884
10,187
5,697
16,298
10,117
6,181
489
504
446
507
520
479
234
241
214
233
239
221
IV
2006
IV
2007
IV
2006
IV
2007
SEX AND AGE
RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX
NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons
whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and
sex, fourth quarter 2007 averages, not seasonally adjusted
Total
Age, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Men
Median
weekly
earnings
Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Women
Median
weekly
earnings
Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
TOTAL
16 years and over .........................................................................................
16 to 24 years ...........................................................................................
16 to 19 years .......................................................................................
20 to 24 years .......................................................................................
25 years and over .....................................................................................
25 to 54 years .......................................................................................
25 to 34 years ...................................................................................
35 to 44 years ...................................................................................
45 to 54 years ...................................................................................
55 years and over .................................................................................
55 to 64 years ...................................................................................
65 years and over .............................................................................
108,318
10,894
1,479
9,416
97,423
80,495
26,138
27,165
27,192
16,928
14,535
2,394
$700
441
355
464
741
733
642
769
792
797
825
639
60,482
6,150
896
5,254
54,332
45,270
15,040
15,433
14,797
9,062
7,719
1,343
$774
459
378
479
831
814
689
868
927
912
930
757
47,835
4,744
583
4,161
43,091
35,225
11,098
11,732
12,395
7,866
6,816
1,050
$618
421
328
443
649
643
590
676
676
672
702
556
White
16 years and over .........................................................................................
16 to 24 years ...........................................................................................
25 years and over .....................................................................................
25 to 54 years .......................................................................................
55 years and over .................................................................................
87,601
8,808
78,792
64,564
14,228
722
444
762
752
820
50,071
5,070
45,000
37,256
7,744
800
463
859
839
944
37,530
3,738
33,792
27,308
6,484
632
422
663
659
683
Black or African American
16 years and over .........................................................................................
16 to 24 years ...........................................................................................
25 years and over .....................................................................................
25 to 54 years .......................................................................................
55 years and over .................................................................................
12,959
1,362
11,597
9,935
1,662
574
414
599
597
613
6,100
668
5,432
4,694
737
599
420
625
626
623
6,859
694
6,165
5,241
924
539
407
575
572
598
Asian
16 years and over .........................................................................................
16 to 24 years ...........................................................................................
25 years and over .....................................................................................
25 to 54 years .......................................................................................
55 years and over .................................................................................
5,200
342
4,858
4,132
726
856
518
895
904
847
2,883
184
2,699
2,306
393
968
491
1,037
1,055
945
2,317
158
2,159
1,826
334
732
542
755
764
685
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
16 years and over .........................................................................................
16 to 24 years ...........................................................................................
25 years and over .....................................................................................
25 to 54 years .......................................................................................
55 years and over .................................................................................
16,298
2,168
14,129
12,747
1,383
507
399
528
524
562
10,117
1,405
8,712
7,901
810
520
406
567
562
606
6,181
764
5,418
4,845
572
479
376
495
494
504
NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all
races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the
release of January data.
Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, quarterly averages,
not seasonally adjusted
Occupation and sex
Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
IV
2006
IV
2007
IV
2006
IV
2007
38,414
15,608
22,806
14,669
25,637
10,002
15,636
12,777
633
7,318
4,827
15,406
8,244
7,162
39,787
16,081
23,707
14,708
25,678
10,125
15,553
12,520
711
7,118
4,691
15,624
8,627
6,998
$972
1,018
950
426
594
639
578
658
392
617
744
554
569
535
$1,002
1,067
966
460
596
647
582
689
388
660
774
579
587
566
18,735
8,615
10,120
7,336
9,687
5,599
4,088
12,204
507
7,110
4,587
12,098
5,865
6,233
19,308
8,698
10,609
7,292
9,554
5,469
4,085
12,045
579
6,937
4,528
12,284
6,176
6,108
1,150
1,201
1,119
488
704
788
620
664
396
619
748
601
628
567
1,223
1,274
1,169
520
708
813
604
695
410
661
779
617
646
594
19,679
6,993
12,686
7,333
15,950
4,403
11,548
573
125
208
240
3,308
2,379
929
20,480
7,382
13,097
7,416
16,124
4,656
11,468
476
132
181
163
3,340
2,450
890
859
874
851
397
544
484
567
547
385
515
675
423
437
399
861
887
848
415
552
478
576
550
339
622
674
433
445
404
TOTAL
Management, professional, and related occupations ...................................................
Management, business, and financial operations occupations ................................
Professional and related occupations .......................................................................
Service occupations .....................................................................................................
Sales and office occupations ........................................................................................
Sales and related occupations .................................................................................
Office and administrative support occupations .........................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ..................................
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ...............................................................
Construction and extraction occupations ..................................................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ...................................................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ......................................
Production occupations ............................................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations .....................................................
Men
Management, professional, and related occupations ...................................................
Management, business, and financial operations occupations ................................
Professional and related occupations .......................................................................
Service occupations .....................................................................................................
Sales and office occupations ........................................................................................
Sales and related occupations .................................................................................
Office and administrative support occupations .........................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ..................................
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ...............................................................
Construction and extraction occupations ..................................................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ...................................................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ......................................
Production occupations ............................................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations .....................................................
Women
Management, professional, and related occupations ...................................................
Management, business, and financial operations occupations ................................
Professional and related occupations .......................................................................
Service occupations .....................................................................................................
Sales and office occupations ........................................................................................
Sales and related occupations .................................................................................
Office and administrative support occupations .........................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ..................................
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ...............................................................
Construction and extraction occupations ..................................................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ...................................................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ......................................
Production occupations ............................................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations .....................................................
NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
Table 4. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected
characteristics, fourth quarter 2007 averages, not seasonally adjusted
Characteristic
Number of
workers
(in
First decile
thousands)
Upper limit of:
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Ninth
decile
SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY
Total, 16 years and over .....................................................................................
Men .................................................................................................................
Women ...........................................................................................................
108,318
60,482
47,835
$336
361
314
$470
505
421
$700
774
618
$1,076
1,215
928
$1,616
1,842
1,349
White ..............................................................................................................
Men .............................................................................................................
Women .......................................................................................................
87,601
50,071
37,530
342
371
316
482
516
428
722
800
632
1,107
1,245
937
1,653
1,876
1,368
Black or African American ..............................................................................
Men .............................................................................................................
Women .......................................................................................................
12,959
6,100
6,859
312
319
305
401
412
394
574
599
539
842
873
805
1,204
1,263
1,158
Asian ...............................................................................................................
Men .............................................................................................................
Women .......................................................................................................
5,200
2,883
2,317
363
398
320
520
612
467
856
968
732
1,360
1,532
1,134
1,907
2,024
1,730
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity .............................................................................
Men .............................................................................................................
Women .......................................................................................................
16,298
10,117
6,181
292
303
279
365
381
338
507
520
479
769
818
718
1,152
1,219
1,015
Total, 25 years and over .....................................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ....................................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 ...............................................................
Some college or associate degree .................................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ......................................................................
Bachelor’s degree only ...............................................................................
Advanced degree .......................................................................................
97,423
8,354
28,354
26,987
33,729
22,134
11,594
354
280
325
371
525
496
621
496
323
429
497
746
695
884
741
424
610
697
1,086
994
1,259
1,135
594
870
996
1,601
1,498
1,830
1,691
810
1,174
1,368
2,297
2,078
2,691
Men, 25 years and over ..................................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ................................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 ...........................................................
Some college or associate degree .............................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ..................................................................
Bachelor’s degree only ...........................................................................
Advanced degree ...................................................................................
54,332
5,639
16,400
14,161
18,132
11,994
6,139
384
290
364
407
592
555
708
550
354
493
575
846
771
980
831
482
697
799
1,265
1,164
1,466
1,272
642
972
1,149
1,875
1,749
2,047
1,888
902
1,326
1,532
2,599
2,388
2,910
Women, 25 years and over ............................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ................................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 ...........................................................
Some college or associate degree .............................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ..................................................................
Bachelor’s degree only ...........................................................................
Advanced degree ...................................................................................
43,091
2,715
11,954
12,826
15,596
10,141
5,456
326
256
296
341
492
469
590
445
298
381
441
669
623
802
649
365
516
606
937
858
1,087
961
468
705
843
1,330
1,194
1,527
1,393
614
941
1,138
1,866
1,729
2,095
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
1 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
2 Includes persons with bachelor’s, master’s, professional, and doctoral
degrees.
NOTE: Ten percent of all full-time wage and salary workers earn less
than the upper limit of the first decile; 25 percent earn less than the upper
limit of the first quartile; 50 percent earn less than the upper limit of the
second quartile, or median; 75 percent earn less than the upper limit of the
third quartile; and 90 percent earn less than the upper limit of the ninth
decile. Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African
American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented
for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino
may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually
with the release of January data.
Table 5. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages,
not seasonally adjusted
Characteristic
Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
IV
2006
IV
2007
IV
2006
IV
2007
Total, 16 years and over ...............................................................................................
22,556
22,140
$208
$214
Men, 16 years and over ............................................................................................
16 to 24 years .......................................................................................................
25 years and over .................................................................................................
7,176
3,697
3,479
7,191
3,556
3,635
193
151
261
206
165
266
Women, 16 years and over ......................................................................................
16 to 24 years .......................................................................................................
25 years and over .................................................................................................
15,380
4,651
10,729
14,949
4,589
10,360
215
150
258
218
151
259
White ........................................................................................................................
Men .......................................................................................................................
Women .................................................................................................................
18,818
5,816
13,002
18,630
5,881
12,749
209
191
218
216
205
224
Black or African American ........................................................................................
Men .......................................................................................................................
Women .................................................................................................................
2,237
807
1,430
2,092
792
1,300
197
206
192
204
226
191
Asian .........................................................................................................................
Men .......................................................................................................................
Women .................................................................................................................
954
364
590
847
288
559
217
208
220
204
185
213
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity .......................................................................................
Men .......................................................................................................................
Women .................................................................................................................
2,458
775
1,683
2,736
1,038
1,697
206
215
202
209
227
197
SEX AND AGE
RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX
NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races.
Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January
data.
Table 6. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, annual averages
Number of workers
(in thousands)
Characteristic
Median weekly earnings
In current dollars
In constant (1982) dollars
2006
2007
Total, 16 years and over ...........................................................................
106,106
107,339
$671
$695
$321
$323
Men, 16 years and over ........................................................................
16 to 24 years ...................................................................................
25 years and over .............................................................................
59,747
6,559
53,188
60,298
6,458
53,840
743
418
797
766
443
823
356
200
381
356
206
383
Women, 16 years and over ..................................................................
16 to 24 years ...................................................................................
25 years and over .............................................................................
46,358
4,802
41,556
47,041
4,792
42,249
600
395
627
614
409
646
287
189
300
286
190
301
White ....................................................................................................
Men ...................................................................................................
Women .............................................................................................
86,055
49,650
36,405
86,653
49,889
36,764
690
761
609
716
788
626
330
364
292
333
367
291
Black or African American ....................................................................
Men ...................................................................................................
Women .............................................................................................
12,745
6,025
6,720
13,061
6,186
6,874
554
591
519
569
600
533
265
283
248
265
279
248
Asian .....................................................................................................
Men ...................................................................................................
Women .............................................................................................
4,840
2,717
2,123
5,155
2,858
2,297
784
882
699
830
936
731
375
422
335
386
435
340
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity ...................................................................
Men ...................................................................................................
Women .............................................................................................
15,693
10,007
5,686
16,201
10,248
5,953
486
505
440
503
520
473
233
242
211
234
242
220
2006
2007
2006
2007
SEX AND AGE
RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX
NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races.
Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
Table 7. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, annual averages
Number of workers
(in thousands)
Occupation and sex
Median weekly earnings
2006
2007
2006
2007
37,824
15,447
22,378
14,749
25,688
10,336
15,351
12,512
716
7,166
4,630
15,332
8,391
6,942
39,147
15,977
23,170
14,716
25,702
10,448
15,253
12,486
739
7,227
4,520
15,289
8,389
6,900
$967
1,045
928
422
589
628
572
653
387
619
742
557
559
556
$996
1,080
951
454
598
643
581
670
372
646
749
577
581
570
18,686
8,536
10,149
7,275
9,753
5,777
3,976
11,989
569
6,995
4,425
12,045
5,979
6,066
19,222
8,684
10,538
7,371
9,725
5,773
3,952
12,028
601
7,071
4,357
11,951
5,992
5,959
1,154
1,231
1,109
494
696
761
619
660
401
621
744
601
621
581
1,187
1,261
1,148
515
714
791
619
674
382
648
750
616
641
596
19,138
6,910
12,228
7,473
15,935
4,560
11,375
524
147
172
205
3,288
2,412
876
19,924
7,293
12,632
7,345
15,976
4,675
11,301
457
138
156
163
3,338
2,396
942
840
881
816
390
538
487
557
518
342
533
697
426
432
414
858
908
835
406
550
493
570
539
348
573
726
437
443
424
TOTAL
Management, professional, and related occupations ...................................................
Management, business, and financial operations occupations ................................
Professional and related occupations .......................................................................
Service occupations .....................................................................................................
Sales and office occupations ........................................................................................
Sales and related occupations .................................................................................
Office and administrative support occupations .........................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ..................................
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ...............................................................
Construction and extraction occupations ..................................................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ...................................................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ......................................
Production occupations ............................................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations .....................................................
Men
Management, professional, and related occupations ...................................................
Management, business, and financial operations occupations ................................
Professional and related occupations .......................................................................
Service occupations .....................................................................................................
Sales and office occupations ........................................................................................
Sales and related occupations .................................................................................
Office and administrative support occupations .........................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ..................................
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ...............................................................
Construction and extraction occupations ..................................................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ...................................................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ......................................
Production occupations ............................................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations .....................................................
Women
Management, professional, and related occupations ...................................................
Management, business, and financial operations occupations ................................
Professional and related occupations .......................................................................
Service occupations .....................................................................................................
Sales and office occupations ........................................................................................
Sales and related occupations .................................................................................
Office and administrative support occupations .........................................................
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations ..................................
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations ...............................................................
Construction and extraction occupations ..................................................................
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations ...................................................
Production, transportation, and material moving occupations ......................................
Production occupations ............................................................................................
Transportation and material moving occupations .....................................................
NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.
Table 8. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics,
2007 annual averages
Characteristic
Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Upper limit of:
First decile
First quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third quartile
Ninth decile
TOTAL
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
96,089
8,746
27,997
26,190
33,157
21,673
11,484
$353
278
324
373
519
492
619
$495
326
428
499
740
690
863
$738
428
604
704
1,072
987
1,236
$1,133
603
860
1,002
1,578
1,470
1,843
$1,668
839
1,175
1,391
2,287
2,045
2,594
Men
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
53,840
5,990
16,253
13,715
17,883
11,699
6,183
385
290
368
412
587
540
683
547
356
493
581
832
767
961
823
481
689
810
1,243
1,147
1,446
1,258
656
968
1,150
1,866
1,717
2,068
1,887
915
1,326
1,537
2,592
2,379
2,918
Women
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
42,249
2,756
11,744
12,475
15,274
9,974
5,300
323
248
295
337
486
458
584
444
297
382
446
667
622
779
646
369
512
609
932
860
1,069
960
483
698
845
1,313
1,212
1,473
1,392
624
938
1,151
1,841
1,666
2,046
77,470
7,170
22,509
21,035
26,755
17,511
9,244
363
281
333
381
538
504
632
508
331
450
512
754
708
875
759
437
624
729
1,099
1,010
1,248
1,154
612
892
1,035
1,628
1,512
1,878
1,737
860
1,222
1,432
2,318
2,117
2,709
44,493
5,105
13,421
11,310
14,657
9,663
4,995
394
293
380
427
604
576
707
573
362
511
600
855
793
980
850
486
718
841
1,267
1,170
1,472
1,293
666
998
1,177
1,889
1,758
2,114
1,903
921
1,368
1,569
2,714
2,424
3,054
32,976
2,065
9,088
9,725
12,098
7,849
4,250
328
247
299
342
490
463
587
456
296
390
454
676
631
791
663
368
523
621
942
870
1,072
975
480
716
863
1,328
1,228
1,487
1,417
629
954
1,161
1,872
1,727
2,076
11,697
988
4,033
3,663
3,013
2,098
915
317
261
299
338
469
443
528
417
310
381
441
628
602
727
596
400
504
594
877
815
1,046
871
552
694
828
1,246
1,161
1,439
1,247
726
963
1,151
1,685
1,576
1,903
White, total
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
White men
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
White women
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
Black or African American, total
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 8. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics,
2007 annual averages—Continued
Characteristic
Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Upper limit of:
First decile
First quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third quartile
Ninth decile
Black or African American men
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
5,500
538
2,002
1,637
1,323
931
392
$332
275
321
360
441
423
496
$447
322
408
484
649
618
757
$629
449
549
645
931
875
1,125
$936
616
768
908
1,376
1,253
1,540
$1,348
788
1,043
1,234
1,867
1,713
2,077
6,197
450
2,031
2,026
1,690
1,167
523
307
252
286
326
482
461
566
401
299
355
418
619
596
709
566
374
470
552
837
771
1,003
815
490
621
751
1,171
1,103
1,338
1,171
611
857
1,034
1,547
1,477
1,774
4,832
306
824
795
2,907
1,722
1,185
369
243
292
342
492
457
628
524
318
392
485
756
696
899
864
418
538
696
1,142
1,006
1,334
1,363
563
758
960
1,633
1,520
1,869
1,906
811
1,065
1,341
2,196
1,918
2,477
13,885
4,682
4,188
2,830
2,185
1,577
608
294
277
297
341
419
402
525
377
316
382
456
625
591
771
525
406
524
633
923
858
1,141
802
545
749
916
1,387
1,264
1,647
1,206
734
1,046
1,269
1,958
1,863
2,377
8,753
3,441
2,609
1,527
1,176
854
322
306
287
318
377
449
415
611
394
336
412
500
654
609
871
562
428
584
714
1,005
927
1,248
853
588
832
1,009
1,556
1,411
1,887
1,265
795
1,146
1,419
2,290
2,011
2,521
5,131
1,241
1,578
1,303
1,009
723
286
279
239
275
312
400
390
449
344
289
339
414
597
563
730
493
343
469
564
848
795
987
734
438
629
775
1,225
1,129
1,446
1,094
566
830
1,080
1,651
1,522
2,001
Black or African American women
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
Asian, total
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, total
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
Hispanic or Latino men
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma ..........................................................
High school graduates, no college 1 .....................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
Hispanic or Latino women
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................................
Less than a high school diploma 1 .......................................................
High school graduates, no college .......................................................
Some college or associate degree .......................................................
Bachelor’s degree and higher 2 ............................................................
Bachelor’s degree only .....................................................................
Advanced degree .............................................................................
1 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
2 Includes persons with a bachelor’s, master’s, professional, and doctoral
degrees.
NOTE: Ten percent of all full-time wage and salary workers earn less than
the upper limit of the first decile; 25 percent earn less than the upper limit of the
first quartile; 50 percent earn less than the upper limit of the second quartile, or
median; 75 percent earn less than the upper limit of the third quartile; and 90
percent earn less than the upper limit of the ninth decile. Estimates for the
above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to
totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is
identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population
controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.