Employment by earnings group, first-quarter 1996 through third-quarter 2001, seasonally adjusted quarterly averages Employment in thousands Highest earnings group Middle earnings group Lowest earnings group 1996 I 41,494 41,889 42,087 1996 II 41,785 42,076 42,450 1996 III 42,166 42,407 42,681 1996 IV 42,592 42,556 42,679 1997 I 42,931 42,824 42,688 1997 II 42,947 43,550 42,853 1997 III 43,249 43,522 43,201 1997 IV 43,735 43,365 43,397 1998 I 43,817 43,838 43,069 1998 II 44,121 43,660 43,500 1998 III 44,743 43,256 43,629 1998 IV 45,450 43,558 43,269 1999 I 45,486 43,780 43,601 1999 II 46,136 43,207 43,883 1999 III 46,597 43,341 43,724 1999 IV 46,436 43,982 43,837 2000 I 46,614 44,006 44,336 2000 II 46,760 44,275 44,184 2000 III 46,743 44,343 44,005 2000 IV 46,928 44,106 44,568 2001 I 47,600 43,900 44,309 2001 II 47,755 43,588 43,825 2001 III 47,241 43,447 44,268