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Economic News Release
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Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers News Release

For release 10:00 a.m. (EST) Tuesday, January 24, 2012                 USDL-12-0092

Technical information:  (202) 691-6378  *  cpsinfo@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/cps
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902  *  PressOffice@bls.gov


           USUAL WEEKLY EARNINGS OF WAGE AND SALARY WORKERS
                       FOURTH QUARTER 2011


Median weekly earnings of the nation's 101.5 million full-time wage and salary 
workers were $764 in the fourth quarter of 2011 (not seasonally adjusted), the 
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This was 1.6 percent higher 
than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 3.3 percent in the Consumer 
Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) over the same period.

Data on usual weekly earnings are collected as part of the Current Population 
Survey, a nationwide sample survey of households in which respondents are 
asked, among other things, how much each wage and salary worker usually earns. 
(See the Technical Note.) Data shown in this release are not seasonally adjusted 
unless otherwise specified. Highlights from the fourth-quarter data are:

   --Seasonally adjusted median weekly earnings were $762 in the
     fourth quarter of 2011, little changed from the previous quarter
     ($758). (See table 1.)
     
   --On a not seasonally adjusted basis, median weekly earnings were $764 
     in the fourth quarter of 2011. Women who usually worked full time had
     median weekly earnings of $688, or 81.6 percent of the $843 median
     for men. (See table 2.)
     
   --The female-to-male earnings ratio varied by race and ethnicity.
     White women earned 81.4 percent as much as their male counterparts,
     compared with black (91.1 percent), Asian (80.3 percent), and Hispanic
     women (90.4 percent). (See table 2.)
     
   --Among the major race and ethnicity groups, median weekly earnings
     for black men working at full-time jobs were $660 per week, or 75.8
     percent of the median for white men ($871). The difference was less
     among women, as black women's median earnings ($601) were 84.8 percent
     of those for white women ($709). Overall, median earnings of Hispanics
     who worked full time ($537) were lower than those of blacks ($621),
     whites ($786), and Asians ($880). (See table 2.)
     
   --Usual weekly earnings of full-time workers varied by age. Among
     men, those age 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 had the highest median weekly
     earnings--$993 and $1,029, respectively. Usual weekly earnings were
     highest for women age 35 to 64; weekly earnings were $737 for women
     age 35 to 44, $757 for women age 45 to 54, and $742 for women age 55
     to 64. Workers age 16 to 24 had the lowest median weekly earnings, at
     $447. (See table 3.)
     
   --Among the major occupational groups, persons employed full time
     in management, professional, and related occupations had the highest
     median weekly earnings--$1,274 for men and $946 for women. Men and
     women employed in service jobs earned the least, $578 and $440,
     respectively. (See table 4.)
     
   --By educational attainment, full-time workers age 25 and over
     without a high school diploma had median weekly earnings of $444,
     compared with $641 for high school graduates (no college) and $1,158
     for those holding at least a bachelor's degree. Among college
     graduates with advanced degrees (professional or master's degree and
     above), the highest earning 10 percent of male workers made $3,146 or
     more per week, compared with $2,303 or more for their female
     counterparts. (See table 5.)

Annual Averages for 2010 and 2011

In addition to the data for the fourth quarter, this release includes
2010 and 2011 annual averages of median weekly earnings for major
demographic and occupational groups, and 2011 annual average data for
educational attainment groups. (See tables 7, 8, and 9.) Annual
average data on median usual weekly earnings for men and women by detailed
occupational categories will be posted online at www.bls.gov/cps/tables.htm 
when they become available.



    ------------------------------------------------------------------
   |                                                                  |
   |    Revision of Seasonally Adjusted Usual Weekly Earnings Data    |
   |                                                                  |
   | Seasonally adjusted median usual weekly earnings data shown in   |
   | table 1 of this release have been revised using updated seasonal |
   | adjustment factors from the Current Population Survey, a         |
   | procedure done at the end of each calendar year. The revisions   |
   | directly affected the number of full-time wage and salary        |
   | workers and current dollar estimates of median weekly earnings;  |
   | estimates of constant (1982-84) dollar median weekly earnings    |
   | were indirectly affected. Seasonally adjusted estimates back to  |
   | the first quarter of 2007 were subject to revision.              |
   |                                                                  |
   | The Usual Weekly Earnings news release for the first quarter of  |
   | 2012, scheduled for release on April 17, 2012, will incorporate  |
   | revisions to the seasonally adjusted data for the median weekly  |
   | earnings in constant (1982-84) dollars. Seasonally adjusted      |
   | constant (1982-84) dollar estimates back to the first quarter of |
   | 2007 will be subject to revision due to annual revisions to      |
   | seasonally adjusted data for the Consumer Price Index for All    |
   | Urban Consumers (CPI-U).                                         |
   |                                                                  |
    ------------------------------------------------------------------




Technical Note


   The estimates in this release were obtained from the Current Pop-
ulation Survey (CPS), which provides basic information on the labor 
force, employment, and unemployment.  The survey is conducted monthly 
for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau from a 
scientifically selected national sample of about 60,000 eligible 
households, with coverage in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The earnings data are collected from one-quarter of the CPS monthly sample
and are limited to wage and salary workers (both incorporated and 
unincorporated self-employed are excluded).  The data, therefore, exclude
self-employment income.

   Information in this release will be made available to sensory
impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone:  (202) 691-5200;
Federal Relay Service:  (800) 877-8339.

Reliability

   Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and non-
sampling error.  When a sample rather than the entire population is
surveyed, there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from
the "true" population values they represent.  The exact difference, or
sampling error, varies depending on the particular sample selected,
and this variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate.
There is about a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an
estimate based on a sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard
errors from the "true" population value because of sampling error.
BLS analyses are generally conducted at the 90-percent level of
confidence.

   The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error.  Nonsampling
errors 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 on a timely basis, mistakes made by
respondents, and errors made in the collection or processing of the
data.

   A full discussion of the reliability of data from the Current Pop-
ulation Survey and information on estimating standard errors is avail-
able on the BLS Web site www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#reliability.

Definitions

   The principal definitions used in connection with the earnings
series are described briefly below.

   Usual weekly earnings. Data represent earnings before taxes and
other deductions and include any overtime pay, commissions, or tips
usually received (at the main job in the case of multiple jobholders).
Prior to 1994, respondents were asked how much they usually earned per
week.  Since January 1994, respondents have been asked to identify the
easiest way for them to report earnings (hourly, weekly, biweekly,
twice monthly, monthly, annually, other) and how much they usually
earn in the reported time period.

   Earnings reported on a basis other than weekly are converted to a
weekly equivalent.  The term "usual" is as perceived by the respondent.
If the respondent asks for a definition of usual, interviewers are in-
structed to define the term as more than half the weeks worked during
the past 4 or 5 months.

   Medians (and other quantiles) of weekly earnings.  The median (or
upper limit of the second quartile) is the amount 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 estimation procedure places each reported or calculated weekly
earnings value into $50-wide intervals that are centered around
multiples of $50.  The actual value is estimated through the linear
interpolation of the interval in which the quantile boundary lies.

   Over-the-year changes in the medians (and other quantile boundaries)
for specific groups may not necessarily be consistent with the movements
estimated for the overall quantile boundary.  The most common reasons
for this possible anomaly are:  (1) There could be a change in the rel-
ative weights of the subgroups.  For example, the medians of both 16-
to-24 year olds and those 25 years and over may rise; but if the lower-
earning 16-to-24 group accounts for a greatly increased share of the
total, the overall median could actually fall.  (2) There could be a
large change in the shape of the distribution of reported earnings,
particularly near a quantile boundary.  This could be caused by survey
observations that are clustered at rounded values, such as $250, $300,
or $400.  An estimate lying in a $50-wide centered interval containing
such a cluster or "spike" tends to change more slowly than one in other
intervals.

   Wage and salary workers.  Workers who receive wages, salaries, com-
missions, tips, payment in kind, or piece rates.  The group includes em-
ployees in both the private and public sectors but, for the purposes of
the earnings series, excludes all self-employed persons, regardless of
whether or not their businesses are incorporated.

   Full-time workers.  Workers who usually work 35 hours or more per
week at their sole or principal job.

   Part-time workers.  Workers who usually work fewer than 35 hours
per week at their sole or principal job.

   Constant dollars.  The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
(CPI-U) is used to convert current dollars to constant (1982-84) dollars.

   Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.  Refers to persons who identified
themselves in the enumeration process as being Spanish, Hispanic, or
Latino.  Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino
may be of any race.

Seasonal adjustment

   Over the course of a year, the size of the nation's labor force and 
other measures of labor market activity undergo regularly occurring 
fluctuations. These recurring events include seasonal changes in weather, 
major holidays, and the opening and closing of schools. The effect of 
such seasonal variations can be very large.

   Because seasonal events follow a more or less regular pattern each 
year, their influence on the level of a series can be tempered by adjust-
ing for regular seasonal variation. These adjustments make nonseasonal 
developments easier to spot. The seasonally adjusted figures provide a more 
useful tool with which to analyze changes in quarter-to-quarter activity.

   At the end of each calendar year, the seasonally adjusted data are re-
vised for the past 5 years when the seasonal adjustment factors are updated.  
More information on seasonal adjustment is available on the BLS Web site at 
www.bls.gov/cps/documentation.htm#sa.




Table 1. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by sex, quarterly averages, seasonally adjusted
Year and quarter Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
Total Men Women In current dollars In constant (1982-84) dollars
Total
$
Men
$
Women
$
Total
$
Men
$
Women
$

2002

4th Quarter

99,895 56,224 43,670 610 683 540 336 376 298

2003

1st Quarter

100,136 56,079 44,057 615 689 546 335 376 297

2nd Quarter

100,255 56,013 44,242 619 692 551 338 378 301

3rd Quarter

100,139 56,178 43,961 621 697 554 337 378 300

4th Quarter

100,628 56,607 44,021 623 702 560 337 379 302

2004

1st Quarter

100,905 56,848 44,057 629 705 562 337 378 301

2nd Quarter

101,135 56,914 44,221 642 715 576 341 380 306

3rd Quarter

101,148 56,931 44,217 635 712 574 335 376 303

4th Quarter

101,658 57,289 44,369 646 720 577 337 376 302

2005

1st Quarter

102,091 57,710 44,381 647 723 580 336 376 302

2nd Quarter

103,201 58,099 45,101 647 714 584 334 369 301

3rd Quarter

104,310 58,843 45,467 651 723 588 331 368 299

4th Quarter

104,605 58,967 45,638 658 730 588 332 368 296

2006

1st Quarter

104,708 58,960 45,748 662 737 594 332 370 298

2nd Quarter

105,798 59,831 45,966 663 732 597 329 364 296

3rd Quarter

107,041 60,060 46,981 678 755 603 334 372 297

4th Quarter

106,847 60,140 46,707 681 748 607 337 370 300

2007

1st Quarter

107,176 60,105 47,070 687 752 610 336 368 298

2nd Quarter

106,827 60,351 46,476 693 765 610 335 370 295

3rd Quarter

107,156 60,216 46,940 698 774 621 336 372 298

4th Quarter

108,178 60,508 47,670 700 774 615 332 368 292

2008

1st Quarter

107,819 60,401 47,418 713 783 633 335 368 298

2nd Quarter

107,051 59,581 47,469 722 801 636 335 372 295

3rd Quarter

106,114 59,259 46,856 724 802 637 331 367 291

4th Quarter

105,585 58,499 47,087 727 807 647 340 378 303

2009

1st Quarter

101,734 56,339 45,395 731 815 645 344 384 304

2nd Quarter

100,002 55,226 44,776 737 816 652 345 382 306

3rd Quarter

99,004 54,451 44,553 742 820 664 345 381 308

4th Quarter

98,535 54,405 44,130 747 824 666 345 380 307

2010

1st Quarter

98,223 54,156 44,067 747 836 662 343 384 304

2nd Quarter

99,621 55,030 44,591 743 812 671 342 374 309

3rd Quarter

100,333 55,569 44,765 745 821 670 342 377 307

4th Quarter

99,927 55,468 44,459 751 828 675 342 377 308

2011

1st Quarter

99,788 55,407 44,380 749 820 680 337 369 306

2nd Quarter

100,377 55,839 44,539 756 828 688 337 369 306

3rd Quarter

100,369 55,981 44,388 758 835 681 335 369 301

4th Quarter

101,294 56,652 44,642 762 841 685 336 371 302

NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 2. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages, not seasonally adjusted
Characteristic Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
4th
2010
4th
2011
In current dollars In constant (1982-84) dollars
4th
2010
4th
2011
4th
2010
4th
2011

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over

100,120 101,458 $752 $764 $344 $338

Men, 16 years and over

55,500 56,678 830 843 379 373

16 to 24 years

4,652 4,943 449 466 205 206

25 years and over

50,848 51,735 878 893 401 395

Women, 16 years and over

44,620 44,779 679 688 310 304

16 to 24 years

3,612 3,787 436 420 199 186

25 years and over

41,008 40,993 709 724 324 320

RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX

White

81,038 82,124 772 786 353 348

Men

45,917 46,881 857 871 391 385

Women

35,121 35,242 695 709 318 314

Black or African American

11,838 11,718 614 621 281 275

Men

5,535 5,533 629 660 287 292

Women

6,303 6,185 605 601 276 266

Asian

4,951 5,271 828 880 378 389

Men

2,771 2,929 947 960 433 425

Women

2,180 2,341 719 771 329 341

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

15,054 15,222 539 537 246 238

Men

9,374 9,542 567 562 259 248

Women

5,680 5,680 510 508 233 225

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 3. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by age, race, Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, and sex, 4th quarter 2011 averages, not seasonally adjusted
Age, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity Total Men Women
Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings
Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Median
weekly
earnings

TOTAL

16 years and over

101,458 $764 56,678 $843 44,779 $688

16 to 24 years

8,730 447 4,943 466 3,787 420

16 to 19 years

964 346 550 367 414 318

20 to 24 years

7,766 467 4,393 483 3,373 445

25 years and over

92,728 805 51,735 893 40,993 724

25 to 54 years

73,756 792 41,580 869 32,176 721

25 to 34 years

24,581 687 14,209 715 10,371 655

35 to 44 years

24,012 844 13,746 943 10,266 737

45 to 54 years

25,163 885 13,624 993 11,539 757

55 years and over

18,972 861 10,155 1,005 8,816 730

55 to 64 years

15,901 885 8,440 1,029 7,460 742

65 years and over

3,071 749 1,715 894 1,356 659

White

16 years and over

82,124 786 46,881 871 35,242 709

16 to 24 years

7,049 456 4,071 475 2,978 426

25 years and over

75,075 833 42,811 919 32,264 740

25 to 54 years

59,174 819 34,141 893 25,033 737

55 years and over

15,901 896 8,670 1,040 7,231 749

Black or African American

16 years and over

11,718 621 5,533 660 6,185 601

16 to 24 years

1,060 391 519 413 541 368

25 years and over

10,658 655 5,014 698 5,644 621

25 to 54 years

8,768 652 4,177 690 4,590 621

55 years and over

1,890 662 837 734 1,053 620

Asian

16 years and over

5,271 880 2,929 960 2,341 771

16 to 24 years

266 504 146 509 121 493

25 years and over

5,004 908 2,784 983 2,221 803

25 to 54 years

4,128 933 2,312 1,011 1,816 830

55 years and over

877 808 471 910 405 731

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

16 years and over

15,222 537 9,542 562 5,680 508

16 to 24 years

1,926 405 1,222 415 705 370

25 years and over

13,295 573 8,320 589 4,975 528

25 to 54 years

11,605 573 7,338 583 4,267 543

55 years and over

1,691 576 982 645 708 494

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 4. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, quarterly averages, not seasonally adjusted
Occupation and sex Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
4th
2010
4th
2011
4th
2010
4th
2011

TOTAL

Management, professional, and related occupations

39,415 40,227 $1,069 $1,098

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

15,670 16,261 1,162 1,162

Professional and related occupations

23,746 23,966 1,016 1,036

Service occupations

14,144 14,675 485 496

Sales and office occupations

23,086 22,917 633 639

Sales and related occupations

9,384 9,357 661 674

Office and administrative support occupations

13,702 13,559 622 624

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

9,569 10,004 718 747

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

738 724 414 416

Construction and extraction occupations

4,598 5,027 712 725

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

4,234 4,253 793 823

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

13,905 13,636 592 608

Production occupations

7,280 7,316 592 596

Transportation and material moving occupations

6,626 6,320 592 621

Men

Management, professional, and related occupations

19,022 19,585 1,267 1,274

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

8,506 8,920 1,396 1,369

Professional and related occupations

10,516 10,665 1,171 1,226

Service occupations

7,175 7,633 585 578

Sales and office occupations

8,982 8,976 732 740

Sales and related occupations

5,253 5,317 767 802

Office and administrative support occupations

3,730 3,660 673 663

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

9,210 9,611 724 755

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

621 592 433 416

Construction and extraction occupations

4,512 4,917 713 726

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

4,077 4,103 799 830

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

11,111 10,873 641 654

Production occupations

5,338 5,420 661 664

Transportation and material moving occupations

5,773 5,453 617 644

Women

Management, professional, and related occupations

20,394 20,642 937 946

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

7,163 7,341 967 993

Professional and related occupations

13,230 13,301 922 925

Service occupations

6,969 7,042 421 440

Sales and office occupations

14,104 13,940 602 605

Sales and related occupations

4,131 4,040 517 554

Office and administrative support occupations

9,973 9,900 615 618

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

360 392 533 548

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

117 132 356 422

Construction and extraction occupations

86 110 626 671

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

157 150 620 697

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

2,794 2,763 468 474

Production occupations

1,941 1,896 478 464

Transportation and material moving occupations

853 867 446 502

NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 5. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, 4th quarter 2011 averages, not seasonally adjusted
Characteristic Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Upper limit of:
First decile First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Ninth
decile

SEX, RACE, AND HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY

Total, 16 years and over

101,458 $357 $502 $764 $1,194 $1,839

Men

56,678 376 535 843 1,336 1,976

Women

44,779 337 472 688 1,039 1,538

White

82,124 364 515 786 1,225 1,869

Men

46,881 382 559 871 1,358 2,002

Women

35,242 343 480 709 1,066 1,553

Black or African American

11,718 329 427 621 907 1,405

Men

5,533 346 438 660 953 1,536

Women

6,185 315 419 601 869 1,294

Asian

5,271 381 553 880 1,429 2,018

Men

2,929 387 594 960 1,608 2,295

Women

2,341 374 516 771 1,269 1,847

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

15,222 303 381 537 829 1,330

Men

9,542 314 393 562 878 1,422

Women

5,680 289 360 508 767 1,159

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Total, 25 years and over

92,728 379 533 805 1,245 1,881

Less than a high school diploma

7,156 288 348 444 602 838

High school graduates, no college(1)

24,910 345 463 641 928 1,276

Some college or associate degree

25,616 390 529 744 1,075 1,495

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

35,046 572 787 1,158 1,756 2,484

Bachelor's degree only

22,299 517 742 1,071 1,577 2,291

Advanced degree

12,746 671 922 1,351 1,942 2,881

Men, 25 years and over

51,735 396 585 893 1,387 2,034

Less than a high school diploma

4,881 302 372 482 651 927

High school graduates, no college(1)

14,864 371 505 723 1,037 1,440

Some college or associate degree

13,410 423 598 855 1,214 1,686

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

18,580 617 885 1,341 1,919 2,894

Bachelor's degree only

11,961 591 827 1,210 1,841 2,580

Advanced degree

6,619 727 1,058 1,596 2,285 3,146

Women, 25 years and over

40,993 358 496 724 1,089 1,572

Less than a high school diploma

2,276 266 311 394 502 640

High school graduates, no college(1)

10,045 321 408 562 757 1,035

Some college or associate degree

12,206 364 486 648 912 1,248

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

16,466 518 731 1,005 1,463 2,048

Bachelor's degree only

10,338 481 661 933 1,346 1,854

Advanced degree

6,128 628 836 1,154 1,681 2,303

Footnotes
(1) Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
(2) Includes persons with bachelor's, master's, professional, and doctoral degrees.

NOTE: Ten percent of all full-time wage and salary workers earn less than the upper limit of the first decile; 25 percent earn less than the upper limit of the first quartile; 50 percent earn less than the upper limit of the second quartile, or median; 75 percent earn less than the upper limit of the third quartile; and 90 percent earn less than the upper limit of the ninth decile. Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 6. Median usual weekly earnings of part-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, quarterly averages, not seasonally adjusted
Characteristic Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
4th
2010
4th
2011
4th
2010
4th
2011

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over

24,409 24,652 $226 $233

Men, 16 years and over

8,349 8,744 217 226

16 to 24 years

3,541 3,757 168 176

25 years and over

4,808 4,987 266 271

Women, 16 years and over

16,061 15,909 232 237

16 to 24 years

4,620 4,460 164 168

25 years and over

11,440 11,448 267 271

RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX

White

20,225 20,272 228 233

Men

6,768 7,070 217 223

Women

13,457 13,203 235 239

Black or African American

2,519 2,795 211 226

Men

924 1,086 211 232

Women

1,595 1,709 212 222

Asian

1,038 899 245 262

Men

366 334 240 258

Women

672 565 248 266

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

3,341 3,720 228 223

Men

1,411 1,660 239 227

Women

1,930 2,061 220 218

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 7. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, annual averages
Characteristic Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
2010 2011 In current dollars In constant (1982-84) dollars
2010 2011 2010 2011

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over

99,531 100,457 $747 $756 $342 $336

Men, 16 years and over

55,059 55,971 824 832 378 370

16 to 24 years

4,770 4,951 443 455 203 202

25 years and over

50,289 51,020 874 886 401 394

Women, 16 years and over

44,472 44,486 669 684 307 304

16 to 24 years

3,782 3,772 422 421 194 187

25 years and over

40,691 40,714 704 718 323 319

RACE, HISPANIC OR LATINO ETHNICITY, AND SEX

White

80,656 81,336 765 775 351 344

Men

45,685 46,360 850 856 390 381

Women

34,971 34,976 684 703 313 313

Black or African American

11,658 11,604 611 615 280 274

Men

5,376 5,414 633 653 290 290

Women

6,283 6,191 592 595 271 264

Asian

4,946 5,197 855 866 392 385

Men

2,753 2,912 936 970 429 431

Women

2,193 2,284 773 751 355 334

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity

14,837 15,147 535 549 245 244

Men

9,239 9,448 560 571 257 254

Women

5,598 5,700 508 518 233 230

NOTE: Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 8. Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and sex, annual averages
Occupation and sex Number of workers
(in thousands)
Median weekly earnings
2010 2011 2010 2011

TOTAL

Management, professional, and related occupations

39,145 39,791 $1,063 $1,082

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

15,648 16,061 1,155 1,160

Professional and related occupations

23,497 23,730 1,008 1,029

Service occupations

14,424 14,378 479 486

Sales and office occupations

23,060 22,989 631 638

Sales and related occupations

9,121 9,294 666 670

Office and administrative support occupations

13,939 13,695 619 623

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

9,869 9,965 719 732

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

729 775 416 430

Construction and extraction occupations

5,020 5,031 709 717

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

4,120 4,159 794 806

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

13,034 13,333 599 609

Production occupations

6,861 7,058 599 605

Transportation and material moving occupations

6,172 6,275 599 614

Men

Management, professional, and related occupations

19,009 19,267 1,256 1,269

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

8,552 8,676 1,363 1,370

Professional and related occupations

10,457 10,592 1,179 1,211

Service occupations

7,294 7,387 543 551

Sales and office occupations

8,840 9,012 736 738

Sales and related occupations

5,058 5,225 805 804

Office and administrative support occupations

3,782 3,787 656 668

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

9,464 9,574 726 740

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

577 625 438 445

Construction and extraction occupations

4,918 4,937 710 718

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

3,968 4,013 799 807

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

10,453 10,730 640 651

Production occupations

5,085 5,241 664 667

Transportation and material moving occupations

5,368 5,489 618 634

Women

Management, professional, and related occupations

20,136 20,524 923 941

Management, business, and financial operations occupations

7,096 7,386 971 977

Professional and related occupations

13,040 13,139 900 919

Service occupations

7,129 6,991 423 433

Sales and office occupations

14,220 13,977 597 602

Sales and related occupations

4,063 4,069 516 549

Office and administrative support occupations

10,158 9,908 612 615

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

406 391 537 515

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

151 150 369 371

Construction and extraction occupations

102 95 646 612

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

152 146 683 751

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

2,581 2,603 473 485

Production occupations

1,776 1,817 481 483

Transportation and material moving occupations

805 786 447 490

NOTE: Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Table 9. Quartiles and selected deciles of usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, 2011 annual averages
Characteristic Number of
workers
(in
thousands)
Upper limit of:
First decile First
quartile
Second
quartile
(median)
Third
quartile
Ninth
decile

TOTAL

Total, 25 years and over

91,733 $380 $528 $797 $1,228 $1,867

Less than a high school diploma

7,019 288 346 451 616 862

High school graduates, no college(1)

25,157 349 464 638 919 1,266

Some college or associate degree

25,205 387 519 739 1,063 1,476

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

34,353 571 783 1,150 1,743 2,475

Bachelor's degree only

21,834 518 734 1,053 1,561 2,215

Advanced degree

12,520 663 924 1,346 1,922 2,886

Men

Total, 25 years and over

51,020 399 581 886 1,371 2,009

Less than a high school diploma

4,794 299 368 488 674 950

High school graduates, no college(1)

14,937 381 508 720 1,023 1,419

Some college or associate degree

13,156 420 589 840 1,195 1,645

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

18,132 607 888 1,332 1,913 2,882

Bachelor's degree only

11,634 580 819 1,199 1,806 2,499

Advanced degree

6,498 718 1,045 1,569 2,276 3,232

Women

Total, 25 years and over

40,714 358 493 718 1,070 1,556

Less than a high school diploma

2,225 269 316 395 516 677

High school graduates, no college(1)

10,220 322 409 554 748 1,015

Some college or associate degree

12,048 360 479 645 913 1,237

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

16,221 524 726 998 1,443 2,001

Bachelor's degree only

10,200 490 664 930 1,320 1,851

Advanced degree

6,021 622 842 1,154 1,656 2,310

White, total

Total, 25 years and over

74,220 387 548 825 1,256 1,887

Less than a high school diploma

5,800 290 350 458 629 881

High school graduates, no college(1)

20,291 360 482 663 954 1,315

Some college or associate degree

20,266 396 537 762 1,104 1,519

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

27,863 580 803 1,165 1,760 2,499

Bachelor's degree only

17,833 529 746 1,082 1,601 2,284

Advanced degree

10,030 677 937 1,359 1,973 2,900

White men

Total, 25 years and over

42,220 406 594 909 1,404 2,062

Less than a high school diploma

4,081 301 371 494 687 964

High school graduates, no college(1)

12,308 390 525 745 1,060 1,463

Some college or associate degree

10,879 438 606 873 1,232 1,678

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

14,952 615 905 1,353 1,924 2,895

Bachelor's degree only

9,733 587 839 1,234 1,854 2,523

Advanced degree

5,219 733 1,064 1,604 2,297 3,350

White women

Total, 25 years and over

32,000 365 503 736 1,098 1,573

Less than a high school diploma

1,719 272 317 394 514 685

High school graduates, no college(1)

7,983 328 420 572 766 1,046

Some college or associate degree

9,387 368 488 665 937 1,268

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

12,911 535 735 1,011 1,455 2,010

Bachelor's degree only

8,101 496 674 939 1,340 1,872

Advanced degree

4,811 632 856 1,163 1,655 2,309

Black or African American, total

Total, 25 years and over

10,583 340 451 643 955 1,406

Less than a high school diploma

709 266 320 416 563 720

High school graduates, no college(1)

3,397 315 399 538 746 1,039

Some college or associate degree

3,496 353 458 616 862 1,200

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

2,981 494 695 958 1,381 1,975

Bachelor's degree only

1,966 473 656 912 1,242 1,817

Advanced degree

1,016 572 767 1,074 1,639 2,294

Black or African American men

Total, 25 years and over

4,913 357 478 689 1,015 1,482

Less than a high school diploma

399 280 342 447 595 812

High school graduates, no college(1)

1,791 335 425 598 819 1,152

Some college or associate degree

1,509 374 491 687 964 1,344

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

1,214 502 725 1,027 1,528 2,127

Bachelor's degree only

827 494 708 979 1,364 1,921

Advanced degree

388 520 787 1,174 1,834 2,575

Black or African American women

Total, 25 years and over

5,670 329 429 613 895 1,324

Less than a high school diploma

310 246 305 385 513 633

High school graduates, no college(1)

1,606 298 377 493 657 879

Some college or associate degree

1,987 341 433 589 791 1,085

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

1,767 489 676 915 1,262 1,860

Bachelor's degree only

1,139 451 625 843 1,159 1,648

Advanced degree

628 590 761 1,024 1,524 2,096

Asian, total

Total, 25 years and over

4,903 390 566 901 1,444 2,090

Less than a high school diploma

313 284 349 448 563 717

High school graduates, no college(1)

892 326 413 564 783 1,117

Some college or associate degree

783 369 497 711 1,006 1,365

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

2,915 575 802 1,224 1,840 2,483

Bachelor's degree only

1,637 502 718 1,062 1,546 2,117

Advanced degree

1,278 679 959 1,461 2,009 2,878

Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, total

Total, 25 years and over

13,299 313 401 582 891 1,339

Less than a high school diploma

3,889 286 335 419 575 777

High school graduates, no college(1)

4,130 323 407 568 810 1,137

Some college or associate degree

3,042 355 483 663 952 1,385

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

2,239 481 692 1,000 1,457 1,981

Bachelor's degree only

1,552 438 643 947 1,340 1,807

Advanced degree

686 585 825 1,178 1,804 2,513

Hispanic or Latino men

Total, 25 years and over

8,239 322 412 600 932 1,412

Less than a high school diploma

2,800 294 351 450 609 820

High school graduates, no college(1)

2,602 341 435 606 901 1,211

Some college or associate degree

1,666 377 516 737 1,061 1,525

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

1,172 488 746 1,114 1,627 2,280

Bachelor's degree only

829 460 705 1,035 1,456 1,919

Advanced degree

343 606 888 1,394 1,977 2,918

Hispanic or Latino women

Total, 25 years and over

5,060 301 384 543 813 1,201

Less than a high school diploma

1,089 260 308 377 483 621

High school graduates, no college(1)

1,527 302 377 501 681 927

Some college or associate degree

1,377 338 446 600 837 1,160

Bachelor's degree and higher(2)

1,067 472 650 922 1,300 1,769

Bachelor's degree only

724 424 615 862 1,173 1,591

Advanced degree

344 567 766 1,078 1,538 2,094

Footnotes
(1) Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
(2) Includes persons with bachelor's, master's, professional, and doctoral degrees.

NOTE: Ten percent of all full-time wage and salary workers earn less than the upper limit of the first decile; 25 percent earn less than the upper limit of the first quartile; 50 percent earn less than the upper limit of the second quartile, or median; 75 percent earn less than the upper limit of the third quartile; and 90 percent earn less than the upper limit of the ninth decile. Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. Updated population controls are introduced annually with the release of January data.


Last Modified Date: January 24, 2012