Highlights of Women’s
Earnings in 1999
U.S. Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics
May 2000
Report 943
ers. For workers ages 45 to 54, women’s earnings were
70.1 percent of men’s; for 55- to-64-year-olds, the earnings
ratio was 67.8 percent. In contrast, among workers 20 to
24 years old, women’s earnings were 90.5 percent of those
of men, and, among teenagers (16 to 19 years), the earnings ratio was 91.3 percent. (See table 1.)
Introduction
I
n 1999, women earned approximately 77 percent as much
as men did. Median weekly earnings of female full-time
wage and salary workers were $473, compared to $618 for
their male counterparts. In 1979, when comparable earnings data were first available, the female-to-male earnings
ratio was about 63 percent.
Gender differences in earnings varied considerably by
demographic group in 1999. Among blacks and Hispanics, for example, the female-to-male earnings ratios were
84 and 86 percent, respectively; for whites, the ratio was
about 76 percent. Young women and men (those under age
25) had fairly similar earnings (young women’s earnings
were 91 percent of young men’s); however, women’s earnings were much lower than men’s in older age groups—
women 35 and over made less than 80 percent of what men
in the same age group earned.
This report presents earnings data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a national monthly survey of approximately 50,000 households conducted by the
U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The
earnings data are collected from one-fourth of the CPS
monthly sample. For a detailed description of the source of
the data and an explanation of the concepts and definitions
used, please see the technical note included at the end of
this report.
• Between 1979 and 1999, earnings for women ages
20 to 64 grew closer to their male counterparts’ earnings.
The women’s-to-men’s earnings ratio among 35- to 44-yearolds, for example, increased from 58.3 percent in 1979 to
71.7 percent in 1999, and that for 45- to 54-year-olds rose
from 56.9 percent to 70.1 percent. The earnings ratio for
teenagers and the ratio for workers age 65 and over showed
no definitive trend over the period. (See table 13.)
• White workers of either gender earned more than did
their black or Hispanic counterparts. The differences among
women were much smaller than those noted among men.
White women’s earnings ($483) were 18.1 percent higher
than black women’s ($409), and 38.8 percent higher than
those for Hispanic women ($348). In contrast, white men’s
earnings ($638) were 30.7 percent higher than the earnings of their black counterparts ($488) and 57.1 percent
greater than those of Hispanic men ($406). (See table 1.)
• The earnings difference between women and men was
widest for whites, with white women earning 75.7 percent
of what white men did. Among blacks, women earned 83.7
percent of what men earned, and Hispanic women made
85.7 percent of Hispanic men’s earnings. (See table 1 and
chart 2.)
Highlights
Following are some highlights of women’s earnings in 1999:
• Between 1979 and 1999, inflation-adjusted earnings
for white women increased 22.0 percent, while black
women’s real earnings rose 12.4 percent.1 Earnings for
Hispanic women were little changed over the period. (See
table 14.)
Full-time workers
• Median weekly earnings of female full-time wage and
salary workers were $473, or 76.5 percent of the $618 median for men. The proportion was 62.5 percent in 1979,
the first year for which comparable estimates are available.
(See tables 1 and 13 and chart 1.)
• Median weekly earnings for women age 25 and over
without a high school diploma have fallen since 1979 on
• Among women, 45- to-54-year-olds had the highest
earnings ($534), followed by 35- to 44-year-olds ($503).
Men’s earnings also peaked among 45- to 54-year-olds
($763). The difference between women’s and men’s earnings is relatively large among middle-age and older work-
1
Inflation-adjusted earnings trends in this report may differ from those
published in Highlights of Women’s Earnings, Report 928 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, April 1999) in part because a new price index series was used. See
the Technical Note.
1
• The ratio of female-to-male earnings varied by State,
an inflation-adjusted basis, while those for female college
graduates have grown. In 1979, inflation-adjusted weekly
earnings of women without a high school diploma were
$326 (in 1999 dollars), 57.5 percent of those of female college graduates ($567). In 1999, women without a high
school diploma had earnings ($290) that were only 39.2
percent of those of female college graduates ($740). (See
table 15 and chart 3.)
from a high of 98.6 percent in the District of Columbia to a
low of 62.6 percent in Wyoming. The differences among
the States reflect in part variations in the occupation, industry, and age composition of State labor forces. In addition, sampling error in the State estimates is considerably
larger than it is for the national data. (See table 4.)
Part-time workers
• At all levels of education, women have fared better with
• Women who worked part time—that is, less than 35
hours per week—represented 25.4 percent of all female wage
and salary workers in 1999. In contrast, 10.6 percent of
men in wage and salary jobs worked part time. (See tables
5 and 6.)
regard to earnings growth than have their male counterparts.
Although both women and men without a high school diploma have experienced a decline in inflation-adjusted earnings since 1979, women’s earnings have fallen significantly
less—11.0 percent, compared with a drop of 27.1 percent for
men. Earnings for women with college degrees, on the other
hand, have increased 30.5 percent since 1979 on an inflationadjusted basis. Real earnings of male college graduates have
risen only about half as much, 14.8 percent, over the same
period. (See table 15 and chart 3.)
• Median weekly earnings of female part-time workers
were $168, 35.5 percent of the median for women who
worked full time. The earnings of male part-time workers
($154) were somewhat lower than those of female part-timers. This is partly because male part-time workers are highly
concentrated in the youngest age groups, while part-time
work is fairly common among women of all ages. About
two-thirds of female part-time workers were at least 25 years
old, compared with fewer than half of male part-timers.
(See table 5.)
• Women working full time in professional specialty
occupations earned $707 in 1999, more than women employed in any other major occupation category. Within this
occupation group, women working as pharmacists, lawyers,
and engineers had the highest median earnings. (See tables
2 and 3.)
• Unlike full-time workers, whose earnings increased for
each successive 10-year age category within the 25-to-54-yearold group, female part-timers earned essentially the same,
regardless of age category within this group. Female parttime workers younger than 25 and over age 55 earned less
than did women in the central age categories. (See table 5.)
• Women’s share of employment in occupations typified by high earnings has grown. In 1999, 46.7 percent of
full-time wage and salary workers in executive, administrative, and managerial occupations were women, up from
34.2 percent in 1983, the first year for which comparable
data are available. Over the same period, women as a proportion of professional specialty workers rose from 46.8
percent to 52.0 percent. (See table 2.)
• In contrast to those for full-time workers, earnings
for both female and male part-timers varied little by race or
Hispanic origin. (See table 5.)
• Despite women’s increased representation in managerial and professional occupations, men remained more
likely than women to work in some higher-paying occupations. Men were about 8 times as likely as women to be
employed in precision production, craft, and repair occupations (where earnings are somewhat above the overall
median), while women were 4 times as likely to work in
administrative support occupations (where pay is about 19
percent lower than the overall median). (See tables 2 and
3.)
Workers paid by the hour
• About 64 percent of women and 58 percent of men
employed in wage and salary jobs are paid by the hour. Women
who worked at jobs in which they were paid by the hour had
median hourly earnings of $8.64 in 1999. This was 83.8
percent of the hourly median for men. (See table 10.)
• In 1999, about 6 percent of women who were paid hourly
rates had hourly earnings at or below the prevailing Federal
minimum wage of $5.15. This compares with approximately
3 percent of men in jobs paid by the hour. (See table 12 and
chart 4. See the Technical Note for information about workers with earnings below the Federal minimum wage.)
• Within each broad occupational category, women and
men tend to work in different specific occupations. In the
professional specialty occupations, where women earned
the most, they were much less likely than men to be employed in some higher-paying occupations, such as engineers and mathematical and computer scientists. Women
were more likely to work in professional occupations with
lower earnings, such as teachers (except college and university) and registered nurses. (See table 3.)
• Among women paid hourly rates, the proportion earning the minimum wage or less varied considerably by age.
Those ages 16 to 19 years were the most likely to have earnings at or below the minimum, while women 45 to 54 years
old were the least likely. (See table 12 and chart 4.)
2
Chart 1.
Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (1999)
dollars by sex, 1979–99 annual averages
Ratio
Earnings
100
$650
Men's earnings
90
$600
80
70
$550
Ratio of women's to men's earnings
60
50
$500
40
Women's earnings
$450
30
20
$400
10
0
$350
1979
Chart 2.
1985
1990
1995
1999
Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, race and
Hispanic origin, 1999 annual averages
Earnings
Earnings
$700
$700
$638
$618
Women
Men
$600
$500
$473
$600
$488
$483
$500
$409
$406
$400
$400
$348
$300
$300
$200
$200
$100
$100
$0
$0
Total
White
Black
3
Hispanic origin
Chart 3.
Percent change in constant-dollar median usual weekly earnings by educational attainment
and sex, 1979–99
No high school diploma
High school diploma only
Women
Men
Some college or
associate degree
College graduate
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
Percent change
NOTE: Data relate to full-time wage and salary workers 25 years and over.
Chart 4.
Percent of women with earnings at or below the Federal minimum wage by age, 1999
annual averages
Percent
Percent
20
20
15
15
10
10
5
5
0
Total,
16 years
and over
16 to 19
years
20 to 24
years
35 to 44
years
25 to 34
years
NOTE: Data relate to female wage and salary workers paid at hourly rates.
4
45 to 54
years
55 to 64
years
65 years
and over
0
Statistical tables
Page
1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, ..............
1999 annual averages ........................................................................................................................................
7
2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex
1983 and 1999 annual averages ........................................................................................................................
8
3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex,
1999 annual averages ........................................................................................................................................
9
4. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex and State,
1999 annual averages .......................................................................................................................................
15
5. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics,
1999 annual averages ........................................................................................................................................
16
6. Median usual weekly earnings of employed (full- and part-time) wage and salary workers
by hours usually worked and sex, 1999 annual averages .................................................................................
17
7. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected ..
characteristics, 1999 annual averages ...............................................................................................................
18
8. Usual weekly earnings distribution of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics,
1999 annual averages ........................................................................................................................................
19
9. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, marital status,
and presence and age of own children under 18 years old, 1999 annual averages ....................................
20
10. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates by selected characteristics, ...............
1999 annual averages ........................................................................................................................................
2211
11. Hourly earnings distribution of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates by selected characteristics,
1999 annual averages ........................................................................................................................................
2222
12. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing ..................................
Federal minimum wage by selected characteristics, 1999 annual averages ..............................................
23
13. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (1999) dollars
by sex and age, 1979-99 annual averages .........................................................................................................
24
14. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant
(1999) dollars by sex, race, and Hispanic origin, 1979-99 annual averages ..................................................
26
15. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers 25 years
and over in constant (1999) dollars by sex and educational attainment, 1979-99 annual averages ..............
28
16. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in constant (1999) dollars by sex ........
and age, 1979-99 annual averages ....................................................................................................................
30
17. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in constant (1999) dollars ............
by sex, race, and Hispanic origin, 1979-99 annual averages ...............................................................................
32
18. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing Federal .......................
minimum wage by sex, 1979-99 annual averages ............................................................................................
34
5
[Page intentionally blank]
6
Table 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, 1999 annual averages
Both sexes
Characteristic
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
97,626
11,273
2,170
9,104
86,352
25,354
28,746
22,002
9,054
1,196
$549
341
281
363
592
518
611
652
604
404
80,849
12,190
10,950
Women
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
$2
2
2
2
1
2
2
3
4
8
42,444
4,830
831
3,998
37,615
10,826
12,287
10,057
3,957
489
$473
324
266
343
497
470
503
534
492
370
573
445
385
2
3
3
34,024
6,344
4,162
24,697
56,607
16,321
11,137
3,727
1,457
436
614
510
542
448
447
2
1
2
5
6
10
14,974
16,501
81,125
672
667
516
86,352
8,459
27,314
23,949
26,630
592
346
490
580
860
Men
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
$1
2
3
2
1
3
2
4
4
12
55,181
6,444
1,338
5,105
48,738
14,528
16,460
11,945
5,097
708
$618
356
291
379
668
577
702
763
725
470
$2
2
3
2
2
3
4
4
7
30
76.5
91.0
91.3
90.5
74.4
81.5
71.7
70.1
67.8
78.7
483
409
348
1
3
4
46,825
5,846
6,788
638
488
406
2
4
3
75.7
83.7
85.7
10,540
22,383
9,522
6,470
1,906
1,145
417
499
466
493
399
418
2
2
3
3
5
6
14,158
34,224
6,799
4,666
1,821
312
454
706
596
619
508
620
3
3
4
5
7
39
92.0
70.7
78.1
79.6
78.5
67.5
3
3
1
5,509
6,269
36,176
608
606
449
3
3
2
9,464
10,232
44,949
711
708
599
4
4
2
85.6
85.6
74.9
1
2
2
2
3
37,615
2,988
11,847
11,196
11,583
497
290
405
488
740
1
2
1
2
3
48,738
5,471
15,467
12,752
15,047
668
395
580
665
977
2
3
2
3
5
74.4
73.5
69.8
73.5
75.7
Standard
error
of
median
Standard
error
of
median
Standard
error
of
median
AGE
Total, 16 years and over .................
16 to 24 years .......................................
16 to 19 years ....................................
20 to 24 years ....................................
25 years and over .................................
25 to 34 years ....................................
35 to 44 years ....................................
45 to 54 years ....................................
55 to 64 years ....................................
65 years and over ..............................
RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN
White ....................................................
Black .....................................................
Hispanic origin ......................................
MARITAL STATUS
Never married .......................................
Married, spouse present .......................
Other marital status ..............................
Divorced ............................................
Separated ..........................................
Widowed ............................................
UNION AFFILIATION2
Members of unions3 .............................
Represented by unions4 .......................
Not represented by a union ..................
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Total, 25 years and over .......................
Less than a high school diploma ........
High school graduates, no college .....
Some college or associate degree .....
College graduates, total ......................
1 These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this
table.
2 Differences in earnings levels between men and women with union
affiliation reflect a variety of factors in addition to coverage by a collective
bargaining agreement, including the distribution of male and female employees
by occupation, industry, firm size, or geographic region.
3 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar
to a union.
4 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar
to a union as well as workers who report no union affiliation but whose jobs are
covered by a union or an employee association contract.
NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to
totals because data for the "other races" group are not presented and Hispanics
are included in both the white and black population groups.
7
Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, 1983 and 1999 annual averages
1983
Occupation
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Percent
women
1999
Median weekly
earnings
Women
Men
Women’s
Number
earnings
of
as
workers
percent
(in
of men’s1 thousands)
Percent
women
Median weekly
earnings
Women
Men
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
Total, 16 years and over ...........................................
70,976
40.4
$252
$379
66.6
97,626
43.5
$473
$618
76.5
Managerial and professional specialty ..........................
Executive, administrative, and managerial ..................
Professional specialty ...................................................
17,451
8,117
9,334
40.9
34.2
46.8
358
340
368
516
530
506
69.2
64.0
72.6
30,704
14,973
15,731
49.4
46.7
52.0
681
652
707
952
967
939
71.5
67.5
75.3
Technical, sales, and administrative support .................
Technicians and related support .................................
Sales occupations ........................................................
Administrative support, including clerical ......................
21,641
2,574
6,313
12,755
62.5
44.5
39.0
77.7
247
299
205
249
386
424
389
362
64.0
70.6
52.7
68.7
27,388
3,550
9,728
14,109
61.6
49.3
44.5
76.5
431
528
399
427
626
728
666
539
68.8
72.6
59.9
79.1
Service occupations .......................................................
Private household ........................................................
Protective service ........................................................
Service, except private household and protective ........
7,321
278
1,453
5,590
49.2
96.0
9.5
57.1
173
116
251
176
256
( 2)
356
218
67.8
( 3)
70.4
81.0
10,841
384
2,138
8,318
52.0
95.5
16.2
59.1
304
240
492
302
402
( 2)
613
336
75.7
( 3)
80.3
90.0
Precision production, craft, and repair ...........................
9,963
7.9
256
387
66.1
11,927
8.9
428
606
70.6
Operators, fabricators, and laborers ...............................
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors ..........
Transportation and material moving occupations .........
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers ..
13,319
6,990
3,358
2,970
26.2
40.8
4.7
16.0
205
202
253
211
308
320
335
252
66.5
63.3
75.5
83.9
15,182
6,814
4,401
3,967
23.0
35.9
7.2
18.6
337
340
394
314
472
487
522
377
71.4
69.7
75.5
83.2
Farming, forestry, and fishing .........................................
1,280
11.2
169
201
84.2
1,583
13.8
283
341
82.8
1 These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ slightly from
percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this table.
2 Data not shown where base is less than 50,000.
3 Data not shown where base for either the numerator or denominator is less than
50,000.
8
Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex, 1999 annual averages
Both sexes
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Total, 16 years and over ...........................................
Women
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
97,626
$549
$2
Managerial and professional specialty .........................
Executive, administrative, and managerial ..................
Administrators and officials, public administration .....
Administrators, protective services ............................
Financial managers ...................................................
Personnel and labor relations managers ...................
Purchasing managers ................................................
Managers, marketing, advertising, and public
relations ....................................................................
Administrators, education and related fields ..............
Managers, medicine and health ................................
Managers, food serving and lodging
establishments ....................................................
Managers, properties and real estate ........................
Management-related occupations .............................
Accountants and auditors ........................................
Underwriters ............................................................
Other financial officers .............................................
Management analysts .............................................
Personnel, training, and labor relations specialists
Buyers, wholesale and retail trade, except
farm products ....................................................
Construction inspectors ...........................................
Inspectors and compliance officers, except
construction ......................................................
30,704
14,973
610
55
697
181
139
797
792
877
889
878
831
803
695
703
602
Professional specialty ...................................................
Engineers, architects, and surveyors .........................
Architects ..................................................................
Engineers .................................................................
Aerospace engineers ..............................................
Chemical engineers ................................................
Civil engineers ........................................................
Electrical and electronic engineers .........................
Industrial engineers ................................................
Mechanical engineers .............................................
Mathematical and computer scientists .......................
Computer systems analysts and scientists ...............
Operations and systems researchers and analysts ..
Natural scientists ........................................................
Chemists, except biochemists ..................................
Physical scientists, n.e.c. ..........................................
Biological and life scientists ......................................
Medical scientists .....................................................
Health diagnosing occupations ...................................
Physicians ................................................................
Health assessment and treating occupations .............
Registered nurses ....................................................
Pharmacists ..............................................................
Dietitians ...................................................................
Therapists .................................................................
Respiratory therapists .............................................
Physical therapists ..................................................
Speech therapists ...................................................
Physicians’ assistants ...............................................
Teachers, college and university ................................
Teachers, except college and university ....................
Teachers, prekindergarten and kindergarten ...........
Teachers, elementary school ...................................
Teachers, secondary school .....................................
Teachers, special education .....................................
Counselors, educational and vocational .....................
Librarians, archivists, and curators .............................
Librarians ..................................................................
Social scientists and urban planners ..........................
Occupation
Men
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
42,444
$473
$1
55,181
$618
$2
76.5
3
6
19
95
25
40
34
15,167
6,992
310
11
353
108
65
681
652
725
( 2)
703
742
699
3
3
24
( 2)
28
28
22
15,537
7,981
300
44
344
74
74
952
967
1,007
( 2)
1,154
1,014
989
4
6
30
( 2)
41
106
36
71.5
67.5
72.0
( 3)
60.9
73.2
70.7
1,036
913
759
33
21
13
254
420
462
800
819
714
34
23
30
441
282
139
1,241
1,076
1,006
21
32
43
64.4
76.2
71.0
946
338
4,026
1,362
119
684
244
475
524
600
704
723
744
758
908
674
13
13
6
10
29
12
35
13
449
189
2,349
813
80
360
118
326
461
578
630
651
653
615
790
653
11
14
5
7
36
11
25
12
498
149
1,677
549
39
324
126
149
617
679
847
891
( 2)
923
1,080
727
12
48
13
22
( 2)
32
44
27
74.7
85.2
74.4
73.1
( 3)
66.7
73.2
89.9
140
67
643
730
19
32
65
4
588
( 2)
32
( 2)
75
63
675
748
26
31
87.0
( 3)
234
755
17
73
707
59
161
772
30
91.6
15,731
2,084
129
1,945
84
75
255
618
259
324
1,638
1,348
242
514
131
50
95
93
539
460
2,219
1,585
165
55
356
69
86
65
58
638
4,259
432
1,837
1,179
326
207
210
183
306
800
1,033
918
1,041
1,201
1,260
965
1,073
970
1,035
983
1,008
864
873
970
987
762
724
1,192
1,266
760
750
1,159
577
728
689
877
780
908
953
688
440
710
756
677
786
701
700
740
4
10
56
11
34
56
31
19
26
27
12
12
29
26
29
25
44
35
80
83
6
6
21
45
18
26
31
35
45
16
6
19
10
9
29
26
28
30
18
8,175
219
21
197
10
13
25
55
43
19
522
390
115
143
31
12
42
38
150
125
1,851
1,443
77
47
256
38
58
61
29
241
3,129
423
1,529
658
273
144
171
151
164
707
907
( 2)
933
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
956
( 2)
( 2)
876
907
781
731
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
888
852
746
747
1,105
( 2)
707
( 2)
808
770
( 2)
859
659
442
697
722
664
742
684
684
682
4
32
2
( )
19
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
22
( 2)
( 2)
16
19
41
30
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
48
58
6
6
34
2
( )
20
( 2)
41
37
( 2)
29
5
17
9
12
15
25
36
37
26
7,556
1,865
108
1,749
74
62
229
564
216
304
1,117
959
128
370
100
38
52
54
389
335
368
141
88
8
101
31
28
5
29
397
1,130
9
308
521
53
62
39
32
142
939
1,052
983
1,058
1,202
1,312
984
1,087
991
1,041
1,056
1,079
952
939
1,002
( 2)
801
800
1,342
1,364
887
791
1,222
( 2)
793
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
1,038
768
( 2)
785
803
744
902
( 2)
( 2)
847
5
11
49
12
32
60
47
21
25
27
23
23
27
27
61
( 2)
25
149
39
68
19
51
32
( 2)
28
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
26
11
( 2)
34
17
33
32
( 2)
( 2)
30
75.3
86.3
( 3)
88.2
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
87.9
( 3)
( 3)
82.9
84.0
82.1
77.9
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
66.2
62.4
84.1
94.4
90.5
( 3)
89.1
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
82.7
85.8
( 3)
88.8
89.9
89.3
82.3
( 3)
( 3)
80.5
See footnotes at end of table.
9
Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex, 1999 annual averages — Continued
Both sexes
Women
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Economists ...............................................................
Psychologists ............................................................
Social, recreation, and religious workers ....................
Social workers ..........................................................
Recreation workers ...................................................
Clergy .......................................................................
Lawyers and judges ....................................................
Lawyers ....................................................................
Writers, artists, entertainers, and athletes ..................
Technical writers .......................................................
Designers .................................................................
Actors and directors ..................................................
Painters, sculptors, craft artists, and
artist printmakers ...............................................
Photographers ..........................................................
Editors and reporters ................................................
Public relations specialists ........................................
Athletes .....................................................................
120
141
1,177
705
85
295
613
577
1,327
63
453
65
863
673
596
601
416
657
1,198
1,168
681
861
642
784
57
36
8
10
18
32
55
30
11
29
22
90
93
56
212
155
54
595
617
750
735
613
Technical, sales, and administrative support ..................
Technicians and related support ..................................
Health technologists and technicians .........................
Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians .....
Radiologic technicians ..............................................
Licensed practical nurses .........................................
Engineering and related technologists and
technicians ...........................................................
Electrical and electronic technicians .........................
Drafting occupations .................................................
Surveying and mapping technicians .........................
Science technicians ....................................................
Biological technicians ...............................................
Chemical technicians ................................................
Technicians, except health, engineering, and
science ................................................................
Airplane pilots and navigators ..................................
Computer programmers ...........................................
Legal assistants ........................................................
27,388
3,550
1,304
292
139
259
Sales occupations ........................................................
Supervisors and proprietors .......................................
Sales representatives, finance and business
services ...............................................................
Insurance sales ........................................................
Real estate sales ......................................................
Securities and financial services sales .....................
Advertising and related sales ...................................
Sales occupations, other business services .............
Sales representatives, commodities, except retail .....
Sales workers, retail and personal services ...............
Sales workers, motor vehicles and boats .................
Sales workers, apparel .............................................
Sales workers, shoes ...............................................
Sales workers, furniture and home furnishings ........
Sales workers, radio, television, hi-fi, and
appliances .........................................................
Sales workers, hardware and building supplies .......
Sales workers, parts .................................................
Sales workers, other commodities ............................
Sales counter clerks .................................................
Cashiers ...................................................................
Street and door-to-door sales workers .....................
Administrative support, including clerical ......................
Supervisors .................................................................
General office ...........................................................
Occupation
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Men
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
63
86
634
485
58
38
201
191
604
38
220
20
774
623
557
579
417
( 2)
971
974
605
( 2)
512
( 2)
33
38
12
11
22
( 2)
37
39
9
( 2)
14
( 2)
21
28
23
34
24
41
9
98
97
8
( 2)
( 2)
709
684
( 2)
488
618
511
623
619
498
2
5
6
21
22
9
16,863
1,749
1,011
215
99
243
874
412
212
51
250
86
71
662
690
665
557
582
500
677
10
16
21
57
19
20
36
1,122
99
564
313
761
1,048
898
589
9,728
3,275
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
57
55
542
220
27
256
412
386
722
25
233
45
977
760
654
661
( 2)
676
1,369
1,340
748
( 2)
757
( 2)
63
39
27
33
( 2)
30
48
56
16
( 2)
21
( 2)
79.3
82.0
85.1
87.7
( 3)
( 3)
70.9
72.7
80.9
( 3)
67.6
( 3)
( 2)
( 2)
25
41
( 2)
52
47
113
58
46
647
( 2)
803
881
( 2)
76
( 2)
29
92
( 2)
( 3)
( 3)
88.3
77.6
( 3)
431
528
489
593
596
492
2
7
6
23
29
9
10,525
1,802
292
77
40
16
626
728
594
709
( 2)
( 2)
4
10
12
26
( 2)
( 2)
68.8
72.6
82.4
83.7
( 3)
( 3)
158
64
35
7
100
50
25
625
649
( 2)
( 2)
480
388
( 2)
16
27
( 2)
( 2)
25
28
( 2)
716
348
177
44
150
36
46
673
701
663
( 2)
656
( 2)
( 2)
13
18
25
( 2)
22
( 2)
( 2)
92.9
92.6
( 3)
( 3)
73.1
( 3)
( 3)
10
52
19
12
479
3
159
270
624
( 2)
788
581
12
( 2)
25
12
643
97
405
43
902
1,050
935
( 2)
15
51
24
( 2)
69.2
( 3)
84.3
( 3)
523
587
5
6
4,326
1,351
399
454
3
8
5,402
1,924
666
691
7
9
59.9
65.8
1,817
391
364
399
155
508
1,279
3,324
268
148
57
118
708
622
657
791
747
721
749
329
665
298
302
511
16
13
26
27
23
29
9
4
39
9
18
23
798
190
191
123
88
206
311
1,849
29
104
24
57
589
539
585
616
626
611
610
296
( 2)
286
( 2)
497
8
23
13
17
55
25
15
2
( 2)
10
( 2)
24
1,019
201
173
276
66
302
968
1,475
240
43
33
62
821
750
767
979
892
809
792
423
679
( 2)
( 2)
536
22
24
18
94
89
54
19
9
33
2
( )
( 2)
75
71.7
71.9
76.3
63.0
70.2
75.5
77.1
70.0
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
92.7
213
204
146
645
94
1,289
117
495
426
400
333
335
280
431
16
20
18
10
23
3
33
56
41
15
396
60
989
70
413
( 2)
( 2)
315
303
275
387
40
( 2)
( 2)
5
10
3
25
157
163
132
249
34
301
47
512
473
403
392
( 2)
296
( 2)
19
23
19
17
( 2)
6
( 2)
80.7
( 3)
( 3)
80.3
( 3)
92.9
( 3)
14,109
650
348
447
603
595
2
9
13
10,788
368
233
427
560
539
2
16
26
3,322
282
115
539
701
706
8
16
23
79.1
79.9
76.3
See footnotes at end of table.
10
Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex, 1999 annual averages — Continued
Both sexes
Occupation
Financial records processing ....................................
Distribution, scheduling, and
adjusting clerks ..................................................
Computer equipment operators ..................................
Computer operators ..................................................
Secretaries, stenographers, and typists .....................
Secretaries ...............................................................
Stenographers ..........................................................
Typists ......................................................................
Information clerks .......................................................
Interviewers ..............................................................
Hotel clerks ...............................................................
Transportation ticket and reservation agents ...........
Receptionists ............................................................
Records processing, except financial .........................
Order clerks ..............................................................
Personnel clerks, except payroll and timekeeping ...
Library clerks ............................................................
File clerks .................................................................
Records clerks ..........................................................
Financial records processing ......................................
Bookkeepers, accounting, and auditing clerks .........
Payroll and timekeeping clerks .................................
Billing clerks ..............................................................
Billing, posting, and calculating machine operators ..
Communications equipment operators .......................
Telephone operators ................................................
Mail and message distributing ....................................
Postal clerks, except mail carriers ............................
Mail carriers, postal service ......................................
Mail clerks, except postal service .............................
Messengers ..............................................................
Material recording, scheduling, and distributing
clerks ...................................................................
Dispatchers ...............................................................
Production coordinators ............................................
Traffic, shipping, and receiving clerks ......................
Stock and inventory clerks ........................................
Expediters .................................................................
Adjusters and investigators ........................................
Insurance adjusters, examiners, and investigators ..
Investigators and adjusters, except insurance .........
Eligibility clerks, social welfare .................................
Bill and account collectors ........................................
Miscellaneous administrative support occupations ....
General office clerks .................................................
Bank tellers ...............................................................
Data-entry keyers .....................................................
Statistical clerks ........................................................
Teachers’ aides ........................................................
Service occupations .......................................................
Private household .........................................................
Child care workers ......................................................
Cleaners and servants ................................................
Protective service .........................................................
Supervisors .................................................................
Police and detectives ................................................
Firefighting and fire prevention ...................................
Firefighting ................................................................
Police and detectives ..................................................
Police and detectives, public service ........................
Sheriffs, bailiffs, and other law enforcement
officers ...............................................................
Correctional institution officers .................................
Guards ........................................................................
Guards and police, exc. public services ...................
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Women
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Men
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
( 2)
( 2)
( 3)
77
678
39
62
622
19
15
207
298
292
2,629
2,162
67
400
1,467
120
89
218
727
753
249
58
58
206
174
1,480
1,084
127
145
74
117
107
829
298
301
135
96
590
525
528
446
443
490
454
393
408
315
486
374
440
493
523
434
361
437
440
443
474
428
404
384
377
629
687
697
389
453
17
18
20
4
5
18
10
4
13
9
18
5
9
14
25
25
11
22
5
7
19
14
12
16
15
11
10
11
11
32
67
170
168
2,582
2,136
63
382
1,285
103
67
147
697
582
179
49
43
162
142
1,322
977
111
131
63
88
83
325
142
82
85
16
511
485
485
446
443
488
455
386
396
308
464
373
421
460
( 2)
( 2)
349
423
435
440
459
428
400
367
365
575
670
646
382
( 2)
17
11
11
4
4
16
9
4
12
9
19
4
6
13
( 2)
( 2)
10
11
5
6
22
13
11
11
12
18
18
22
9
( 2)
140
128
124
47
26
4
17
182
17
22
70
30
171
70
10
15
43
32
157
107
16
14
10
29
24
504
156
218
50
80
668
610
612
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
497
( 2)
( 2)
527
( 2)
513
629
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
489
478
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
665
701
714
414
457
56
15
15
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
18
( 2)
( 2)
32
( 2)
14
23
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
19
21
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
15
14
13
30
33
76.6
79.5
79.3
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
77.7
( 3)
( 3)
88.0
( 3)
82.0
73.2
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
89.1
92.1
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
86.5
95.5
90.5
92.2
( 3)
1,652
232
181
572
398
191
1,596
416
925
98
157
2,593
511
288
594
80
368
448
487
592
411
470
393
473
528
452
481
451
409
419
346
422
432
315
6
19
18
5
9
17
5
16
7
20
18
3
7
7
6
18
7
700
125
109
163
156
126
1,196
304
706
85
101
2,145
412
267
484
63
341
417
441
474
388
438
364
453
501
435
468
429
399
413
343
420
401
314
5
16
21
9
10
18
5
10
7
15
17
3
7
7
6
22
7
953
107
71
409
242
65
400
112
219
13
56
448
98
21
110
17
28
485
583
734
419
505
487
536
660
511
( 2)
489
483
461
( 2)
433
( 2)
( 2)
9
21
22
6
15
28
23
30
13
( 2)
14
16
33
( 2)
18
( 2)
( 2)
85.8
75.6
64.6
92.5
86.8
74.8
84.4
75.9
85.2
( 3)
87.7
82.7
89.7
( 3)
96.9
( 3)
( 3)
10,841
384
157
220
2,138
180
100
221
204
1,079
602
336
243
211
259
592
759
817
740
744
657
751
2
9
12
11
8
59
32
13
13
9
13
5,632
367
156
205
347
23
16
5
3
181
83
304
240
212
255
492
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
574
650
1
8
11
10
13
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
27
15
5,209
17
1
15
1,791
156
84
216
202
898
519
402
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
613
815
889
742
745
681
766
3
( 2)
2
( )
( 2)
9
36
34
12
13
12
14
75.7
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
80.3
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
84.2
84.9
179
298
659
618
628
521
393
398
22
10
8
8
27
72
138
118
( 2)
492
335
368
( 2)
16
27
27
153
226
521
501
645
540
402
403
22
25
8
8
( 3)
91.1
83.4
91.3
See footnotes at end of table.
11
Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex, 1999 annual averages — Continued
Both sexes
Occupation
Service occupations, except private household and
protective ..................................................................
Food preparation and service occupations .................
Supervisors ...............................................................
Bartenders ................................................................
Waiters and waitresses ............................................
Cooks, except short order ........................................
Food counter, fountain and related occupations ......
Kitchen workers, food preparation ............................
Waiters’ and waitresses’ assistants ..........................
Miscellaneous food preparation occupations ...........
Health service occupations .........................................
Dental assistants ......................................................
Health aides, except nursing ....................................
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants ..................
Cleaning and building service occupations ................
Supervisors ...............................................................
Maids and housemen ...............................................
Janitors and cleaners ...............................................
Personal service occupations .....................................
Supervisors ...............................................................
Hairdressers and cosmetologists .............................
Attendants, amusement and recreation facilities ......
Public transportation attendants ...............................
Welfare service aids .................................................
Early childhood teachers’ assistants ........................
Precision production, craft, and repair ............................
Mechanics and repairers ..............................................
Supervisors .................................................................
Mechanics and repairers, except supervisors ............
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics and
repairers ............................................................
Automobile mechanics ...........................................
Bus, truck, and stationary engine mechanics .........
Aircraft engine mechanics ......................................
Small engine repairers ............................................
Automobile body and related repairers ...................
Heavy equipment mechanics .................................
Industrial machinery repairers ..................................
Electrical and electronic equipment repairers ...........
Electronic repairers, communications and
industrial equipment ........................................
Data processing equipment repairers .....................
Telephone line installers and repairers ...................
Telephone installers and repairers .........................
Miscellaneous electrical and electronic
equipment repairers .........................................
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration
mechanics .........................................................
Miscellaneous mechanics and repairers ..................
Millwrights ...............................................................
Construction trades ......................................................
Supervisors .................................................................
Construction trades, except supervisors ....................
Brickmasons and stonemasons ................................
Tile setters, hard and soft .........................................
Carpet installers ........................................................
Carpenters ................................................................
Drywall installers .......................................................
Electricians ...............................................................
Electrical power installers and repairers ...................
Painters, construction and maintenance ..................
Plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, and
apprentices ........................................................
Concrete and terrazzo finishers ................................
Insulation workers .....................................................
Roofers .....................................................................
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Women
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Men
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
8,318
3,189
276
167
652
1,311
108
135
229
312
1,791
127
246
1,418
2,188
153
472
1,496
1,150
56
310
140
58
54
266
313
298
342
334
302
302
252
297
286
268
324
377
318
322
321
407
296
324
321
470
322
384
604
310
275
1
2
14
15
5
3
6
7
7
4
3
18
5
3
2
16
4
4
4
30
6
11
40
18
7
4,918
1,607
156
70
480
511
62
94
110
124
1,574
123
196
1,255
885
55
385
442
852
32
263
57
47
49
256
302
286
310
334
294
279
247
295
282
270
320
373
317
318
292
317
289
293
310
( 2)
323
384
( 2)
( 2)
274
1
2
9
18
5
4
7
7
8
6
2
16
5
3
3
11
4
4
4
( 2)
7
12
( 2)
( 2)
6
3,400
1,583
120
97
172
800
46
41
119
188
217
5
49
163
1,303
97
87
1,054
298
24
47
83
11
6
10
336
311
415
334
325
317
( 2)
( 2)
290
266
368
( 2)
( 2)
367
363
472
330
351
379
( 2)
( 2)
384
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
4
3
24
21
21
4
( 2)
( 2)
12
6
13
( 2)
( 2)
12
6
19
13
6
10
( 2)
( 2)
18
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
90.0
91.8
74.8
100.1
90.4
88.0
( 3)
( 3)
97.2
101.3
87.2
( 3)
( 3)
86.6
80.6
67.1
87.5
83.5
81.9
( 3)
( 3)
99.9
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
11,927
4,263
262
4,001
594
621
816
613
3
4
17
4
1,066
206
30
176
428
592
( 2)
555
8
24
2
( )
29
10,861
4,057
232
3,824
606
622
820
615
3
5
22
4
70.6
95.2
( 3)
90.3
1,455
635
301
146
54
123
145
546
889
594
555
588
737
420
584
667
608
698
6
18
14
17
26
13
20
10
13
18
7
1
4
2
1
1
16
104
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
616
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
45
1,436
628
300
142
53
121
144
530
785
594
555
588
740
419
586
669
612
703
6
18
14
18
29
13
20
10
13
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
87.6
201
281
55
240
621
689
755
770
19
24
47
24
17
48
3
30
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
184
233
51
210
630
707
760
761
30
24
45
24
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
74
693
17
4
( 2)
( 2)
70
694
17
( 3)
310
790
72
4,143
504
3,639
128
58
62
962
126
739
134
331
580
607
697
566
720
540
546
440
507
518
483
645
731
427
16
10
32
6
16
7
61
30
37
6
15
15
54
13
2
36
2
85
9
76
3
2
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
423
( 2)
417
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
2
( )
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
17
( 2)
15
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
2
( )
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
308
754
70
4,059
495
3,563
125
56
62
950
121
723
133
317
579
612
700
571
722
545
564
443
507
518
486
651
730
432
16
10
32
6
16
7
55
35
37
6
16
14
54
15
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
74.2
( 3)
76.5
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
3
( )
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
417
87
51
147
595
501
546
467
16
13
47
30
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
408
85
49
146
596
501
( 2)
469
16
13
( 2)
28
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
See footnotes at end of table.
12
12
5
17
1
14
9
2
2
1
Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex, 1999 annual averages — Continued
Both sexes
Occupation
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Women
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Men
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
Structural metalworkers ............................................
Extractive occupations ..................................................
Precision production occupations .................................
Supervisors .................................................................
Precision metalworking occupations ..........................
Tool and die makers .................................................
Machinists .................................................................
Sheet-metal workers .................................................
Precision woodworking occupations ...........................
Cabinet makers and bench carpenters .....................
Precision textile, apparel, and furnishings
machine workers .................................................
Precision workers, assorted materials ........................
Optical goods workers ..............................................
Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers ......
Precision food production occupations .......................
Butchers and meat cutters ........................................
Bakers ......................................................................
Precision inspectors, testers, and related workers .....
Inspectors, testers, and graders ...............................
Plant and system operators ........................................
Water and sewage treatment plant operators ..........
Stationary engineers .................................................
55
128
3,393
1,121
869
139
489
128
75
58
634
716
583
668
634
785
604
628
457
454
52
38
5
11
11
27
12
24
38
34
2
774
217
60
5
28
8
11
4
( 2)
403
515
442
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
6
11
24
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
55
126
2,619
904
809
134
461
120
65
54
634
717
630
704
646
792
610
635
481
465
52
37
7
12
11
30
12
22
50
38
( 3)
63.9
73.1
68.4
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
115
460
64
290
380
237
110
131
123
241
56
109
402
423
465
391
400
400
394
618
619
688
625
621
15
10
39
11
7
8
29
22
25
23
32
15
50
257
38
193
138
64
49
32
30
9
4
-
350
369
( 2)
359
342
322
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
-
18
8
( 2)
8
12
9
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
-
65
203
26
97
242
174
61
100
94
233
53
109
421
513
( 2)
476
440
428
475
657
654
689
635
620
14
17
( 2)
40
14
16
31
28
28
25
40
15
83.1
71.9
( 3)
75.5
77.7
75.2
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
-
Operators, fabricators, and laborers ...............................
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors ..........
Machine operators and tenders, except precision ......
Metalworking and plastic working machine
operators ..................................................................
Punching and stamping press machine
operators .........................................................
Grinding, abrading, buffing, and polishing
machine operators ...........................................
Metal and plastic processing machine operators .....
Molding and casting machine operators .................
Woodworking machine operators .............................
Sawing machine operators .....................................
Printing machine operators .......................................
Printing press operators .........................................
Textile, apparel, and furnishings machine
operators ...........................................................
Textile sewing machine operators ..........................
Pressing machine operators ...................................
Laundering and dry cleaning machine operators ...
Machine operators, assorted materials ....................
Packaging and filling machine operators ................
Mixing and blending machine operators .................
Separating, filtering, and clarifying
machine operators ...........................................
Painting and paint spraying machine operators .....
Furnace, kiln, and oven operators, exc. food .........
Slicing and cutting machine operators ....................
Photographic process machine operators ..............
Fabricators, assemblers, and hand working
occupations .......................................................
Welders and cutters ................................................
Assemblers .............................................................
Production inspectors, testers, samplers, and
weighers ............................................................
Production inspectors, checkers, and examiners ...
Production testers ...................................................
Graders and sorters, except agricultural ................
15,182
6,814
4,368
429
423
416
2
3
3
3,498
2,444
1,538
337
340
326
3
3
4
11,685
4,371
2,829
472
487
481
3
3
4
71.4
69.7
67.8
369
509
11
62
410
76.8
Transportation and material moving occupations .........
Motor vehicle operators ..............................................
Supervisors ...............................................................
Truck drivers .............................................................
15
307
534
17
( 2)
74
505
36
( 3)
101
458
18
27
( 2)
113
142
97
138
81
325
256
490
454
452
385
386
491
477
21
18
16
12
12
11
15
16
32
23
19
10
74
48
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
366
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
17
( 2)
97
110
74
119
71
251
208
507
471
473
398
393
526
513
25
21
26
11
12
24
15
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
69.5
( 3)
745
416
67
139
2,622
341
129
298
282
268
294
437
361
491
5
8
9
11
6
10
22
534
322
50
90
809
212
16
282
273
260
266
350
327
( 2)
5
4
8
7
5
10
2
( )
211
94
17
48
1,813
129
112
348
326
( 2)
( 2)
487
416
497
11
16
( 2)
( 2)
5
14
29
80.9
83.8
( 3)
( 3)
71.9
78.7
( 3)
58
186
69
153
69
648
462
591
430
342
27
21
25
18
19
8
25
2
38
35
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
50
161
67
115
34
657
480
597
473
( 2)
29
23
24
24
( 2)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
1,781
527
1,158
444
520
412
7
8
5
589
32
521
365
( 2)
368
7
( 2)
8
1,192
496
637
495
525
463
6
12
11
73.8
( 3)
79.5
665
487
53
120
424
456
520
305
9
12
40
9
316
231
14
69
369
395
( 2)
288
11
8
( 2)
10
349
256
39
52
506
530
( 2)
347
10
19
( 2)
33
72.9
74.6
( 3)
83.0
4,401
3,184
78
2,493
513
514
585
527
4
5
26
8
317
257
17
85
394
389
( 2)
412
9
10
2
( )
22
4,083
2,927
61
2,409
522
524
621
532
4
6
27
9
75.5
74.2
( 3)
77.4
See footnotes at end of table.
13
Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by detailed occupation and sex, 1999 annual averages — Continued
Both sexes
Occupation
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Women
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Men
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
Drivers-sales workers ...............................................
Bus drivers ................................................................
Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs ................................
Transportation occupations, except motor vehicles ...
Rail transportation ....................................................
Material moving equipment operators ........................
Operating engineers .................................................
Crane and tower operators .......................................
Excavating and loading machine operators ..............
Grader, dozer, and scraper operators ......................
Industrial truck and tractor equipment operators ......
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers ..
Helpers, construction and extractive occupations ......
Helpers, construction trades .....................................
Construction laborers .................................................
Production helpers ......................................................
Freight, stock, and material handlers .........................
Stock handlers and baggers .....................................
Machine feeders and offbearers ...............................
Garage and service station related occupations ........
Vehicle washers and equipment cleaners ..................
Hand packers and packagers .....................................
Laborers, except construction ....................................
130
284
149
154
108
1,063
229
69
81
63
513
3,967
106
93
804
53
1,287
578
75
134
199
253
1,107
534
428
427
761
816
498
575
580
571
480
448
363
329
336
414
357
361
314
395
314
312
317
373
36
21
25
57
37
6
23
43
26
23
9
3
15
14
8
27
6
5
15
9
7
6
5
8
119
22
2
1
58
6
2
2
2
39
737
3
2
28
11
291
189
30
3
26
147
229
( 2)
384
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
415
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
314
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
318
300
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
305
315
( 2)
14
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
18
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
3
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
6
7
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
6
5
122
166
127
152
107
1,005
223
67
79
61
474
3,230
103
92
776
42
996
389
45
131
173
107
879
555
498
441
772
820
503
579
586
577
477
451
377
330
335
413
( 2)
375
320
( 2)
313
315
338
393
35
27
30
50
64
6
17
47
27
22
10
4
15
14
8
( 2)
6
5
( 2)
9
8
12
7
( 3)
77.1
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
82.6
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
83.2
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
85.0
93.8
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
90.2
80.1
Farming, forestry, and fishing .........................................
Farm operators and managers .....................................
Farm managers ..........................................................
Other agricultural and related occupations ...................
Farm occupations, except managerial ........................
Farm workers ............................................................
Related agricultural occupations ................................
Supervisors, related agricultural ...............................
Groundskeepers and gardeners, except farm ..........
Forestry and logging occupations .................................
1,583
72
67
1,441
603
531
838
87
657
58
331
499
499
321
311
304
330
514
322
503
5
21
28
3
5
5
8
25
4
21
218
11
11
204
91
68
113
6
44
2
283
( 2)
( 2)
277
268
259
288
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
9
( 2)
( 2)
9
6
7
10
2
( )
( 2)
( 2)
1,364
61
56
1,237
512
463
725
81
614
55
341
525
543
329
317
311
342
539
322
508
5
47
63
6
5
6
9
52
5
21
82.8
( 3)
( 3)
84.4
84.5
83.4
84.2
( 3)
( 3)
( 3)
1 These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ slightly from
percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this table.
2 Data not shown where base is less than 50,000.
3 Data not shown where base for either the numerator or denominator is less than
50,000.
14
Table 4. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex and State, 1999 annual averages
Both sexes
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
UNITED STATES .....................
97,626
$549
Alabama .......................................
Alaska ...........................................
Arizona .........................................
Arkansas .......................................
California ......................................
1,528
204
1,714
897
11,226
Colorado .......................................
Connecticut ...................................
Delaware ......................................
District of Columbia ......................
Florida ...........................................
Women
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
$2
42,444
$473
501
670
498
425
586
8
13
7
8
4
677
85
734
417
4,657
1,607
1,162
280
216
5,251
607
677
571
614
489
8
15
14
9
4
Georgia .........................................
Hawaii ...........................................
Idaho .............................................
Illinois ............................................
Indiana ..........................................
3,011
393
418
4,534
2,200
514
544
485
589
540
Iowa ..............................................
Kansas ..........................................
Kentucky .......................................
Louisiana ......................................
Maine ............................................
1,059
963
1,369
1,490
436
Maryland .......................................
Massachusetts ..............................
Michigan .......................................
Minnesota .....................................
Mississippi ....................................
Men
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
$1
55,181
$618
$2
76.5
418
541
452
374
524
10
17
12
10
7
851
119
981
480
6,569
584
763
538
485
621
12
15
21
9
6
71.6
71.0
83.9
77.1
84.3
685
512
126
104
2,362
520
590
487
611
428
10
13
11
9
6
922
650
154
112
2,888
679
765
624
620
535
14
17
16
18
11
76.6
77.1
78.0
98.6
79.9
7
16
8
5
13
1,420
187
161
1,983
914
443
488
404
493
428
10
8
8
5
10
1,591
206
257
2,551
1,285
597
617
563
678
630
9
15
16
12
15
74.3
79.1
71.7
72.8
67.9
513
509
497
466
502
7
7
8
10
7
461
429
586
698
195
429
444
418
383
455
10
11
9
8
12
598
534
783
791
241
593
587
565
553
545
10
14
17
21
18
72.3
75.5
73.9
69.3
83.3
2,086
2,258
3,559
1,744
919
635
612
609
642
470
13
6
6
11
9
995
947
1,436
728
427
582
532
492
552
380
10
12
6
14
9
1,091
1,311
2,123
1,016
492
713
684
709
724
545
17
13
10
13
14
81.6
77.7
69.4
76.3
69.6
Missouri ........................................
Montana ........................................
Nebraska ......................................
Nevada .........................................
New Hampshire ............................
2,047
271
584
719
443
544
460
495
501
599
14
11
8
7
11
891
114
259
310
193
480
368
415
431
492
8
6
7
11
9
1,156
157
325
409
251
607
532
575
567
698
10
16
14
17
15
79.1
69.2
72.2
76.1
70.6
New Jersey ...................................
New Mexico ..................................
New York ......................................
North Carolina ..............................
North Dakota ................................
3,003
528
6,087
2,893
204
637
498
591
493
467
7
8
4
5
9
1,293
229
2,666
1,307
90
558
425
513
424
377
12
11
5
6
10
1,710
299
3,421
1,586
115
716
573
642
561
532
14
19
8
13
16
77.8
74.2
79.9
75.5
70.9
Ohio ..............................................
Oklahoma .....................................
Oregon ..........................................
Pennsylvania ................................
Rhode Island ................................
4,033
1,172
1,122
4,090
337
580
487
556
567
570
6
8
14
8
14
1,738
525
443
1,794
145
476
397
465
472
488
6
8
9
7
9
2,295
648
678
2,296
192
670
584
619
648
638
9
10
13
9
17
71.1
68.0
75.1
72.9
76.5
South Carolina ..............................
South Dakota ................................
Tennessee ....................................
Texas ............................................
Utah ..............................................
1,435
263
2,063
7,488
722
507
464
467
496
518
7
9
10
4
7
656
122
948
3,247
282
429
392
385
444
432
10
7
7
5
8
779
141
1,114
4,241
440
583
543
580
548
613
11
18
11
10
12
73.6
72.2
66.3
81.0
70.5
Vermont ........................................
Virginia ..........................................
Washington ...................................
West Virginia ................................
Wisconsin .....................................
Wyoming .......................................
207
2,646
2,037
564
1,979
166
533
577
617
473
542
500
12
9
8
10
10
9
91
1,166
836
244
859
67
481
489
526
393
473
390
11
9
13
8
8
9
115
1,479
1,200
320
1,120
99
585
659
706
567
618
623
13
17
14
15
10
14
82.2
74.1
74.4
69.2
76.6
62.6
State
Standard
error
of
median
1 These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this
table.
Standard
error
of
median
Standard
error
of
median
NOTE: Data refer to persons 16 years and over.
15
Table 5. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, 1999 annual averages
Both sexes
Characteristic
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
21,065
8,298
4,882
3,417
12,767
3,245
3,608
2,596
1,800
1,518
$164
122
108
154
203
209
216
223
191
145
18,054
2,135
1,847
9,618
9,054
2,394
1,273
487
633
Women
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
$1
1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
3
14,495
4,647
2,617
2,030
9,848
2,481
3,097
2,184
1,289
796
$168
121
105
151
201
205
213
219
185
127
165
153
160
1
2
3
12,531
1,410
1,190
131
208
181
195
191
145
1
1
2
3
4
4
5,322
7,251
1,922
992
386
544
Standard
error
of
median
Men
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
$1
1
1
2
1
3
2
3
3
4
6,570
3,651
2,265
1,386
2,919
764
511
412
510
722
$154
124
111
157
208
221
236
243
206
163
$1
1
1
2
2
4
8
8
5
4
108.9
97.7
95.4
96.3
96.7
93.0
90.3
90.2
89.8
77.9
170
155
159
1
2
3
5,523
725
658
155
149
162
1
4
5
110.1
103.8
97.8
129
208
177
191
189
142
1
2
3
4
5
5
4,296
1,802
472
282
101
89
133
210
196
211
197
158
1
3
5
7
9
10
97.2
99.3
90.0
90.5
96.1
90.0
Standard
error
of
median
Standard
error
of
median
AGE
Total, 16 years and over .........
16 to 24 years ...............................
16 to 19 years ............................
20 to 24 years ............................
25 years and over .........................
25 to 34 years ............................
35 to 44 years ............................
45 to 54 years ............................
55 to 64 years ............................
65 years and over ......................
RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN
White ............................................
Black .............................................
Hispanic origin ..............................
MARITAL STATUS
Never married ...............................
Married, spouse present ...............
Other marital status ......................
Divorced ....................................
Separated ..................................
Widowed ....................................
1 These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this
table.
NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum
to totals because data for the "other races" group are not presented and
Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.
16
Table 6. Median usual weekly earnings of employed (full- and part-time) wage and salary workers by hours usually worked and sex, 1999 annual
averages
Both sexes
Hours of work
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Total, 16 years and over ........ 118,963
1 to 34 hours .................................
18,742
1 to 4 hours .................................
457
5 to 9 hours .................................
1,125
10 to 14 hours .............................
1,724
15 to 19 hours .............................
2,588
20 to 24 hours .............................
5,696
25 to 29 hours .............................
2,448
30 to 34 hours .............................
4,703
35 hours and over .........................
92,381
35 to 39 hours .............................
6,950
40 hours ....................................
63,004
41 hours and over .....................
22,427
41 to 44 hours .........................
1,543
45 to 48 hours .........................
6,598
49 to 59 hours .........................
9,751
60 hours and over ...................
4,534
Hours vary ....................................
7,841
Usually less than 35 hours .........
2,324
Usually 35 hours or more ...........
5,244
Median
weekly
earnings
$478
167
40
59
79
115
160
203
256
552
384
499
796
597
702
865
933
338
136
491
Women
Standard
error
of
median
$1
1
3
1
2
1
1
2
2
2
3
1
4
7
5
6
8
5
2
6
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
57,050
13,010
319
792
1,216
1,758
3,915
1,681
3,330
40,466
4,840
28,993
6,632
632
2,327
2,679
994
3,574
1,485
1,979
$392
172
36
60
80
118
165
208
264
477
382
451
689
523
641
755
763
242
136
361
1 These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this
table.
NOTE: Data refer to the sole or principal job of full- and part-time workers.
Men
Standard
error
of
median
$1
1
3
1
2
1
1
2
2
1
3
2
5
11
6
7
11
4
3
9
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
61,914
5,731
137
333
508
830
1,781
768
1,374
51,916
2,110
34,011
15,795
911
4,272
7,072
3,540
4,267
839
3,266
$579
157
51
58
76
109
149
191
236
620
392
554
853
647
739
912
973
465
137
579
Standard
error
of
median
$2
1
6
2
3
1
2
3
3
2
8
3
4
12
7
7
10
8
4
9
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
67.7
109.6
70.2
104.2
104.7
108.0
110.7
109.1
112.0
76.9
97.4
81.5
80.7
80.8
86.8
82.8
78.5
52.1
99.5
62.3
Detail for the above "hours vary" groups will not sum to totals because data
are not presented for a small number of multiple jobholders whose usual
number of hours on the principal job is not identifiable.
17
Table 7. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected
characteristics, 1999 annual averages
Characteristic
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Upper limit of:
First
decile
First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Ninth
decile
SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC ORIGIN
Total, 16 years and over ...........................................................
Women ...................................................................................
Men .........................................................................................
97,626
42,444
55,181
$269
247
290
$365
323
406
$549
473
618
$826
693
934
$1211
983
1365
White ........................................................................................
Women ...................................................................................
Men .........................................................................................
80,849
34,024
46,825
275
250
295
377
331
417
573
483
638
852
707
958
1246
999
1399
Black .........................................................................................
Women ...................................................................................
Men .........................................................................................
12,190
6,344
5,846
243
234
259
311
297
336
445
409
488
654
607
711
935
870
989
Hispanic origin ..........................................................................
Women ...................................................................................
Men .........................................................................................
10,950
4,162
6,788
227
206
238
280
259
294
385
348
406
585
518
613
848
744
916
Total, 25 years and over ...........................................................
Less than a high school diploma ............................................
High school graduates, no college .........................................
Some college or associate degree .........................................
College graduates, total ..........................................................
86,352
8,459
27,314
23,949
26,630
284
215
270
300
430
393
267
349
404
607
592
346
490
580
860
872
494
688
798
1243
1260
680
932
1079
1749
Women, 25 years and over ......................................................
Less than a high school diploma ............................................
High school graduates, no college .........................................
Some college or associate degree .........................................
College graduates, total ..........................................................
37,615
2,988
11,847
11,196
11,583
258
189
240
279
393
342
236
304
359
541
497
290
405
488
740
727
375
546
665
1013
1020
501
723
886
1372
Men, 25 years and over ............................................................
Less than a high school diploma ............................................
High school graduates, no college .........................................
Some college or associate degree .........................................
College graduates, total ..........................................................
48,738
5,471
15,467
12,752
15,047
312
237
302
340
484
450
294
407
476
681
668
395
580
665
977
979
550
781
915
1425
1425
746
1027
1208
1921
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
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. Detail for the
above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals
because data for the "other races" group are not presented and
Hispanics are included in both the white and black population
groups.
18
Table 8. Usual weekly earnings distribution of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, 1999 annual averages
(In thousands)
Usual weekly earnings distribution
Characteristic
Total
employed
Under
$150.00
$150.00
to
$249.99
$250.00
to
$349.99
$350.00
to
$499.99
$500.00
to
$749.99
$750.00
to
$999.99
$1000.00
to
$1499.99
$1500.00
or
more
AGE AND SEX
Total, 16 years and over .............................
16 to 24 years .......................................................
16 to 19 years ....................................................
20 to 24 years ....................................................
25 years and over .................................................
25 to 34 years ....................................................
35 to 44 years ....................................................
45 to 54 years ....................................................
55 to 64 years ....................................................
65 years and over ..............................................
97,626
11,273
2,170
9,104
86,352
25,354
28,746
22,002
9,054
1,196
1,112
260
96
164
852
229
252
170
121
80
6,469
2,095
710
1,385
4,374
1,455
1,368
887
490
174
14,231
3,417
798
2,619
10,814
3,797
3,416
2,280
1,073
248
20,904
3,265
411
2,853
17,640
6,208
5,544
3,927
1,748
212
24,431
1,677
122
1,555
22,754
7,379
7,458
5,536
2,203
179
14,097
388
21
367
13,709
3,354
4,843
3,955
1,445
112
11,097
141
7
134
10,956
2,186
3,911
3,509
1,238
113
5,284
30
4
26
5,254
746
1,954
1,739
737
78
Women, 16 years and over ........................
16 to 24 years .......................................................
16 to 19 years ....................................................
20 to 24 years ....................................................
25 years and over .................................................
25 to 34 years ....................................................
35 to 44 years ....................................................
45 to 54 years ....................................................
55 to 64 years ....................................................
65 years and over ..............................................
42,444
4,830
831
3,998
37,615
10,826
12,287
10,057
3,957
489
645
130
50
80
514
132
165
110
70
37
3,863
1,051
317
734
2,812
843
922
647
312
88
7,813
1,537
297
1,241
6,275
2,012
2,030
1,452
676
106
10,598
1,325
135
1,190
9,274
2,945
2,931
2,312
972
114
10,382
626
28
598
9,756
2,948
3,125
2,619
988
77
4,910
118
3
114
4,792
1,129
1,656
1,465
509
33
3,176
34
–
34
3,143
632
1,065
1,079
337
29
1,057
9
1
8
1,048
185
393
373
92
5
Men, 16 years and over ..............................
16 to 24 years .......................................................
16 to 19 years ....................................................
20 to 24 years ....................................................
25 years and over .................................................
25 to 34 years ....................................................
35 to 44 years ....................................................
45 to 54 years ....................................................
55 to 64 years ....................................................
65 years and over ..............................................
55,181
6,444
1,338
5,105
48,738
14,528
16,460
11,945
5,097
708
468
130
46
84
337
97
87
60
51
43
2,606
1,044
393
652
1,562
612
446
240
178
86
6,418
1,880
501
1,378
4,539
1,785
1,386
828
397
143
10,306
1,940
277
1,663
8,366
3,264
2,613
1,615
776
99
14,048
1,051
94
957
12,998
4,431
4,333
2,917
1,215
101
9,187
270
18
253
8,916
2,225
3,188
2,489
936
79
7,921
107
7
100
7,814
1,554
2,846
2,429
901
84
4,227
21
3
18
4,206
561
1,561
1,366
644
73
White, 16 years and over ............................
Women .................................................................
Men .......................................................................
80,849
34,024
46,825
894
523
371
4,950
2,880
2,070
11,050
5,990
5,061
16,771
8,422
8,349
20,511
8,579
11,932
12,177
4,086
8,091
9,710
2,630
7,080
4,785
913
3,871
Black, 16 years and over ............................
Women .................................................................
Men .......................................................................
12,190
6,344
5,846
171
95
75
1,188
784
404
2,532
1,481
1,052
3,175
1,687
1,489
2,826
1,324
1,502
1,288
559
729
791
339
452
219
76
143
Hispanic origin, 16 years and over .............
Women .................................................................
Men .......................................................................
10,950
4,162
6,788
176
108
68
1,719
848
870
2,757
1,109
1,648
2,655
956
1,699
2,086
714
1,372
832
257
575
520
133
387
207
37
169
RACE, SEX, AND HISPANIC ORIGIN
NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to
totals because data for the "other races" group are not presented and
Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.
19
Table 9. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, marital status, and
presence and age of own children under 18 years old, 1999 annual averages
Standard
error
of
median
Number of
workers
(in thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Total, all marital statuses ............................................
With children under 18 years old ............................
With children 6 to 17, none younger ....................
With children under 6 years old ...........................
With no children under 18 years old .......................
42,444
16,862
10,501
6,360
25,583
$473
455
468
434
483
$1
2
3
4
2
Total, married, spouse present ...................................
With children under 18 years old ............................
With children 6 to 17, none younger ....................
With children under 6 years old ...........................
With no children under 18 years old .......................
22,383
11,346
6,946
4,400
11,037
499
487
487
486
510
2
2
3
4
2
Total, other marital statuses1 .....................................
With children under 18 years old ............................
With children 6 to 17, none younger ....................
With children under 6 years old ...........................
With no children under 18 years old .......................
20,061
5,515
3,555
1,960
14,546
438
401
428
357
459
2
3
4
4
3
Total, all marital statuses ............................................
With children under 18 years old ............................
With children 6 to 17, none younger ....................
With children under 6 years old ...........................
With no children under 18 years old .......................
55,181
21,889
11,663
10,226
33,292
618
692
732
646
581
2
3
4
5
2
Total, married, spouse present ...................................
With children under 18 years old ............................
With children 6 to 17, none younger ....................
With children under 6 years old ...........................
With no children under 18 years old .......................
34,224
20,425
10,805
9,620
13,799
706
703
741
660
709
3
3
4
5
4
Total, other marital statuses1 .....................................
With children under 18 years old ............................
With children 6 to 17, none younger ....................
With children under 6 years old ...........................
With no children under 18 years old .......................
20,957
1,464
858
606
19,493
494
557
621
469
491
2
14
12
12
2
Characteristic
WOMEN
MEN
1 Includes never-married, divorced, separated,
and widowed persons.
NOTE: Children refer to "own" children and
include sons, daughters, stepchildren, and adopted
children. Excluded are other related children such as
grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins, and
unrelated children.
20
Table 10. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates by selected characteristics, 1999 annual averages
Both sexes
Characteristic
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Women
Median
hourly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
72,306
16,636
6,600
10,036
55,670
17,051
18,172
12,846
5,932
1,669
$9.53
6.87
6.08
7.74
10.47
9.98
11.02
11.33
10.38
7.70
$.06
.03
.03
.06
.07
.05
.09
.16
.20
.18
58,999
10,126
9,402
9.74
8.85
8.07
24,976
35,445
11,885
7,668
2,833
1,383
Men
Women’s
earnings
as
percent
of men’s1
Median
hourly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
Number
of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
hourly
earnings
Standard
error
of
median
36,233
8,080
3,254
4,826
28,153
8,101
9,165
6,867
3,147
873
$8.64
6.60
5.98
7.22
9.53
9.10
9.83
9.95
9.33
7.50
$.05
.05
.03
.06
.07
.07
.06
.08
.20
.23
36,073
8,556
3,346
5,210
27,517
8,951
9,008
5,979
2,784
796
$10.31
7.12
6.18
8.03
12.00
10.84
12.78
13.68
12.21
7.86
$.09
.05
.04
.06
.06
.10
.14
.30
.26
.18
83.8
92.7
96.7
89.8
79.4
84.0
76.9
72.7
76.4
95.4
.05
.08
.08
29,093
5,494
3,913
8.73
8.13
7.46
.05
.06
.16
29,906
4,632
5,490
10.61
9.77
8.61
.11
.11
.21
82.2
83.2
86.6
7.74
10.86
9.81
10.19
8.86
8.30
.05
.06
.06
.10
.16
.31
11,542
17,348
7,343
4,617
1,584
1,142
7.20
9.63
8.95
9.46
8.12
8.12
.05
.09
.08
.17
.12
.16
13,434
18,097
4,542
3,052
1,249
241
8.05
12.48
11.18
11.96
9.94
9.77
.05
.14
.21
.17
.15
.59
89.4
77.2
80.1
79.1
81.6
83.1
10,871
11,815
60,491
13.81
13.66
8.89
.14
.18
.03
3,603
4,086
32,147
11.61
11.54
8.25
.24
.26
.04
7,268
7,729
28,343
14.94
14.87
9.76
.11
.11
.06
77.7
77.6
84.5
55,670
8,029
22,611
17,069
7,960
10.47
7.92
10.12
11.39
14.73
.07
.06
.04
.13
.25
28,153
3,380
11,158
9,090
4,525
9.53
6.87
8.88
10.18
13.96
.07
.06
.06
.06
.23
27,517
4,649
11,453
7,979
3,435
12.00
9.02
12.02
13.08
15.17
.06
.10
.08
.13
.34
79.4
76.2
73.9
77.8
92.0
AGE
Total, 16 years and over .............
16 to 24 years .......................................
16 to 19 years ....................................
20 to 24 years ....................................
25 years and over .................................
25 to 34 years ....................................
35 to 44 years ....................................
45 to 54 years ....................................
55 to 64 years ....................................
65 years and over ..............................
RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN
White ....................................................
Black .....................................................
Hispanic origin ......................................
MARITAL STATUS
Never married .......................................
Married, spouse present .......................
Other marital status ..............................
Divorced ............................................
Separated ..........................................
Widowed ............................................
UNION AFFILIATION2
Members of unions3 .............................
Represented by unions4 .......................
Not represented by a union ..................
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Total, 25 years and over .......................
Less than a high school diploma ........
High school graduates, no college .....
Some college or associate degree .....
College graduates, total ......................
1 These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this
table
2 Differences in earnings levels between men and women with union
affiliation reflect a variety of factors in addition to coverage by a collective
bargaining agreement, including the distribution of male and female employees
by occupation, industry, firm size, or geographic region.
3 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar
to a union.
4 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar
to a union as well as workers who report no union affiliation but whose jobs are
covered by a union or an employee association contract.
NOTE: Hourly paid workers account for approximately three-fifths of all
wage and salary workers. Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups
will not sum to totals because data for the "other races" group are not presented
and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.
21
Table 11. Hourly earnings distribution of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates by selected characteristics, 1999 annual averages
(In thousands)
Hourly earnings distribution
Characteristic
Total
employed
Under
$4.00
$4.00
to
$4.99
$5.00
to
$5.99
$6.00
to
$7.99
$8.00
to
$9.99
$10.00
to
$11.99
$12.00
to
$15.99
$16.00
to
$19.99
$20.00
or
more
AGE AND SEX
Total, 16 years and over .........................
16 to 24 years ...................................................
16 to 19 years .............................................
20 to 24 years .............................................
25 years and over .............................................
25 to 34 years .............................................
35 to 44 years .............................................
45 to 54 years .............................................
55 to 64 years .............................................
65 years and over .......................................
72,306
16,636
6,600
10,036
55,670
17,051
18,172
12,846
5,932
1,669
955
416
171
245
539
226
167
86
48
13
296
148
91
57
147
50
25
27
24
21
7,056
3,840
2,440
1,400
3,216
1,028
927
598
376
288
16,250
6,266
2,842
3,424
9,984
3,322
2,988
1,998
1,134
543
13,046
3,154
696
2,458
9,892
3,463
3,016
2,107
1,002
305
10,345
1,593
236
1,357
8,753
2,947
2,832
1,905
875
195
12,145
964
99
865
11,180
3,453
3,780
2,621
1,174
151
5,808
147
12
135
5,661
1,391
2,045
1,569
598
57
6,406
108
13
95
6,298
1,172
2,393
1,935
701
97
Women, 16 years and over ....................
16 to 24 years ...................................................
16 to 19 years .............................................
20 to 24 years .............................................
25 years and over .............................................
25 to 34 years .............................................
35 to 44 years .............................................
45 to 54 years .............................................
55 to 64 years .............................................
65 years and over .......................................
36,233
8,080
3,254
4,826
28,153
8,101
9,165
6,867
3,147
873
710
298
123
175
412
171
131
68
32
10
149
70
45
25
79
22
15
19
14
8
4,329
2,151
1,328
822
2,178
629
659
446
274
169
9,570
3,144
1,356
1,788
6,427
1,968
2,014
1,415
744
286
7,122
1,389
295
1,094
5,733
1,791
1,770
1,379
632
161
5,125
634
83
552
4,491
1,333
1,494
1,052
499
112
5,004
323
21
302
4,681
1,284
1,554
1,250
518
76
1,993
37
2
35
1,956
485
698
556
198
18
2,231
35
2
33
2,197
417
829
683
237
31
Men, 16 years and over ..........................
16 to 24 years ...................................................
16 to 19 years .............................................
20 to 24 years .............................................
25 years and over .............................................
25 to 34 years .............................................
35 to 44 years .............................................
45 to 54 years .............................................
55 to 64 years .............................................
65 years and over .......................................
36,073
8,556
3,346
5,210
27,517
8,951
9,008
5,979
2,784
796
245
118
48
70
127
55
36
17
16
3
147
78
46
32
69
28
10
9
10
13
2,728
1,689
1,112
578
1,038
399
267
152
102
118
6,679
3,122
1,486
1,636
3,557
1,354
974
583
390
256
5,925
1,765
401
1,364
4,159
1,671
1,246
728
370
144
5,220
958
153
805
4,262
1,614
1,337
852
376
82
7,141
641
78
563
6,499
2,170
2,226
1,371
657
76
3,815
110
10
99
3,705
906
1,347
1,014
400
39
4,175
74
11
63
4,101
755
1,565
1,253
464
65
White, 16 years and over ........................
Women .............................................................
Men ...................................................................
58,999
29,093
29,906
834
639
196
221
112
108
5,616
3,399
2,217
12,875
7,461
5,415
10,504
5,726
4,778
8,418
4,189
4,229
10,082
4,069
6,013
4,959
1,658
3,301
5,489
1,840
3,649
Black, 16 years and over ........................
Women .............................................................
Men ...................................................................
10,126
5,494
4,632
82
44
38
66
34
32
1,131
739
391
2,639
1,666
973
1,991
1,109
882
1,506
721
785
1,542
699
843
614
250
364
554
232
323
Hispanic origin, 16 years and over .........
Women .............................................................
Men ...................................................................
9,402
3,913
5,490
75
49
27
31
12
19
1,336
727
609
2,804
1,321
1,484
1,893
743
1,151
1,204
467
736
1,171
371
801
485
122
362
401
100
301
RACE, SEX, AND HISPANIC ORIGIN
NOTE: Hourly-paid workers account for approximately three-fifths of all wage and
salary workers. Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to
totals because data for the "other races" group are not presented and Hispanics are
included in both the white and black population groups.
22
Table 12. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing Federal minimum wage by selected
characteristics, 1999 annual averages
(Numbers in thousands)
1999
Paid hourly rates
Characteristic
Total
Below
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
At
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
Total at or below prevailing Federal
minimum wage
Number
Percent of
hourly-paid
workers
AGE AND SEX
Total, 16 years and over .............................
16 to 24 years .......................................................
16 to 19 years ....................................................
20 to 24 years ....................................................
25 years and over .................................................
25 to 34 years ....................................................
35 to 44 years ....................................................
45 to 54 years ....................................................
55 to 64 years ....................................................
65 years and over ..............................................
72,306
16,636
6,600
10,036
55,670
17,051
18,172
12,846
5,932
1,669
2,194
1,064
577
486
1,130
397
316
199
132
86
1,146
632
429
203
514
180
140
96
45
54
3,340
1,695
1,006
690
1,644
577
456
295
177
140
4.6
10.2
15.2
6.9
3.0
3.4
2.5
2.3
3.0
8.4
Women, 16 years and over ........................
16 to 24 years .......................................................
16 to 19 years ....................................................
20 to 24 years ....................................................
25 years and over .................................................
25 to 34 years ....................................................
35 to 44 years ....................................................
45 to 54 years ....................................................
55 to 64 years ....................................................
65 years and over ..............................................
36,233
8,080
3,254
4,826
28,153
8,101
9,165
6,867
3,147
873
1,426
654
344
309
772
257
232
146
91
46
700
343
233
110
357
113
103
73
37
31
2,126
996
578
419
1,129
370
335
219
128
77
5.9
12.3
17.8
8.7
4.0
4.6
3.7
3.2
4.1
8.9
Men, 16 years and over ..............................
16 to 24 years .......................................................
16 to 19 years ....................................................
20 to 24 years ....................................................
25 years and over .................................................
25 to 34 years ....................................................
35 to 44 years ....................................................
45 to 54 years ....................................................
55 to 64 years ....................................................
65 years and over ..............................................
36,073
8,556
3,346
5,210
27,517
8,951
9,008
5,979
2,784
796
768
410
233
177
358
140
85
53
41
40
446
289
195
93
157
67
37
22
9
23
1,214
699
428
271
515
206
121
76
49
63
3.4
8.2
12.8
5.2
1.9
2.3
1.3
1.3
1.8
7.9
White, 16 years and over ............................
Women .................................................................
Men .......................................................................
58,999
29,093
29,906
1,803
1,200
602
895
539
356
2,698
1,740
958
4.6
6.0
3.2
Black, 16 years and over ............................
Women .................................................................
Men .......................................................................
10,126
5,494
4,632
298
173
126
217
144
74
516
316
199
5.1
5.8
4.3
Hispanic origin, 16 years and over .............
Women .................................................................
Men .......................................................................
9,402
3,913
5,490
275
148
126
238
133
105
513
281
232
5.5
7.2
4.2
Full-time workers ..................................................
Women .................................................................
Men .......................................................................
54,931
24,349
30,582
948
565
383
372
203
169
1,320
768
552
2.4
3.2
1.8
Part-time workers .................................................
Women .................................................................
Men .......................................................................
17,227
11,817
5,410
1,238
855
383
772
496
276
2,011
1,351
659
11.7
11.4
12.2
RACE, SEX, AND HISPANIC ORIGIN
FULL- AND PART-TIME STATUS
AND SEX1
1 The distinction between full- and part-time workers is based on
hours usually worked. These data will not sum to totals because full- or
part-time status on the principal job is not identifiable for a small number
of multiple jobholders.
NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not
sum to totals because data for the "other races" group are not presented
and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population
groups. See technical note for more information about minimum wage
workers.
23
Table 13. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (1999) dollars by sex and age, 1979-99 annual averages
16 to 24 years
25 years and over
Total, 16
years and
over
Total
16 to 19
years
20 to 24
years
Total
25 to 34
years
35 to 44
years
45 to 54
years
55 to 64
years
65 years
and over
1979 ..........................................
1980 ..........................................
1981 ..........................................
1982 ..........................................
1983 ..........................................
1984 ..........................................
1985 ..........................................
19861 ........................................
1987 ..........................................
1988 ..........................................
$518
507
501
505
502
502
512
525
529
526
$370
363
354
348
338
334
333
339
343
340
$310
298
285
274
262
260
259
261
263
267
$400
387
377
368
357
355
357
363
366
362
$570
554
545
546
550
557
563
572
570
565
$549
534
524
520
515
516
520
527
528
523
$603
584
575
591
592
599
604
612
616
614
$594
575
566
577
588
592
596
608
607
618
$563
551
546
543
555
562
567
580
574
572
$426
393
393
422
418
418
442
436
439
441
1989 ..........................................
19901 ........................................
1991 ..........................................
1992 ..........................................
1993 ..........................................
19941 ........................................
1995 ..........................................
1996 ..........................................
19971 ........................................
19981 ........................................
19991 ........................................
521
513
511
515
523
521
521
519
522
534
549
339
335
333
323
321
320
317
315
318
326
341
266
261
255
248
244
246
251
254
261
274
281
361
355
350
339
338
334
332
330
333
346
363
559
559
560
560
560
558
554
551
560
585
592
515
507
498
493
498
490
490
490
499
513
518
617
606
597
588
590
599
598
591
600
610
611
617
608
608
611
618
632
633
629
629
634
652
563
569
563
565
561
559
559
566
578
606
604
436
428
457
442
448
429
423
406
408
414
404
1979 ..........................................
1980 ..........................................
1981 ..........................................
1982 ..........................................
1983 ..........................................
1984 ..........................................
1985 ..........................................
19861 ........................................
1987 ..........................................
1988 ..........................................
392
389
387
399
404
408
413
425
429
430
331
323
319
320
317
313
313
320
320
321
284
281
272
263
253
249
247
248
243
251
347
338
338
336
332
328
329
338
342
343
419
412
412
425
429
435
441
451
454
457
428
422
422
430
435
438
440
447
447
446
421
415
420
431
436
449
457
467
477
483
413
404
398
420
423
429
434
451
458
463
406
396
392
408
412
415
424
432
436
433
366
338
334
353
339
337
361
374
369
382
1989 ..........................................
19901 ........................................
1991 ..........................................
1992 ..........................................
1993 ..........................................
19941 ........................................
1995 ..........................................
1996 ..........................................
19971 ........................................
19981 ........................................
19991 ........................................
429
431
440
444
449
445
441
442
447
467
473
322
316
320
312
312
308
299
300
303
312
324
257
247
246
239
234
236
233
236
249
255
266
340
335
337
327
330
323
316
316
317
326
343
458
460
465
467
473
470
465
470
478
496
497
445
443
445
447
450
443
438
439
443
462
470
483
486
489
489
496
500
493
490
499
509
503
466
470
477
487
502
502
504
509
513
527
534
435
433
435
440
450
445
438
445
448
487
492
382
373
383
384
382
375
383
354
361
358
370
Year and sex
BOTH SEXES
WOMEN
See footnotes at end of table.
24
Table 13. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (1999) dollars by sex and age, 1979-99 annual averages–
Continued
16 to 24 years
25 years and over
Total, 16
years and
over
Total
16 to 19
years
20 to 24
years
Total
25 to 34
years
35 to 44
years
45 to 54
years
55 to 64
years
65 years
and over
1979 ..........................................
1980 ..........................................
1981 ..........................................
1982 ..........................................
1983 ..........................................
1984 ..........................................
1985 ..........................................
19861 ........................................
1987 ..........................................
1988 ..........................................
627
605
600
608
607
603
605
613
614
613
422
403
386
375
357
356
358
360
364
357
333
313
297
284
269
268
272
272
277
280
454
433
419
408
387
385
385
386
389
381
675
657
657
657
652
650
659
676
675
665
635
608
600
597
594
588
586
587
583
574
722
710
702
705
708
725
724
729
722
706
726
709
700
699
711
723
727
739
735
749
672
667
667
666
667
676
695
708
701
694
471
442
471
501
494
504
547
524
538
539
1989 ..........................................
19901 ........................................
1991 ..........................................
1992 ..........................................
1993 ..........................................
19941 ........................................
1995 ..........................................
1996 ..........................................
19971 ........................................
19981 ........................................
19991 ........................................
612
599
592
586
582
583
585
590
600
612
618
355
351
343
332
329
328
329
325
329
341
356
274
271
263
255
252
255
265
265
272
288
291
379
371
360
348
345
342
343
340
350
365
379
653
638
628
627
633
643
639
634
637
653
668
567
560
550
545
543
535
532
528
534
556
577
709
698
691
680
679
689
678
669
675
692
702
744
736
735
741
745
748
744
739
739
748
763
681
679
676
677
668
673
677
680
693
715
725
514
501
560
492
515
492
480
505
468
493
470
Year and sex
MEN
WOMEN’S
EARNINGS
AS PERCENT
OF MEN’S2
1979 ..........................................
1980 ..........................................
1981 ..........................................
1982 ..........................................
1983 ..........................................
1984 ..........................................
1985 ..........................................
19861 ........................................
1987 ..........................................
1988 ..........................................
62.5
64.3
64.5
65.5
66.6
67.6
68.2
69.3
69.9
70.1
78.5
80.1
82.6
85.3
88.6
87.9
87.5
88.9
88.1
90.0
85.2
89.5
91.8
92.8
94.1
92.7
90.8
91.5
87.8
89.8
76.5
78.0
80.7
82.5
85.9
85.3
85.5
87.7
88.0
90.1
62.1
62.7
62.7
64.7
65.8
67.0
66.9
66.7
67.3
68.7
67.4
69.4
70.4
72.1
73.3
74.5
75.1
76.2
76.8
77.7
58.3
58.4
59.9
61.2
61.5
61.9
63.1
64.0
66.1
68.4
56.9
56.9
56.8
60.1
59.5
59.4
59.7
61.0
62.3
61.8
60.5
59.4
58.9
61.3
61.8
61.4
60.9
61.0
62.2
62.4
77.8
76.5
70.9
70.4
68.7
66.8
66.0
71.4
68.7
70.8
1989 ..........................................
19901 ........................................
1991 ..........................................
1992 ..........................................
1993 ..........................................
19941 ........................................
1995 ..........................................
1996 ..........................................
19971 ........................................
19981 ........................................
19991 ........................................
70.1
71.9
74.3
75.8
77.1
76.4
75.4
75.0
74.5
76.3
76.5
90.7
90.1
93.3
94.0
94.8
93.7
90.8
92.4
92.1
91.3
91.0
94.0
91.0
93.5
93.8
93.0
92.7
87.9
88.9
91.4
88.5
91.3
89.8
90.2
93.5
94.2
95.6
94.5
92.2
92.8
90.6
89.4
90.5
70.2
72.1
74.0
74.6
74.7
73.1
72.7
74.1
75.1
75.9
74.4
78.4
79.2
80.9
82.0
82.9
82.9
82.4
83.2
82.9
83.0
81.5
68.1
69.7
70.8
71.9
73.0
72.5
72.7
73.2
74.0
73.5
71.7
62.7
63.8
64.9
65.8
67.3
67.1
67.8
68.9
69.4
70.5
70.1
63.9
63.7
64.4
64.9
67.4
66.1
64.8
65.4
64.7
68.2
67.8
74.2
74.5
68.4
78.1
74.1
76.3
79.9
70.0
77.1
72.6
78.7
1 The comparability of historical labor force data has been affected at
various times by methodological and conceptual changes in the Current
Population Survey (CPS). For an explanation, see the Explanatory Notes and
Estimates of Error section of the February 1994 and subsequent issues of
Employment and Earnings, a monthly BLS periodical.
2 These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this
table.
NOTE: The Consumer Price Index research series using current methods
(CPI-U-RS) is used to convert current dollars to constant dollars. See
Technical Note.
25
Table 14. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (1999) dollars by sex, race,
and Hispanic origin, 1979-99 annual averages
Total, 16 years
and over
White
Black
Hispanic origin
1979 ..................................................................
1980 ..................................................................
1981 ..................................................................
1982 ..................................................................
1983 ..................................................................
1984 ..................................................................
1985 ..................................................................
19861 ................................................................
1987 ..................................................................
1988 ..................................................................
$518
507
501
505
502
502
512
525
529
526
$532
520
513
517
513
518
529
542
543
538
$428
411
415
409
419
414
413
426
426
429
$416
405
394
401
400
399
401
405
403
396
1989 ..................................................................
19901 ................................................................
1991 ..................................................................
1992 ..................................................................
1993 ..................................................................
19941 ................................................................
1995 ..................................................................
1996 ..................................................................
19971 ................................................................
19981 ................................................................
19991 ................................................................
521
513
511
515
523
521
521
519
522
534
549
535
528
531
536
542
540
537
535
538
557
573
418
410
418
417
421
415
416
410
414
435
445
390
378
375
376
377
362
357
358
364
379
385
1979 ..................................................................
1980 ..................................................................
1981 ..................................................................
1982 ..................................................................
1983 ..................................................................
1984 ..................................................................
1985 ..................................................................
19861 ................................................................
1987 ..................................................................
1988 ..................................................................
392
389
387
399
404
408
413
425
429
430
396
393
390
404
408
413
419
430
435
434
364
358
364
363
371
371
376
386
390
393
338
334
336
340
344
343
342
353
355
355
1989 ..................................................................
19901 ................................................................
1991 ..................................................................
1992 ..................................................................
1993 ..................................................................
19941 ................................................................
1995 ..................................................................
1996 ..................................................................
19971 ................................................................
19981 ................................................................
19991 ................................................................
429
431
440
444
449
445
441
442
447
467
473
436
440
448
452
457
455
451
453
460
478
483
394
384
387
392
396
386
385
383
388
409
409
352
347
351
353
356
340
332
335
330
344
348
Year and sex
BOTH SEXES
WOMEN
See footnotes at end of table.
26
Table 14. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers in constant (1999) dollars by sex,
race, and Hispanic origin, 1979-99 annual averages–Continued
Total, 16 years
and over
White
Black
Hispanic origin
1979 ........................................................
1980 ........................................................
1981 ........................................................
1982 ........................................................
1983 ........................................................
1984 ........................................................
1985 ........................................................
19861 ......................................................
1987 ........................................................
1988 ........................................................
627
605
600
608
607
603
605
613
614
613
642
618
618
627
621
616
621
634
637
635
489
473
474
465
471
466
453
466
462
474
472
453
444
448
440
441
440
437
433
420
1989 ........................................................
19901 ......................................................
1991 ........................................................
1992 ........................................................
1993 ........................................................
19941 ......................................................
1995 ........................................................
1996 ........................................................
19971 ......................................................
19981 ......................................................
19991 ......................................................
612
599
592
586
582
583
585
590
600
612
618
630
615
607
601
597
611
616
614
617
629
638
455
449
450
445
447
447
447
435
448
478
488
411
396
388
396
394
383
380
376
385
398
406
Year and sex
MEN
WOMEN’S
EARNINGS
AS PERCENT
OF MEN’S2
1979 ........................................................
1980 ........................................................
1981 ........................................................
1982 ........................................................
1983 ........................................................
1984 ........................................................
1985 ........................................................
19861 ......................................................
1987 ........................................................
1988 ........................................................
62.5
64.3
64.5
65.5
66.6
67.6
68.2
69.3
69.9
70.1
61.7
63.5
63.1
64.4
65.7
67.0
67.4
67.9
68.2
68.5
74.3
75.8
76.7
78.0
78.9
79.6
82.8
82.7
84.4
83.0
71.7
73.6
75.6
75.7
78.3
77.8
77.7
80.7
82.1
84.6
1989 ........................................................
19901 ......................................................
1991 ........................................................
1992 ........................................................
1993 ........................................................
19941 ......................................................
1995 ........................................................
1996 ........................................................
19971 ......................................................
19981 ......................................................
19991 ......................................................
70.1
71.9
74.3
75.8
77.1
76.4
75.4
75.0
74.5
76.3
76.5
69.2
71.5
73.7
75.2
76.5
74.5
73.2
73.8
74.6
76.1
75.7
86.5
85.5
86.1
88.1
88.8
86.5
86.3
88.1
86.8
85.4
83.7
85.6
87.6
90.5
89.1
90.4
88.8
87.3
89.0
85.6
86.5
85.7
1 The comparability of historical labor force data has
been affected at various times by methodological and
conceptual changes in the Current Population Survey
(CPS). For an explanation, see the Explanatory Notes
and Estimates of Error section of the February 1994 and
subsequent issues of Employment and Earnings, a
monthly BLS periodical.
2 These figures are computed using unrounded
medians and may differ slightly from percents computed
using the rounded medians displayed in this table.
NOTE: Persons of Hispanic origin maybe of any
race; thus they are included in both the white and black
population groups. The Consumer Price Index research
series using current methods (CPI-U-RS) is used to
convert current dollars to constant dollars. See
Technical Note.
27
Table 15. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers 25 years and over in constant (1999) dollars by sex
and educational attainment, 1979-99 annual averages
Total,
25 years and
over
Less than a
high school
diploma
High school
graduates, no
college
1979 ........................................................
1980 ........................................................
1981 ........................................................
1982 ........................................................
1983 ........................................................
1984 ........................................................
1985 ........................................................
19861 ......................................................
1987 ........................................................
1988 ........................................................
$570
554
545
546
550
557
563
572
570
565
$452
430
423
414
410
405
402
406
401
393
$535
515
506
504
499
496
496
502
504
502
$606
587
573
586
581
588
593
598
595
587
$740
728
719
730
739
747
752
767
797
799
1989 ........................................................
19901 ......................................................
1991 ........................................................
1992 ........................................................
1993 ........................................................
19941 ......................................................
1995 ........................................................
1996 ........................................................
19971 ......................................................
19981 ......................................................
19991 ......................................................
559
559
560
560
560
558
554
551
560
585
592
389
378
369
363
358
343
336
335
332
344
346
490
480
477
472
473
470
469
469
477
490
490
591
593
588
567
563
556
552
548
555
570
580
797
794
799
814
815
818
812
803
807
839
860
1979 ........................................................
1980 ........................................................
1981 ........................................................
1982 ........................................................
1983 ........................................................
1984 ........................................................
1985 ........................................................
19861 ......................................................
1987 ........................................................
1988 ........................................................
419
412
412
425
429
435
441
451
454
457
326
317
309
308
312
307
301
303
303
301
398
388
384
394
395
398
398
405
407
407
453
447
450
458
461
469
472
482
491
491
567
561
562
578
591
600
617
637
659
662
1989 ........................................................
19901 ......................................................
1991 ........................................................
1992 ........................................................
1993 ........................................................
19941 ......................................................
1995 ........................................................
1996 ........................................................
19971 ......................................................
19981 ......................................................
19991 ......................................................
458
460
465
467
473
470
465
470
478
496
497
303
299
300
299
300
286
285
284
285
289
290
398
392
394
394
395
392
387
386
392
405
405
495
492
490
476
481
472
464
467
475
487
488
663
667
675
694
696
708
700
695
697
723
740
Year and sex
Some college or
College
associate degree graduates, total
BOTH SEXES
WOMEN
See footnotes at end of table.
28
Table 15. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers 25 years and over in constant (1999) dollars by sex
and educational attainment, 1979-99 annual averages–Continued
Total,
25 years and
over
Less than a
high school
diploma
High school
graduates, no
college
1979 ........................................................
1980 ........................................................
1981 ........................................................
1982 ........................................................
1983 ........................................................
1984 ........................................................
1985 ........................................................
19861 ......................................................
1987 ........................................................
1988 ........................................................
675
657
657
657
652
650
659
676
675
665
542
517
505
490
483
474
467
469
458
454
663
633
629
624
621
613
606
608
598
596
708
693
687
687
677
686
702
710
703
686
851
827
840
840
831
864
878
903
923
927
1989 ........................................................
19901 ......................................................
1991 ........................................................
1992 ........................................................
1993 ........................................................
19941 ......................................................
1995 ........................................................
1996 ........................................................
19971 ......................................................
19981 ......................................................
19991 ......................................................
653
638
628
627
633
643
639
634
637
653
668
453
435
419
411
406
382
377
377
379
392
395
589
571
564
560
555
554
551
546
554
571
580
676
676
676
649
652
655
648
639
644
658
665
922
923
918
925
919
922
918
925
928
960
977
Year and sex
Some college or
College
associate degree graduates, total
MEN
WOMEN’S
EARNINGS
AS PERCENT
OF MEN’S2
1979 ........................................................
1980 ........................................................
1981 ........................................................
1982 ........................................................
1983 ........................................................
1984 ........................................................
1985 ........................................................
19861 ......................................................
1987 ........................................................
1988 ........................................................
62.1
62.7
62.7
64.7
65.8
67.0
66.9
66.7
67.3
68.7
60.2
61.3
61.1
62.8
64.6
64.8
64.4
64.7
66.1
66.4
60.0
61.3
61.0
63.1
63.5
64.9
65.7
66.6
68.0
68.3
64.0
64.5
65.6
66.7
68.1
68.4
67.2
67.9
69.9
71.5
66.6
67.8
66.9
68.9
71.1
69.5
70.2
70.6
71.3
71.4
1989 ........................................................
19901 ......................................................
1991 ........................................................
1992 ........................................................
1993 ........................................................
19941 ......................................................
1995 ........................................................
1996 ........................................................
19971 ......................................................
19981 ......................................................
19991 ......................................................
70.2
72.1
74.0
74.6
74.7
73.1
72.7
74.1
75.1
75.9
74.4
66.8
68.8
71.5
72.8
73.8
74.9
75.4
75.2
75.2
73.7
73.5
67.6
68.6
69.9
70.3
71.3
70.8
70.2
70.7
70.8
70.9
69.8
73.3
72.8
72.6
73.4
73.7
72.0
71.6
73.1
73.8
74.0
73.5
71.9
72.2
73.5
75.0
75.8
76.7
76.2
75.2
75.0
75.3
75.7
1 The comparability of historical labor force data has been
affected at various times by methodological and conceptual
changes in the Current Population Survey (CPS). For an
explanation, see the Explanatory Notes and Estimates of Error
section of the February 1994 and subsequent issues of
Employment and Earnings, a monthly BLS periodical.
2 These figures are computed using unrounded medians and
may differ slightly from percents computed using the rounded
medians displayed in this table.
NOTE: The Consumer Price Index research series using
current methods (CPI-U-RS) is used to convert current dollars to
constant dollars. See Technical Note.
29
Table 16. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in constant (1999) dollars by sex and age, 1979-99 annual averages
16 to 24 years
25 years and over
Total, 16
years and
over
Total
16 to 19
years
20 to 24
years
Total
25 to 34
years
35 to 44
years
45 to 54
years
55 to 64
years
65 years
and over
1979 ..............................
1980 ..............................
1981 ..............................
1982 ..............................
1983 ..............................
1984 ..............................
1985 ..............................
19861 ............................
1987 ..............................
1988 ..............................
$9.55
9.33
9.10
9.01
8.96
8.97
8.97
9.07
9.15
9.18
$7.50
7.18
7.01
6.76
6.53
6.43
6.34
6.45
6.49
6.53
$6.68
6.24
6.32
6.02
5.78
5.62
5.47
5.42
5.39
5.49
$8.65
8.30
8.14
7.78
7.51
7.41
7.35
7.40
7.37
7.34
$10.99
10.73
10.58
10.49
10.49
10.52
10.49
10.57
10.55
10.56
$11.19
10.94
10.76
10.59
10.41
10.41
10.30
10.25
10.17
10.14
$11.39
11.14
10.96
11.04
11.07
11.04
11.15
11.39
11.23
11.15
$11.10
10.93
10.63
10.72
10.78
10.89
10.97
11.31
11.12
11.13
$10.68
10.43
10.26
10.20
10.27
10.18
10.28
10.48
10.49
10.20
$6.94
6.89
6.92
6.88
7.04
7.12
7.05
7.26
7.19
7.14
1989 ..............................
19901 ............................
1991 ..............................
1992 ..............................
1993 ..............................
19941 ............................
1995 ..............................
1996 ..............................
19971 ............................
19981 ............................
19991 ............................
9.14
9.01
9.01
9.03
8.97
8.94
8.88
8.89
9.07
9.31
9.53
6.47
6.42
6.32
6.28
6.28
6.27
6.31
6.28
6.37
6.73
6.87
5.52
5.59
5.63
5.53
5.47
5.48
5.47
5.47
5.71
6.01
6.08
7.39
7.36
7.21
7.06
7.01
6.94
6.98
7.08
7.16
7.40
7.74
10.39
10.17
10.19
10.21
10.20
10.18
10.17
10.18
10.22
10.36
10.47
9.98
9.84
9.65
9.56
9.43
9.35
9.47
9.33
9.37
9.87
9.98
11.19
10.98
11.00
10.97
10.96
11.07
10.89
10.73
10.73
11.11
11.02
11.01
10.95
10.94
11.13
11.25
11.18
11.01
10.83
10.98
11.21
11.33
10.22
9.99
9.83
9.92
10.15
10.07
10.00
9.93
10.09
10.31
10.38
7.08
7.17
7.13
7.18
7.29
7.13
7.23
7.16
7.14
7.57
7.70
1979 ..............................
1980 ..............................
1981 ..............................
1982 ..............................
1983 ..............................
1984 ..............................
1985 ..............................
19861 ............................
1987 ..............................
1988 ..............................
7.77
7.65
7.55
7.69
7.70
7.64
7.64
7.80
7.92
7.97
6.85
6.67
6.55
6.31
6.12
6.04
5.96
6.01
5.97
6.11
6.51
6.07
6.22
5.93
5.69
5.53
5.37
5.33
5.24
5.33
7.56
7.34
7.23
7.00
6.82
6.71
6.79
6.89
6.92
6.89
8.38
8.20
8.29
8.39
8.38
8.44
8.53
8.69
8.72
8.78
8.69
8.59
8.64
8.67
8.72
8.62
8.61
8.70
8.69
8.68
8.53
8.29
8.43
8.48
8.51
8.63
8.79
8.96
8.98
9.22
8.26
8.18
8.11
8.27
8.32
8.48
8.57
8.76
8.88
8.98
8.07
7.89
7.82
8.01
8.12
8.11
8.12
8.41
8.53
8.30
6.72
6.54
6.56
6.56
6.67
6.72
6.60
6.92
6.86
6.98
1989 ..............................
19901 ............................
1991 ..............................
1992 ..............................
1993 ..............................
19941 ............................
1995 ..............................
1996 ..............................
19971 ............................
19981 ............................
19991 ............................
7.98
8.02
8.10
8.13
8.12
8.09
8.10
8.18
8.23
8.41
8.64
6.13
6.16
6.10
6.04
6.00
5.94
5.96
6.01
6.17
6.38
6.60
5.36
5.42
5.57
5.48
5.39
5.39
5.37
5.39
5.62
5.91
5.98
6.83
6.94
6.85
6.75
6.80
6.67
6.62
6.62
6.79
7.09
7.22
8.86
8.81
8.81
8.95
8.97
8.98
8.88
8.93
9.07
9.34
9.53
8.74
8.73
8.63
8.71
8.68
8.69
8.61
8.53
8.50
9.00
9.10
9.28
9.17
9.28
9.35
9.30
9.42
9.38
9.41
9.48
9.88
9.83
9.03
8.91
9.13
9.28
9.33
9.44
9.48
9.46
9.60
10.00
9.95
8.33
8.38
8.35
8.42
8.62
8.72
8.62
8.54
8.61
9.04
9.33
6.72
6.78
6.91
6.98
7.05
6.96
7.01
6.83
7.07
7.37
7.50
Year and sex
BOTH SEXES
WOMEN
See footnotes at end of table.
30
Table 16. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in constant (1999) dollars by sex and age, 1979-99 annual averages —
Continued
Year and sex
Total, 16
years and
over
16 to 24 years
Total
25 years and over
16 to 19
years
20 to 24
years
Total
25 to 34
years
35 to 44
years
45 to 54
years
55 to 64
years
65 years
and over
MEN
1979 ..............................
1980 ..............................
1981 ..............................
1982 ..............................
1983 ..............................
1984 ..............................
1985 ..............................
19861 ............................
1987 ..............................
1988 ..............................
12.15
11.79
11.60
11.44
11.09
10.96
10.91
11.09
10.99
10.80
8.39
7.94
7.62
7.30
7.02
7.03
6.97
7.01
6.94
6.86
6.86
6.53
6.43
6.11
5.88
5.72
5.59
5.59
5.59
5.65
9.98
9.51
9.03
8.55
8.09
7.94
7.79
7.94
8.03
7.90
14.39
13.96
13.75
13.49
13.32
13.23
13.17
13.18
12.96
12.79
13.71
13.40
12.96
12.80
12.41
12.13
11.90
11.74
11.68
11.47
15.31
15.11
14.66
14.83
14.77
14.63
14.59
14.61
14.28
13.95
15.27
15.05
15.01
14.83
14.68
14.91
14.84
14.83
14.48
14.59
14.16
14.00
13.93
13.59
14.01
13.64
13.46
13.94
13.74
13.29
7.66
7.33
7.45
7.45
7.61
7.55
7.42
7.58
7.53
7.54
1989 ..............................
19901 ............................
1991 ..............................
1992 ..............................
1993 ..............................
19941 ............................
1995 ..............................
1996 ..............................
19971 ............................
19981 ............................
19991 ............................
10.59
10.30
10.32
10.14
10.10
10.05
10.03
10.08
10.19
10.28
10.31
6.76
6.77
6.70
6.61
6.55
6.56
6.56
6.53
6.68
7.06
7.12
5.73
5.78
5.69
5.61
5.55
5.56
5.59
5.56
5.82
6.11
6.18
7.87
7.69
7.48
7.30
7.22
7.33
7.41
7.40
7.44
7.95
8.03
12.69
12.26
11.98
11.77
11.61
11.48
11.66
11.41
11.51
11.99
12.00
11.19
11.00
10.74
10.55
10.37
10.16
10.29
10.26
10.28
10.45
10.84
13.85
13.36
13.19
12.79
12.73
12.84
12.92
12.60
12.51
12.76
12.78
14.22
13.86
14.05
14.06
13.86
13.50
13.39
13.12
13.26
13.33
13.68
13.07
12.67
12.10
12.15
12.50
12.34
12.08
11.80
12.22
12.50
12.21
7.71
7.57
7.46
7.55
7.65
7.41
7.45
7.45
7.21
7.91
7.86
WOMEN’S
EARNINGS
AS PERCENT
OF MEN’S2
1979 ..............................
1980 ..............................
1981 ..............................
1982 ..............................
1983 ..............................
1984 ..............................
1985 ..............................
19861 ............................
1987 ..............................
1988 ..............................
64.0
64.9
65.1
67.2
69.4
69.7
70.0
70.3
72.0
73.8
81.6
84.0
85.9
86.4
87.1
85.9
85.6
85.7
86.0
89.1
94.9
93.1
96.6
97.0
96.9
96.6
96.1
95.5
93.7
94.4
75.7
77.2
80.1
81.8
84.3
84.4
87.1
86.9
86.2
87.2
58.2
58.7
60.3
62.2
62.9
63.8
64.8
65.9
67.2
68.6
63.3
64.2
66.7
67.8
70.2
71.1
72.4
74.0
74.4
75.7
55.7
54.9
57.5
57.2
57.6
59.0
60.3
61.3
62.9
66.1
54.1
54.3
54.1
55.8
56.7
56.9
57.7
59.0
61.3
61.6
57.0
56.3
56.2
59.0
58.0
59.5
60.3
60.3
62.0
62.4
87.6
89.2
88.1
88.1
87.6
89.1
88.9
91.3
91.1
92.6
1989 ..............................
19901 ............................
1991 ..............................
1992 ..............................
1993 ..............................
19941 ............................
1995 ..............................
1996 ..............................
19971 ............................
19981 ............................
19991 ............................
75.4
77.9
78.5
80.2
80.3
80.5
80.8
81.2
80.7
81.8
83.8
90.7
91.0
91.2
91.4
91.6
90.6
90.9
92.0
92.3
90.3
92.7
93.4
93.8
97.8
97.7
97.2
97.0
96.0
96.9
96.6
96.7
96.7
86.9
90.2
91.5
92.5
94.1
91.1
89.3
89.5
91.3
89.1
89.8
69.9
71.8
73.6
76.1
77.3
78.2
76.2
78.2
78.8
77.9
79.4
78.1
79.3
80.4
82.6
83.7
85.5
83.7
83.1
82.6
86.1
84.0
67.0
68.6
70.4
73.1
73.1
73.4
72.6
74.7
75.8
77.4
76.9
63.5
64.3
65.0
66.0
67.3
69.9
70.8
72.1
72.4
75.0
72.7
63.8
66.1
69.0
69.3
68.9
70.7
71.4
72.4
70.4
72.4
76.4
87.1
89.5
92.6
92.5
92.2
94.0
94.1
91.7
98.1
93.1
95.4
1 The comparability of historical labor force data has been affected at
various times by methodological and conceptual changes in the Current
Population Survey (CPS). For an explanation, see the Explanatory Notes and
Estimates of Error section of the February 1994 and subsequent issues of
Employment and Earnings, a monthly BLS periodical.
2 These figures are computed using unrounded medians and may differ
slightly from percents computed using the rounded medians displayed in this
table.
NOTE: The Consumer Price Index research series using current methods
(CPI-U-RS) is used to convert current dollars to constant dollars. See
Technical Note.
31
Table 17. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in constant (1999) dollars by sex,
race, and Hispanic origin, 1979-99 annual averages
Total, 16 years and
over
White
Black
Hispanic origin
1979 ..............................
1980 ..............................
1981 ..............................
1982 ..............................
1983 ..............................
1984 ..............................
1985 ..............................
19861 ............................
1987 ..............................
1988 ..............................
$9.55
9.33
9.10
9.01
8.96
8.97
8.97
9.07
9.15
9.18
$9.69
9.43
9.16
9.13
9.08
9.08
9.08
9.18
9.28
9.29
$8.83
8.60
8.66
8.45
8.25
8.25
8.18
8.48
8.47
8.39
$8.77
8.58
8.50
8.37
8.16
8.11
8.14
8.26
8.24
8.12
1989 ..............................
19901 ............................
1991 ..............................
1992 ..............................
1993 ..............................
19941 ............................
1995 ..............................
1996 ..............................
19971 ............................
19981 ............................
19991 ............................
9.14
9.01
9.01
9.03
8.97
8.94
8.88
8.89
9.07
9.31
9.53
9.26
9.13
9.13
9.15
9.09
9.05
9.04
9.07
9.21
9.43
9.74
8.40
8.48
8.40
8.26
8.18
8.14
8.33
8.21
8.30
8.58
8.85
7.94
7.82
7.76
7.77
7.78
7.73
7.61
7.59
7.66
8.10
8.07
1979 ..............................
1980 ..............................
1981 ..............................
1982 ..............................
1983 ..............................
1984 ..............................
1985 ..............................
19861 ............................
1987 ..............................
1988 ..............................
7.77
7.65
7.55
7.69
7.70
7.64
7.64
7.80
7.92
7.97
7.79
7.66
7.57
7.70
7.70
7.66
7.65
7.82
7.94
8.00
7.63
7.51
7.41
7.50
7.56
7.50
7.50
7.56
7.64
7.66
7.39
7.31
7.25
7.24
7.09
7.16
7.18
7.31
7.22
7.20
1989 ..............................
19901 ............................
1991 ..............................
1992 ..............................
1993 ..............................
19941 ............................
1995 ..............................
1996 ..............................
19971 ............................
19981 ............................
19991 ............................
7.98
8.02
8.10
8.13
8.12
8.09
8.10
8.18
8.23
8.41
8.64
8.02
8.05
8.12
8.18
8.16
8.19
8.20
8.25
8.29
8.52
8.73
7.69
7.75
7.86
7.77
7.83
7.74
7.74
7.61
7.86
8.07
8.13
7.23
7.23
7.18
7.22
7.20
7.15
7.18
7.16
7.06
7.38
7.46
Year and sex
BOTH SEXES
WOMEN
See footnotes at end of table.
32
Table 17. Median hourly earnings of wage and salary workers paid hourly rates in constant (1999) dollars by sex,
race, and Hispanic origin, 1979-99 annual averages–Continued
Total, 16 years and
over
White
Black
Hispanic origin
1979 ..............................
1980 ..............................
1981 ..............................
1982 ..............................
1983 ..............................
1984 ..............................
1985 ..............................
19861 ............................
1987 ..............................
1988 ..............................
12.15
11.79
11.60
11.44
11.09
10.96
10.91
11.09
10.99
10.80
12.46
12.04
11.86
11.66
11.33
11.17
11.29
11.38
11.22
10.99
10.51
10.02
10.26
9.97
9.54
9.47
9.15
9.60
9.53
9.46
10.30
9.72
9.48
9.57
9.31
9.29
9.03
9.05
9.00
8.88
1989 ..............................
19901 ............................
1991 ..............................
1992 ..............................
1993 ..............................
19941 ............................
1995 ..............................
1996 ..............................
19971 ............................
19981 ............................
19991 ............................
10.59
10.30
10.32
10.14
10.10
10.05
10.03
10.08
10.19
10.28
10.31
10.83
10.65
10.59
10.40
10.34
10.27
10.46
10.36
10.32
10.40
10.61
9.25
9.18
9.09
8.91
8.74
8.84
8.87
8.65
8.99
9.29
9.77
8.70
8.40
8.26
8.18
8.12
8.00
7.89
8.06
8.18
8.43
8.61
1979 ..............................
1980 ..............................
1981 ..............................
1982 ..............................
1983 ..............................
1984 ..............................
1985 ..............................
19861 ............................
1987 ..............................
1988 ..............................
64.0
64.9
65.1
67.2
69.4
69.7
70.0
70.3
72.0
73.8
62.5
63.6
63.8
66.1
68.0
68.6
67.8
68.7
70.8
72.8
72.6
74.9
72.2
75.2
79.2
79.2
82.0
78.7
80.2
80.9
71.7
75.2
76.4
75.6
76.1
77.1
79.5
80.8
80.2
81.2
1989 ..............................
19901 ............................
1991 ..............................
1992 ..............................
1993 ..............................
19941 ............................
1995 ..............................
1996 ..............................
19971 ............................
19981 ............................
19991 ............................
75.4
77.9
78.5
80.2
80.3
80.5
80.8
81.2
80.7
81.8
83.8
74.0
75.6
76.7
78.7
78.9
79.7
78.4
79.6
80.3
81.9
82.2
83.1
84.5
86.5
87.1
89.6
87.5
87.2
88.0
87.5
86.9
83.2
83.1
86.0
86.9
88.3
88.6
89.3
90.9
88.8
86.3
87.5
86.6
Year and sex
MEN
WOMEN’S
EARNINGS
AS PERCENT
OF MEN’S2
1 The comparability of historical labor force data has
been affected at various times by methodological and
conceptual changes in the Current Population Survey
(CPS). For an explanation, see the Explanatory Notes and
Estimates of Error section of the February 1994 and
subsequent issues of Employment and Earnings, a monthly
BLS periodical.
2 These figures are computed using unrounded medians
and may differ slightly from percents computed using the
rounded medians displayed in this table.
NOTE: Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race;
thus they are included in both the white and black
population groups. The Consumer Price Index research
series using current methods (CPI-U-RS) is used to convert
current dollars to constant dollars. See Technical Note.
33
Table 18. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing Federal minimum wage, by sex, 1979-99 annual
averages
(Numbers in thousands)
Workers paid hourly rates
Year and sex
Total
wage and
salary
workers
Total
Percent of
total wage
and salary
workers
Total at or below
prevailing Federal
minimum wage
Below
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
At
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
Number
Percent
of hourly
paid
workers
2,916
3,087
3,513
2,348
2,077
1,838
1,639
1,599
1,468
1,319
3,997
4,686
4,311
4,148
4,261
4,125
3,899
3,461
3,229
2,608
6,912
7,773
7,824
6,496
6,338
5,963
5,538
5,060
4,698
3,927
13.4
15.1
15.1
12.8
12.2
11.0
9.9
8.8
7.9
6.5
BOTH SEXES
1979 ..............................
1980 ..............................
1981 ..............................
1982 ..............................
1983 ..............................
1984 ..............................
1985 ..............................
19861 ............................
1987 ..............................
1988 ..............................
87,529
87,644
88,516
87,368
88,290
92,194
94,521
96,903
99,303
101,407
51,721
51,335
51,869
50,846
51,820
54,143
55,762
57,529
59,552
60,878
59.1
58.6
58.6
58.2
58.7
58.7
59.0
59.4
60.0
60.0
1989 ..............................
19901 ............................
1991 ..............................
1992 ..............................
1993 ..............................
19941 ............................
1995 ..............................
1996 ..............................
19971 ............................
19981 ............................
19991 ............................
103,480
104,876
103,723
104,668
106,101
107,989
110,038
111,960
114,533
116,730
118,963
62,389
63,172
62,627
63,610
64,274
66,549
68,354
69,255
70,735
71,440
72,306
60.3
60.2
60.4
60.8
60.6
61.6
62.1
61.9
61.8
61.2
60.8
1979 ..............................
1980 ..............................
1981 ..............................
1982 ..............................
1983 ..............................
1984 ..............................
1985 ..............................
19861 ............................
1987 ..............................
1988 ..............................
38,129
38,944
39,672
39,777
40,433
42,172
43,506
44,961
46,365
47,495
23,329
23,626
24,294
24,365
24,989
26,003
26,869
27,863
29,078
29,820
61.2
60.7
61.2
61.3
61.8
61.7
61.8
62.0
62.7
62.8
1989 ..............................
19901 ............................
1991 ..............................
1992 ..............................
1993 ..............................
19941 ............................
1995 ..............................
1996 ..............................
19971 ............................
19981 ............................
19991 ............................
48,691
49,323
49,105
49,842
50,626
51,419
52,369
53,488
54,708
55,757
57,050
30,702
31,069
30,988
31,454
31,937
33,021
33,934
34,418
35,214
35,680
36,233
63.1
63.0
63.1
63.1
63.1
64.2
64.8
64.3
64.4
64.0
63.5
1,372
1,790
3,162
5.1
22,132
21,096
23,228
25.1
22,377
22,906
25,283
28.4
1,939
1,707
1,995
1,699
21,863
22,990
2,834
2,194
2,982
2,625
2,132
1,956
21,861
21,764
1,593
1,146
4,921
4,332
4,128
3,656
23,724
24,754
4,427
3,340
7.7
6.7
6.2
5.3
25.4
26.7
6.2
4.6
2,070
2,104
2,394
1,651
1,492
1,348
1,198
1,192
1,105
1,008
2,644
2,990
2,778
2,561
2,603
2,499
2,356
2,125
1,946
1,542
4,714
5,095
5,172
4,212
4,095
3,847
3,554
3,317
3,051
2,550
20.2
21.6
21.3
17.3
16.4
14.8
13.2
11.9
10.5
8.6
21,420
1,056
2711
22,131
26.9
21,582
21,792
23,374
210.9
1,286
1,133
1,322
1,157
21,244
21,843
1,794
1,426
1,751
1,534
1,241
1,161
21,106
21,092
965
700
3,036
2,667
2,563
2,318
22,350
22,935
2,760
2,126
9.7
8.4
7.8
6.8
26.8
28.3
7.7
5.9
WOMEN
994
See footnotes at end of table.
34
2,050
6.7
Table 18. Wage and salary workers paid hourly rates with earnings at or below the prevailing Federal minimum wage, by sex, 1979-99 annual
averages–Continued
(Numbers in thousands)
Workers paid hourly rates
Year and sex
Total
wage and
salary
workers
Total
Percent of
total wage
and salary
workers
Total at or below
prevailing Federal
minimum wage
Below
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
At
prevailing
Federal
minimum
wage
Number
Percent
of hourly
paid
workers
846
983
1,119
697
585
490
440
408
364
311
1,353
1,696
1,533
1,587
1,658
1,626
1,544
1,336
1,283
1,066
2,199
2,678
2,652
2,284
2,243
2,116
1,984
1,743
1,647
1,377
7.7
9.7
9.6
8.6
8.4
7.5
6.9
5.9
5.4
4.4
MEN
1979 ..............................
1980 ..............................
1981 ..............................
1982 ..............................
1983 ..............................
1984 ..............................
1985 ..............................
19861 ............................
1987 ..............................
1988 ..............................
49,400
48,700
48,844
47,591
47,856
50,022
51,015
51,942
52,938
53,912
28,392
27,709
27,576
26,481
26,831
28,140
28,893
29,666
30,474
31,058
57.5
56.9
56.5
55.6
56.1
56.3
56.6
57.1
57.6
57.6
1989 ..............................
19901 ............................
1991 ..............................
1992 ..............................
1993 ..............................
19941 ............................
1995 ..............................
1996 ..............................
19971 ............................
19981 ............................
19991 ............................
54,789
55,553
54,618
54,826
55,475
56,570
57,669
58,473
59,825
60,973
61,914
31,687
32,104
31,639
32,155
32,337
33,528
34,420
34,838
35,521
35,761
36,073
57.8
57.8
57.9
58.6
58.3
59.3
59.7
59.6
59.4
58.7
58.3
1 The comparability of historical labor force data has been affected at
various times by methodological and conceptual changes in the Current
Population Survey (CPS). For an explanation, see the Explanatory Notes
and Estimates of Error section of the February 1994 and subsequent
issues of Employment and Earnings, a monthly BLS periodical.
2 Data for 1990-91 and 1996-97 reflect changes in the minimum wage
379
733
1,112
3.5
2712
2385
21,097
23.4
2795
21,114
21,909
26.0
653
573
674
542
2619
21,147
1,039
768
1,231
1,091
891
796
2755
2673
628
446
1,885
1,664
1,565
1,338
21,374
21,820
1,667
1,214
5.9
5.1
4.7
3.9
23.9
25.1
4.7
3.4
that took place in those years.
NOTE: The prevailing Federal minimum wage was $2.90 in 1979, $3.10
in 1980, and $3.35 in 1981-89. The minimum wage rose to $3.80 in April
1990, to $4.25 in April 1991, to $4.75 in October 1996, and $5.15 in
September 1997. See Technical Note for more information about minimum
wage workers.
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36
Technical Note
The estimates in this report were obtained from the Current Population Survey (CPS), which provides a wide range
of information on the labor force, employment, and unemployment. The information is collected monthly for the
Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau from
a scientifically selected national sample of about 50,000
households, with coverage in all 50 States and the District
of Columbia. The earnings data are collected from onefourth of the CPS monthly sample.
Material in this report is in the public domain and, with
appropriate credit, may be used without permission. This
information is available to sensory impaired individuals
upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: 1-800-877-8339.
tered around a multiple of $50. The actual value of the
median is estimated through the linear interpolation of the
interval in which the median lies.
Over-the-year changes in the medians (and 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 age 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, for example, $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. Medians, for example, measure the central tendency of a
multipeaked distribution that shifts over time. As the distribution shifts, the median does not necessarily move at
the same rate. Specifically, the median takes relatively more
time to move through a frequently reported interval, but
once above the upper limit of such an interval, it can move
relatively quickly to the next frequently reported earnings
interval. BLS procedures for estimating medians (and other
quantile boundaries) mitigate such irregular movements of
the measures; however, users should be cautious of these
effects when evaluating short-term changes in the medians, as well as in ratios of the medians.
Concepts and definitions
The principal concepts and definitions used in connection
with the earnings data in this report are described below.
Usual weekly earnings. Data are collected on wages and
salaries before taxes and other deductions, and include any
overtime pay, commissions, or tips usually received (at the
principal job in the case of multiple jobholders). Self-employed workers are excluded, regardless of whether their
businesses are incorporated. 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 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.
Constant dollars. The Consumer Price Index research series using current methods (CPI-U-RS) is used to convert
current dollars to constant dollars. BLS has made numerous improvements to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over
the past quarter-century. While these improvements make
the present and future CPI more accurate, historical price
index series are not adjusted to reflect the improvements.
However, many researchers have expressed interest in having a historical series that measures price change consistently over the entire period. Accordingly, the CPI-U-RS,
introduced in mid-1999, presents an estimate of the CPI
that incorporates most of the methodological improvements
made since 1978 into the entire series.
Medians (and quantiles) of weekly earnings. The median
(or upper limit of the second quartile) is the amount that
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 BLS estimating procedure for determining the median of an earnings distribution places each reported or calculated weekly earnings value into a $50-wide interval, cen-
Wage and salary workers. These are 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 purposes of the earnings series,
excludes all self-employed persons, regardless of whether
their businesses are incorporated.
37
Full-time workers. Workers who usually work 35 hours or
more per week at their sole or principal job are defined as
working full time.
the Fair Labor Standards Act, as there are exemptions to
the minimum wage provisions of the law. In addition, some
workers might have rounded their hourly earnings to the
nearest dollar in response to survey questions. As a result,
some might have been reported with hourly earnings below
the minimum wage when, in fact, they earned the minimum wage or higher. This may be more likely to occur in
years during which the minimum wage level is just above a
whole dollar value, as was the case in 1998-99 ($5.15).
Part-time workers. Workers who usually work less than 35
hours per week at their sole or principal job are defined as
working part time.
Hourly paid workers. Workers who are paid an hourly wage
are a subset of wage and salary workers, representing approximately three-fifths of all wage and salary workers.
Workers paid by the hour are, therefore, included in the
full- and part-time worker tables in this report, along with
salaried workers and other workers not paid by the hour.
(Data for workers paid at hourly rates are presented separately in tables 10 to 12 and 16 to 18).
Reliability
Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling
and nonsampling error. When a sample, rather than an
entire population, is surveyed, there is a chance that the
sample estimates may differ from the “true” population values they represent. The exact difference, or sampling error, varies depending on the particular sample selected, and
this variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate. There is about a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample will differ by
no more than 1.6 standard errors from the “true” population value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are
generally conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.
The standard errors included in this report were rounded
for presentation purposes, as were the earnings estimates.
Consequently, a precise confidence interval cannot be constructed using these data.
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
“Explanatory Notes and Estimates of Error” section of the
February 1994 and subsequent issues of Employment and
Earnings.
Workers paid at or below the Federal minimum wage. The
estimates of the numbers of workers with reported earnings
at or below the Federal minimum wage in tables 12 and 18
pertain only to workers who are paid hourly rates. Salaried
workers and other workers who are not paid by the hour are
not included, even though some have earnings that, when
converted to hourly rates, are at or below the minimum
wage. Consequently, the estimates presented in this report
likely understate the actual number of workers with hourly
earnings at or below the minimum wage. Research has
shown, however, that the degree of understatement is small.
BLS does not routinely estimate hourly earnings for workers not paid by the hour because of data quality concerns
associated with such an estimation process.
The prevailing Federal minimum wage was: $2.90 effective January 1979; $3.10 effective January 1980; $3.35
effective January 1981; $3.80 effective April 1990; $4.25
effective April 1991; $4.75 effective October 1996; and
$5.15 effective September 1997. Data for 1990-91 and 199697 in table 18 reflect changes in the minimum wage that
took place during those years.
The presence of workers with hourly earnings below the
minimum wage does not necessarily indicate violations of
38